Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-16
TELLER INSISTS
ON INFORMATION
DOMINICAN CORRESPONDENCE
TO BE PUBLISHED
ANNEXATION is. ADVOCATED
Senate and President Unable to Agree
on Withdrawal of the Treaty
and It Probably Will
Lapse

by Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, March 15.-When
the senate met today there was u
very interesting furry over the Santo
Domingo affair.
Senator Teller introduced resolu-
tion of inquiry asking the state depart
ment for all information concerning re
lations with the Dominican government
between July 1, 1904, and March 1, 1905
The reading of the resolution had
scarcely begun when Senator Cullom
objected to further reading, saying
that the matter pertained to executive
session business and should not be read
in open session.
"The senator cannot take me off the
fioor,' declared Mr. Teller. Il deny
the right of the senator to interrupt
the reading of the resolution"
Senator Cullom maintained that he
had right to inquire into the nature
of the resolution and to ascertain if it
belonged to open session or to executive
session business.
You cannot prevent the reading Of
the resolution" asserted Senator Tel
Ter warmly.
Senator Kean suggested to Mr.. Gull
consideration of executive business, but
Senator Teller had the floor and was
still insisting that his resolution should
be read.
Commence at the beginning and
read it ALL" directed Senator Teller,
and the clerk did so. The resolution
was as follows:
Resolved, That the secretary of state
is hereby directed to send to the sem
ate, for use in executive sessions,
copies of Instructions given to Commo-
dore Dillingham; and Minister Dawson,
or either of them, regarding Domini.
can affairs, or relating to any proposed
Eagreemeilt, protocol or treaty between
| the United States ana San Domingo
from July 1, 1904, to the first of March,
1906"
Il object to it's present consideration. .
Senator Cullom promptly said.
THAT is the right of the senator
said Senator Teller. II wanted this
resolution to go upon the public rec
ords. The information asked for may
be sent to the senate for use in exec
utive session if the president so de-
sires. 1t is part of the public records
and not part of the secret archives of
the government. L know that any
senator or representative can have
access to it, but | want it for the use
of tine senate
The senate then went into executive
session and Senator Hepburn of Idaho
made an extended argument in favor
of the annexation of Santo Domingo.
He declared that the destiny of this,
as well as other islands, was to be a
part of or under the control of the
United States. He went into the his
tory of Santo Domingo and cited pre-
vious efforts to acquire the island.
Senator Hepburn favored the pending
treaty because it was in the direction
of annexation.
Republican leaders in the senate are
all at sea respecting the action ad-
visable in regard to the Santo Domingo
treaty. Recognizing that the Demo-
Gratis control more than one third of
the votes and that two thirds are re-
quired to ratify the convention, the
sentiment of the Republican leaders
is that the treaty should be Withdrawn
by the president. On this subject the
senate and the president do not agree
and the idea prevails that after one or
two more days of inconsequential dis
cussion the special session of the SEN
ate will be allowed to adjourn without
date and the treaty lapse. But this
plan Is not popular in the senate and
way to avoid 1t is being sought
One alternative, which in the dis
cussion concerning it was termed mere
ly an excuse for inaction, is that Sena-
tor Cullom as chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign affairs, should offer
a resolution directing the president to
appoint committee to make an inves-
tigation of the Santo Domingo debts
This plan was agreed to tentatively as
the program most desirable under ex.
listing conditions, as 1t Is believed that
such resolution could be adopted
without debate. No decision was
reached which may not be changed
tomorrow and other plans have been
suggested or are brewing.
--~-~-s----