The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-19
NORWOOD'S REPORTAH HIT
HIS MONROE DOCTRINE STANDS
HIGHLY PRAISED.

w. G. p. BreckinridRe Has Read 1t
Twice and Calls 1t 'Admirable-Mr.
Crisp Proud of His Conference.-The
Doctrine Shown to Have Been
Entirely Different from That of Mr..
Edmunds.
WASHINGTON, March 18.-"The Monroe
doctrine has often been affirmed by
congress-" said Senator Sherman,
chairman OF the committee ON
foreign relations, during the debate
on the Edmunds resolution, warn
ing foreign nations against engag ing in
commercial enterprises on the American
continent. This was simply another
illustration of Chairman Sherman's
uufitness for that particular post which he
took simply because he couldn't get his old
place at the head Of the committee on
finance. AS matter OF fact the Monroe
doctrine has never been affirmed
by congress. although attempts have
been made again and again to
secure such an affirmation. If
it had not been for Norwood of Georgia,
Congress would not only have affirmed the
Monroe doctrine at the last session, but an
Edmunds doctrine on top of it.
THE EDMUNDs RESOLUTION,
created by the Senate and buried in the
House, not ouly declared the Monroe doc
trine to be that we would prevent any for
eign power from setting up monarchical
form of government in America, but also
the new and startling Edmunds doc
trine that we would prevent any for
eign power from undertaking peacefully
and amicably any commercial or industrial
enterprise this continent. Norwood
made the hit of the session in defeating this
remarkable proposition. Like all the men,
= not "a hal I'd
in the Monroe doctrine, but like
those who gave the subject every thought
he opposed tine Edmunds doctrine. Yet i
he had not taken the stand lie did the Ed
munds resolution would now be on the
statute book. 1t was railroaded through
the Senate in less than week. passing by
vote Of 40 to 3. In the House it was re-
affairs, and by its chairman, Nc
Creary of Kentucky, to sub
committee composed Of himself, Chapman
of Michigan and Hit of illinois, Within
two days the subcommittee reported it
favorably by unanimous vote, without sub
hitting a word of explanation. Norwood
went early to the committee meeting the
day it was to be considered prepared
to oppose it. After waiting for
Chairman McCreary and the rest Of
quorum for some time, Norwood
went out for few minutes
Before he returned Chairman McCreary
had arrived, had called up Edmunds resolu-
ton and put it through without discussion
only one member Mr.. Russell Of Massachus-
etts) voting no.
THE SAME DAY CHAIRMAN MCREARY
reported it to the House with the remark
that it came from the committee with prac-
teal unanimity-)n Russell of
Massachusetts, objecting. He did
not think it necessary to sub
NIT a report, so confident was he that it
would go through as triumphautly in the
House as in the Senate. Had it not
been for Norwood his confidence would
have been justified by the result. just at
this point Norwood stepped in ard tn warted
all McCreary's plans. While McCreary was
waiting fer a chance to bring the resolution
up, Norwood vas quietly but actively pre-
| pairing minority report to express the op-
| position of himself and Russell of Massa-
| chusetts. In this effort he spared no labor
He spent from twelve to eighteen
| hours day reading debates,
messages and reports from 1928 60 date to
satisfy himself that he was right and get
proof to convince Others an& then boiled
| down the result of his exa2nination in a
| report which was 50 well Written as to be
entertaining. Russell signed the report as
soon as he read it, and afterward said to
me: I'm that repor6 Norwood has
durable than brass" Russell was Just
as hearty in his praise in speaking of it to
| his lleagueS. The conseq renee was that
| Chairman McCreary changed his view
| about the necessity of submitting a ma
| jority report, and proceeded to prepare one
| Of great length. Meanwhile member after
| member in the majority of the committee
| signed Norwood's minority report. Cothran
of SoIth Carolina signed 1t promptly after
| Russell. So did Rayner Of Maryland.
Hooker of Mississippi thought he would
| like to wait till he read McCreary's report.
WHEN HE HAD DONE so
he read and signed Norwood's. This left
McCreary, who had reported the resolution
| with practical unanimityn without a
democratic supporter on the committee, ex-
cept Chapman of Michigan, whose state of
health was such as to prevent his giving
| proper attention 10 the matter. Had Chip
man been able to investigate it he would
probably have signed Norwood's
report, and this would have made
| the committee stand a tie on
ordering the consideration of the McCreary
report, which would therefore have been
lost As it was, Norwood's report, which
was speedily read by the members on both
sides so enlightened thu House that Nc
Creary found it impracticable to pass the
Edmunds resolution, and so dropped it..
Norwood had compile ely changed the
mind of the House by point
ing out the limitations of the
| Monroe doctrine and the distinction
between it and the E1munds doctrine Tne
comments of prominent men in the House
were interesting. W. c. P. Breckenridge:
at is admirable. l have read it twice. "
Payson of Illinois said: 1.-The argument IS
unanswerable" Herbert of Alabama said
1T is a magnificent piece of logic" Crisp
said: 81 took it up at IL o'clock one night
and it so interested me that read it through
without stop. feel proud of my colleague. "
A republican leader said: 81 first read it
for its style. l then read it for its argu-
ment."