Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15
POSTPONED FOR A WEEK.
Four Hours Devoted to the Mckennn
Nomination.

Almost the entire four hours of the exec
utive sessions of the Senate yesterday were
devoted to the indirect consideration of the
nomination of Joseph McKenna, now At
torney General. 10 be associate justice of
the Supreme Court. The discussion was the
result of ar effort the part of Senator
Allen Of Nebra ska to secure a postpone
ment for two weeks. In the end a compro-
mise was reached deferring consideration
until a week from yesterday, on the condi-
ton that the Nebraska senator should
agree to allow a vote to be taken on that
day. The Hawaiian treaty was not touch
ed upon during the session.
The debate upon Mr.. McKenna's nom
ination was precipitated by Senator Hoar
chairman OF the committee Judiciary
who called up the nomination in accord
ance with his notice Of yesterday, and
asked for immediate action. In doing this
Mr.. Hoar spoke briefly of the opposition
to Mr.. MckenEa. saying that the judiciary
committee had investigated most of the
charges made and had reached the con-
clusion that they were without founda ton
He said that the greater number of charges
had been made by the members of the
American Protective Associa ton, and that.
as they had been founded solely upon the
fact that MIR. Mckenna was Catholic in
religion. they had not been deemed worthy
of serious consideration. Mr.. Hoar dwelt
at some length upon this point, excoriating
any men who would attempt to inject Il
question of religion into controversy over
& mans fitness for office. He said that such
an effort was entirely un-American and
unpatriOtic and should not for moment
receive tn consideration of fair-mindcd
men.
Senator White of California also spoke of
the effort Of the A. p. a. to interfere with
the course OF the Senate in giving proper
attention to a question the determination
of which should depend upon considera-
tons of fitness and justice between man
and man rather than upon appeal to
bigotry. prejudice and false claim of
patriotism. He spoke of the A. Z. AS as
fools who could not be properly charac-
terized in the Senate.
He had no patience, he said, with men
who held the opinion that Catholics must
necessarily consult the pope or some other
high functiorary of the Catholic Church in
every important transaction of their lives,
and added that he was convinced that the
American Senate would rot be Influenced
for moment by such representations as
order of the character of the A. P. A.
would make. Mr.. Mckenna's confirmation
should depend entirely upon different con-
alterations. AS for himself, while he did
not contend II at Mr.. Mckenna was giant
in his legal attachments, still he believed
him to be an honorable man, a competent
LAWYER and just jurist, and he should
support his confirmation.
1t was here that Mr.. Allen interposed an
objection to immediate action.
When his request for two weeks delay
was met with refusal he took the floor and
proceeded to give his reasons for the re-
quest. which were in the main that he
wanted and he thought the Senate should
have, more time for considera ton than
had been given to it. He called attention
to the importance of the office to which
Mr.. McKenna had been named, saying it