The Portland daily press., 1900-03-10
His Resolution Considered in Secret
Session.
Question of Discharging
Committee.
Views OF Senators As To Merits
or Resolution.

| Warrington. March Gin the secret
session of the Senate today the discussion
was mainly upon the question as to
should he in oIsn or secret session.
Chairman Davis Of tie foreign relations
committee says that the public discussion
Of the resolution might result In disturb
ing existing relations between the United
States and u friendly power. Mr.. MNon
said there was no reason why this motion
should be discussed openly unless some
one wanted to conceal something. He
snid the resolutions OF sympathy for the
Armenians and the Cubans had day after
day been discussed In open SESSION and
that no one thought 1t necessary at that
tine to close the doors The discussion
continued until the hour expired when
the motion went over without discussion.
Snator Lodge, srelkes for the commit
lee on foreignrslaslons,s said that IL was an
unheard of matter TO take the resolution
out of the hands Of the committee. some-
thing that has never been one, and that
1t was . discourtssy which should not be
done Q committss Of the Senate. As to
open sessions. Mr.. Lodge said that ma
tiers might to brought out which should
NO be published.
Senator Mason responded that IL would
ind It's way into the papers anyway. He
saw no reason why the simple motion b,
dischaTte tie committe, should not he
discussed In public. Mr.. Lodge said that
the debate would not be conhnsi TO the
motion, but would go into the merits OF
the resolution itself and that was the
danger of having tbs debate In public.
Mr.. Mason replied that there could be no
grave danger to this country In any such
discussion. The only people with whom
the United States was ut war was the
Filipino. and he could not see how this
race could profit By what Senators said
concerning the war In south Africa.
Senator Spooner opposed discussing the
resolution In public. He was In symps-
thy, he said, with tie Beers and the peo-
pie might be. but this was government
al matter and Great Britain would have
GAUSS for offense IL this government
should take any action.
Mr. Mason replied that this was Sem
ate resolution requiring neither the assent
Of the house, mar of the executive, and
would be simply an expression OF the
Senate.
Mr.. Spooner said that at the same time.
1t would be taken As an express ion OF the
government The question Was one for
the executive and not for the Senate. Mr.
Mason has no right to have vote on this
question.
Mr.. Mason retortsd that he had o right
to try and would continue to try.
MIR. Hoar said he was In favor Of pass
ing a resolution asking the President to
offer his good Offices In an attempt ct
mediation, and II the Mafon resolution
Of sympathy should bs passed, 1t would
prevent the passage OF such q resolution
and stop the President from making the
tender on his own account.
Mr.. Tillman then offered suhstituts
for the Mason resolution requesting the
President to tender his friendly Offices for
mediation. The resolution was as follows.
"That the President be requested to
offer the mediation and kindly Off es o
the United states government to put an
end to the war In South Africa and Sc
cure peace between Great Britain aud the
Dutch republics on terms honorable TO
DO Oh parties to the conflict
Mr.. Lodge made the point Of order that
a substitute resolution could not be offered
to the resolution now in committee and
| the point was sustained.
MIR. Hale made a speech In favor Of the
Beers similar to the one he delivered In
open session some time fago. he added
that he was In favor OF the Mason re1c n
ton, but Il a. II was useless to try W-t
an expression of 81 mpathy from the g.
ate.
The subject of an alleged secret alliance
came up. MIR. Mason said We were told
every day ttas there WAS no secret ALI
ance. II there WAS not, he said, let us
carry out our usual habit In such casss
We always had passed resolutions Of sym
pAthy with struggling republics and We
should do so now. There was nothing
against Great Britain In the resolution.
Mr.. Spooner responded that England
had bean our friend In the Spanish war
and we should do nothing to interrrpi
those friendly relations
Mr.. Hoar said that Q great question OF
right and wiring was involved and II
shoul d be settled regardless Of questions
OF friendship, whether 1t was OF spain,
england OF the Czar Of Rufsis.
Mr. Dspew said he had recently been
waited upon by a committee OF Finland
ers who wanted the United States TO take
action upon the outrages peEpstrated up
on them by the Czar. he asked why IL
| was that when the junior Senator fI6m
Illinois was bubhling over with ~ mpathy
some OF it mad not swaahed over on the
Finanders.
Mr.. Mason Responded that he had a
NUM- Der OF other resolutions on ts p which
he would Introduce hut Just at present
he was anxious TO have action for the
| Beers who most needed it.
IL Is undsTs' God that the motion Will DO
1 debated next week.