The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-16
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
40 HOPE OF RATIFICATION At
THE SPECIAL SESSION.

to-day between President Roosevelt and
leading Republican Senators II was made
clear 10 tho President that the Santo Do
mingo treaty would DO defeated If pressed
70 a vote at the present special session
The President showed that no realized
the situation. and Il was tentatively agreed
that In order to cave the treaty II should
be allowed to 60 ovor until Congress re-
assemblies
Il was shown 10 Mr.. RoOssvelt's salts
faction that while the treaty could bo ratified
In amended form under ordinary circum-
stances the absence Of Ave Republican
Senators made this impossible In fairness
70 the Administration, therefore, the
Senators with whom Mr.. Roosevelt talked
thought that o vote should be postponed
until the full Republican membership of
the Senate was at hand and tho President
accepted this view.
Those Senators who are with the Presi-
dent In the Dominican matter are hoping
against hope that nothing will turn
up which may enable them to secure ratifi-
cation before the end Of the week, and
they are talking haf-heaJedly about
making another effort to secure the three
Democratic votes necessary to that end.
But no one really expects that the effort
will succeed.
Senator Newlands Of Nevada made a
plea late this afternoon for the passage OF
resolution calling upoi the State Depart
ment for information which il believed to
be IN its possession and which may throw
light on the Dominican situation. A num-
her of Republican leaders said tonight
that they are disposed to agree to this
resolution and give the State Department
two days in which TO reply, in the hope that
the new Information would cause a few
democratic Senators TO change their atu-
tude
It is almost a foregone conclusion, how
ever, that no Democratic votes will bo
changed and that, 10 save the President
the embarrassment Of another rebuff, the
treaty will not be brought 20 a vote II is
proposed that some sort Of resolution 10
passed by the Senate providing for an in
vestigation of the Dominican debt, thus
giving color TO the argument that the Senate
is not really in opposition to the Presidents
policy, but il merely DESTROYS of complete
information before Concurring in the treaty,
Such action, il Is expected. may he ac-
complished 10y Friday, eri the Senate will
then adjourn.
The senators who talked about the treaty
situation with the President to-day, most
Of whom came for that specific purpose,
were CulOm Of Illinois, chairman Of the
Committee on Foreign Relations Allison OF
Iowa, Plat Of Connecticut. SpoOner Of
Wisconsin, Frye and Hale of Maine, Gal
hnger Of New Hampshire, Clapp Of Mime
sota, Burrows and Alger Of Michigan Crane
OF Massachusetts,, Foraker Of Ohio, Carter
Of Montana, Beveridge Of Indiana and
Fulton Of Oregon, all Republicans. There
was a full and free discussion Of the situa-
ton. with many Of the details Of which the
President showed familiarity.
The President told Senator Cullom that
rather than see the treaty defeated out
right he preferred that it should not be
brought TO a vote. Senator Spooner and
other friends OF the President suggested
20 him that the treaty should be withdrawn,
but Mr. Roosevelt would not listen to this,
as such action, in his opinion, would amount
TO a virtual admission that he considered
the treaty faulty, or that the policy recon-
mended was not to be adhered 10. He
told the Senators who called upon him that
he believed the course reco mmended by
him was the best il not the only way out Of
serious difficulty, md that Ne could not
change that opinion merely because the
Senate did not agree with him.
Senator CIllom advised severe a ssO-
ciates in the Senate OF the Presidents re-
quest that tho treaty be not pressed 10 n
vote. II was soon taCitly agreed that the
Presidents wish in This respect should
, DO granted, and after some discussion
among Republican leaders it. was tenta-
lively arranged that senator Cullom should
offer q resolution on Friday providing for
the appointment Of commission 10 in
vestigate Santo Dumin COS debts. If no
better plan Offer an effort viii be made to
have this resolution adopted without debate
and 10 adjourn sine die on Friday OF by
saturday at the latest.
Some OF the most influential Senators
are doubtful of the wisdom Of adjourn
ing without decisive action on the treaty,
whether the President desires it or not
Among them is Mr.. Allison, who said to-
day that the Senate had a duty to perform
as part Of the treaty making power lie
believed vote should he taken regardless
OF the result. Most Of the Republican Sena-
tors, however, appear to he impressed with
the view that il would bo less embarrassing
20 the President to permit the treaty to
lapse than to kin Il outright
The discussion to-day was spintless on
account Of the general understanding that
The treaty should not be voted upon.
During to-day's dcbate covert references
were made by Democratic Senators TO VIII
lam Nelson Cromwell ~ New York, who
has been mentioned by name in earlier
debates as the chief factor in the infu-
enoe being eIerted TO collect the claim Of
the San Domingo Improvement Company
from Santo Domingo. Several Democratic
Senators wanted TO know just what inter-
est Mr. Cromwell had in the claims against
Banto Domingo, Il was also pointed out
that the bonds Of the Dominican republic
had risen In value since the signing Of the
treaty, and some OF the Senators said they
wanted TO know where the bonds were beld
In the Senate to-day Mr. Teller offered
resolution calling upon the Secretary Of
State for Information regarding instruc-
tons issued to Commander Dillingham;,
u. s. ", and Minister Dawson FOR the nego-
tiation Of the protocol win Santo Do
min go and asking for the draft OF any pro-
pos ed agreement, protocol or treaty.
Messrs. Cullom and Kean objected to