Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-03-01

lost their lives in Havana harbor as
the result of an explosion the cause
OF which even yet never has been
fully explained
The collier Leonidas will go to An
napolis after leaving Washington and
there will unload other relics Of the
Maine which will be distributed to
various cities. patriotic societies, to
personal survivors of the disaster in
Havana harbor and to relatives of the
victims Of the disaster.
May Open Senate Doors.
The senate OF the United States has
in part at least discussed in the open
the arbitration treaties pending be-
tween the United States. Great Britain
and other countries. Ordinarily al
most everything pertaining to treaties
Is discussed In executive session with
no one present but the senators, the
clerks and the stenographers. "Execu-
tive session secrecy" is not always
secrecy. for frequently when the ses,
sion Is over the facts OF the debate
leak out
1t is possible that this discussion
of arbitration In part openly may be
the entering wedge for the opening to
the public of all so-called executive
sessions, although It is not at all
probable that complete publicity will
come for some years
Some time ago the senate was dis
cussing treaty with Santo Domingo
AS usual the session were secret. but
as secret sessions they proved to be
broadly farcical. The senate sat be-
hind closed doors and on this Santo
Domingo occasion not only the pub
lie and correspondents. but the clerks
and even the reporters were exclud-
ed. Somehow or other nearly all the
proceedings Of the secret meeting
were reported in full in the newspaper
OF the next day, and since them some
proceedings of the senate which or.
dinarily in the past would have been
held behind close doors we're open to
the public. The tendency is more and
more to do away with secret sessions.
Secrets Are inviolate.
When the senate sits in executive
session for the consideration of the
confirmation of appointments to office
made by the president the secrets of
the chamber are kept inviolate. No
one thinks Of asking a senator about
protests that might have been made
against the confirmation of any man.
Neither would any one think of asking
him how the senators voted on the
nf he oh If
the president The senators wouldn't
tell II they were asked.
Nominations have been refused ap-
proval because OF the objection OF
single senator who held that the man
named was distasteful to him person
and I'll do 1t for you some day" propo-
sition. In the case of treaties and
other matters which the senate may
feel called upon to discuss in private
the thing is different The whole
public is interested in the proceed.
ings, and the public for many years
has been unable to understand why 1t
should not know the views OF Its rep
resentatives ON questions of national
AhpOE kAb q AhhttCA Vi AdCbt bhO
public generally has discovered these
views. for the senators will talk Near
ly every new and comparatively new
senator is in sympathy with the open
meeting idea. The belief Is that 1t
will prevail before long.
In his day Charles Sumner was an
ardent advocate of open senate SEES
sions for all OF the business except
that of the confirmation of appointees
to office. Even the strength of Sum-
ner, however, failed to move the sen.
ate. Since his day individual senators
have tried and tried again to secure |
the consideration of treaties In open
session, but the trying failed.
Clapp 10 Ironleai.
Some years ago Senator Moses e.
Clapp OF Minnesota introduced an
ironicai resolution calling for open
sessions. The members were consid-
ering an Isthmian canal matter, and
full reports of everything that was
said In the secret session were ap-
pearing daily in the newspapers. The
Clapp resolution was to the effect
that the Minnesota senator had dis
covered that one newspaper man had
made a mistake of one word In a Sc
cret session report which was six col
lmns long, and 1t asked In the inter
est of accuracy that the newspaper
be admitted to the gal
cries during the executive sessions.
1t is a matter of truthful history
hat Senator Hoar took the resolution
seriously and that the next day when
Senator Morgan was pounding away
It the "treacherous character" of one
If the Central American republics.
Senator Hoar walked over to Senator
,lapp and said:
IF your resolution had gone
through and this speech of Morgap's
we're made public the country he is
attacking would be ablaze"
Let her blaze senator" said Clamp.
Tt wouldn't make a big enough fire
o reach u.s."
Senator Morgan's speech was made
,ublic. as were all the others. and
here wasn't as much as a bonfire in
central America It should be said
or Senator Hoar that never In any
would he lisp a word
bout what was said and done In ex.
cutive session of the senate. {
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1ade Whitaker's Almanak unsaleable