The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-10

Washington, March 9.-In the secret
session of the senate today the dis
eussion was mainly upon the question
as TO whether discussion of the Mason
motion should be in open or secret.
Chairman Davis of the foreign rela-
lions committee said that the, public
Discussion Of the subject in the senate
might result in disturbing existing re-
lations between the United States and
a friendly power He thought therefore,
that anything of the kind would much
better be avoided.
Dir Mason said there was no reason
Why this motion should not be dis
cussed openly unless some one wanted
10 conceal something. The resolutions
OF sympathy for the Armenians and the
Cubans had been discussed day after
day IN open session and no one then
feared that existing friendly relations
would be disturbed. Mr.. Mason quoted
from a speech of Senator Frye on the
Armenian resolution in which the
Maine senator took occasion to criti-
else Great Britain very severely. Gyhis
ne SAID, did not disturb relations with
that country.
mfttee on foreign relations. said that
il was an unheard of matter to take
the resolution out of the hands of the
committee, something that had never
been done and that il was a discOur-
tesy which should not be done ky a
committee Of the senate. As 10 open
sessions Mr.. Lodge said that matters
might be brought out which should not
De published.
Would Get Into Print Anyway.
Senate Mason responded that it
wouie 1End its way into the papers z71y-
way he saw no reason which the sim
PIE motion TO discharge the committee
should not be discussed in public.
Mr. Lodge said the debate would not
be confined to the motion, but would go
INTO the merits of the resolution itself
and it wac the danger of having the
debate in public.
Mr.. Mason replied that there could
be no grave danger to this country
in any such discussion. The only peo-
pie with whom the United States was
at war was the Filipinos and he could
not sac how this race could profit by
what senators said concerning a war
in South Africa.
Senator Spooner opposed discussing
the motion in public. He was in SYM
pathy, he said, with the Beers and the
people might be. but this was a gov
ernmental matter and Great Britain
would have cause for offense if this
government should take any action.
Mr.. Mason replied that this was a
senate resolution requiring neither the
assent Of the house nor the executive
and would be simply an expression of
the senate.
Not For the Senate.
Mr.. Spooner said that at the same
tine it would be taken as an expires
sion of the government. The question
was one for the executive and not lor
the senate. Mr.. Mason had no right to
have a vote on this question.
Mr. Mason retorted that he had a
right to try. and would continue 10 cry.
Mr. Hoar said he was in favor Of
passing a resolution asking the presi-
dent to offer his good Offices in an at
tempt at mediation, and if the Mason
resolution of sympathy should be pass
ed il would prevent the = ssage of such
a resolution and stop the president
from making the tender on his own
account
Mr.. Tillman then offered a substitute
for the Mason resolution requesting the
president to tender his friendly offices
follows:
That the president be requested to
offer the mediation and kindly offices of
the United states government TO put
an end to the war in Scuh Africa and
secure peace beween Great Britain and
III Dutch republics on terms honorable
to both parties to the conflict"
Mr.. Lodge made the point Of order
that a substitute resolution could not
be offered to the resolution now in COM
mittee and the point was sustained.
Hale Favors Beers.
Mr.. Hale made a speech in favor of
the Boers, similar to the one he deliV-
cred in open session some time ago. He
added that ne was in favor of the Ma
son resolution but that it was useless
to try to get an expression of sympathy
from the senate.
Mr.. Spooner responded that England
had been our friend in the Spanish
war and We should do nothing to in
terrupt those friendly relations.
This brought Mr. HOar TO his feet.
He said that a great question of right
and wrong was involved. and it should
be settled regardless of questions of
friendship, whether it was of Spain,
England or the car of Russia.
Mr.. Depew said he had recently been
waited upon by a committee of Fin
landers. who wanted the United States
TO take action upon the outrages per-
petrated upon them by the car. He
asked why it was that when the junior
senator from Illinois was bubbling over
with sympathy. some of it had not
swashed over on the Finlanders.
Mr.. Mason responded that he still had
a number of other resolutions on tap.
which he would introduce. but just at
present he was anxious to have action
for the Beers who most needed it.
II IS understood that the motion VIII