Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-19


the definite, though unofficial state
ment, that President Taft formally had
notified Russia that the treaty of 1882
with that country would be abrogated
within the next two or three days, the
senate committee on foreign relations
today considered what form the abro-
cation should take. ..S..
Two propositions were laid before
the committee. The first was that
the president should officially proclaim
the abrogation, with ratification of his
action by the senate. The second was
that the abrogation should be ordered
in joint resolution as proposed by
{ the house. There was no thought,
however. Of adopting the language OF
the house document. s IS Il
The senate committee on foreign re-
laticns decided to report to the senate
the house resolution, In modified
form fcr5ethe abrogation OF the Rus
sian treaty. This means that the
house will be included in the action
OF atrogration.
The &C mmittee also discussed at
length the question as to whether or
not the abrogation of the treaty
s..-crld he considered in open session
as it was in the house, or whether dis
ssloli should lie in executive ses-
sisn. Until this question was settled
4 it was declared, no official statement
would be made as to the message of
the president on the subject of abro.
81 4 alton. A resolution satisfactory to
the administration is said to have
l,een framed by Senator Lodge OF
Massachusetts; member of the for
eli relations committee. This draft
W. ID briefly and simply declare the
trc atty abrogated, On the ground that
1t had become obsolete.
Senate in Session This Afternoon.
The senate went into session at 2
o'clock this afternoon to ratify the &C
ton Of President Taft in notifying on
December Is, the Russian government
Of the intention of the United States
to ahrogate the treaty Of 1882 with
that country The president sent to
the senate q message stating the
course he had pursued.
The presidents message was read
in the senate in open session soon af-
ter it convened. He stated he took
the matter up with the Russian am.
bassador in this city Friday last.
The official declaration of the inten.
tion to abrogate did not reach the
Russian government until yesterday.
Immediately after the presidents
message had been read Senator Lodge
presented the resolution agreed on by
the foreign relations committee and
offered it as a substitute for the Sui
ger resolution passed by the house.
Y Language Of Lodge RESOLUTION.
The Lodge resolution recited that
President Taft had on December II
caused to be presented to the imper-
ial Russian government at st. Peters
burg notice that the treaty would be
4 abrogated The resolution approved
this action, declaring that the treaty
between the two countries no longer
was responsible to the political prin-.
ciples or the commercial needs Of
either.
President Taft, with the idea that
his message might be considered In
executive session Of the senate, sent
no copies Of it to the capitol and
none were given out at the white
house.
a The committee resolution conclud-
ed:
"Therefore, be it resolved by the
senate and the house of representa-
tiyes that the notice given by the
president of the United States to the
empire of Russia to terminate the
said treaty is hereby adopted and
ratified"
Heyburn's Objections Delay Action.
After the message and the resolu.
ton had been read, Senator Hepburn
Of Idaho, moved that the further con-
sideration of the matter would be in
executive session. He declared that
It was proposed to cancel contract
Of great commercial interest to the
United States involving a trade Of
Continued on Page 10.)