Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-21


in Washington. in which the press OF
the country often aids. Soon after
his inauguration President Wilson
became convinced that the exemption
in our coastwise trade when passing
through the Panama Canal was in
contravention Of the Hay-Pauncefote
Treaty which had been made with
England land in an address to Con-
gress urged its repeal. A bill to effect
which there was not party division.
In order to effect this repeal the
Senate was kept in session during
seven weeks of very hot summer
Washington. could be set at work to
prevent its passage If possible. There
may have been some timorous aouls
of Senators SO weak and eringing
that they were influenced by such
propaganda: but l knew Of none. The
measure should have been disposed
of. with ample time for discussion,
in at least four working days Of the
Senate.
Senator Root made most able
speech in favor OF the repeal. l
thought it by far the abiest speech
ate. This consumed about four hours.
Senator O'Gorman. who was Chairman
OF the Committee On lnterooeanic
Canals, and was opposed to the re-
Redip lSplieu IL SotNdtQT All a
speech OF about the same length. Two
more days Of general debate upon the
question would have been sufficient;
but the interests, whatever they were,
that opposed the repeal, wished time
to stir up the country against the
passage of the measure and so Sena-
tors began to hear by telegram and
b. letter. all generally of the same
tenor, showing Il common origin, that
a vote for the repeal of the legisla-
ton providing for these tolls was q
vote in favor OF Great Britain and
against the interests of this country.
Senators who had never heard of
the Clayton-B ulwer Treaty or the
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, except what
they learned from the speeches Of
tened to get up speeches to read TO
the Senate, thus giving time to the
opponents of the repeal to pour in
protests and advice upon the MEM
bers Of the Senate. Votes are seldom
changed by such tactics. but often
political capital is made by them
Amendments to treaty may be
adopted by a majority vote. but by
Constitutional provision the ratifica-
ton of the treaty itself can only be
had by O two-thirdS vote. Senators
can. therefore, load the treaty down
with amendments and reservations
for the purpose of defeating its final
passage and then vote against its
ratification, with the amendments and
reservations which they assisted in
adopting. But an amendment to the
Constitution will be necessary before
the Senate can adopt any rule to rat
ify treaty other than by two
thirds vote.
There has been some criticism upon
the course pursued by the Senate in
the case of the Versailles and Pacific
Treaties in debating them in open
session. There are valid reasons why
a treaty should be considered in eX-
ecutIVe session, where senators may
freely express themselves without
giving offense to other nations. But,
while the rule of the Senate makes a
Senator who diVulgeS the proceedings
in executive session liable to eXpul-
sion, and every officer OF the Senate
who commits the same offense, liable
to dismissal, never knew an instance
where all the proceedings of the eN-
ecutiVe session were not somehow OBJ
tanned by the press.
1t was a matter of common occur
renee to see what had occurred in
executive session set out in the full
est detail in the papers published the
next morning. or perhaps that eve
ming. The papers were able to state
with accuracy the names of Senators
who spoke and what they said and
to give as detailed information as If
the session in which the treaty had
been discussed had been an open one;
and no attempt was ever made, with
III my Knowledge, to discover how the
proceedings. which were supposed to
be secret. had leaked out, nor was sur
prise manifested that they had.
Appointments to office are consid-
cred in executive session and if oppo-
sition develops, under the rules, the
party against whom charges are made
can be notified OF their nature, but
not of the names of the Senators who
IN In however
The press was always able to state
the author and nature of the charges.
SO far, then, a 5 the executive session
of the Senate was designed to obtain
secrecy, it has utterly failed; and eX-
cept in rare instances, where the i'm
portance of the matter under consid-
GRAFTON would justify the Senate in
enforcing it's rule, all the delibera-
tionS of the Senate, from the ratifi-
cation of treaty TO open contirma-
tiCn OF appointments. might as well
be debated in open session as TO con-
time the farce Of having them con-
ciuered in executive session.
The Committees of the Senate, I'M
der its rules, are supposed to be Sc
iected by the Senate itself, and, in
theory, they are; but in practice each
party III the Senate selects, through
Committee on Committees. the
members of the Committee up to the
number to which it is entitled. BY
an agreement between the Committees
on Committees. Of which there is one
headed by the leader on each side of
the Chamber, il is determined how
many places shall be given to the ma
jority and how many to the minority
members of the Senate on each stand
ing Committee, the number OF men,
bers Of the Committee having been
decided by the Senate. If the Com
mittec is to consist of sixteen men,
bers the majority usually takes nine,
at least, leaving the minority seven.
The list agreed upon is reported to
the Senate and always adopted. Tn
choosing members of the standing
Committees the rule of seniority of
service determines their rank. This
rule has been greatly criticized and
recently much opposition to it was
manifested in the newspapers in the
East. when Senator McCumber, from
q purely agricultural state. succeeded
Senator Pcnrose as the Chairman OF
the great Finance Committee.
] do not think that the rule has
worked to the disadvantage of the
country, but rather to it's advantage,
as it provides method OF choosing
Chairmen of the Committees, which
avoids contests for these positions.
While it is sometimes true that
Senator. physically infirm. is placed
mittee by reason of his seniority of
service, yet, there are always other
members on the Committee who are
ready to assist him and TO assume
the responsibilities of his chairman
ship by taking charge of bills upon
the floor of the Senate: and IL the
coveted places of Craftsmanship of
these great Committees were open to
competition the struggle between con-
tenders for them would produce so
much i'll feeling and bitterness that
the work of the Committee would be
seriously affected.
With these Committee chairman
ships go large powers and privileges,
splendid committee rooms and