The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-08
HANNA insists ON DELAY
lie Opposes Action on the Canal
Bill at This Session.
Wants 1t Held Up UntiI the Hny-
Pnuncefote Treaty Is Disposed of
by the senate-SupPOscd to Repre-
sent the Views of the Admins
trntion-SeweIrs Changed Position.

The Senate Committee on Inter-oceanic
Canals held a special executive meeting
yesterday. and took under consideration the
Hepburn Nicaragua Canal bill. as passed
by the House.
The meeting did not give much encour-
agement to the friends of the Nicaragua
Canal bill. Up to within a day or so, 1T
was believed the committee, when it met
yesterday. would promptly order favor
able report to the Senate on the bill.
No action was taken because of the absence
of three members of the committee, but
there is little hope that favorable report
viii be ordered at the meeting tomorrow.
to which time the committee adjourned.
Mr. Hanna and Mr. Sewell, both Of whom
have hitherto professed to be friends of
the canal proposition and in favor of early
action, took an entirely different tack and
urged that nothing be done until after the
Hay Pauncefote Treaty, now pending in
the Senate. shall have been ratified Mr..
Hanna particularly is supposed to repre-
sent the views of the Administration on
the subject. and he was insistent that it
would be piece of bad faith and an affrunC
to Great Britain for this Government TO
important a treaty as the Hay PauncefOte
convention bearing upon tn same subject
remaining on the calendar Enacted upon.
Mr.. Hanna took the ground that the
Clayton Bulwer Treaty was still in force
and would be in force until the Hay
Pauncefote Treaty, which modified hat
convention was agreed to. and that until
that treaty was ratified the United States
could not consistently pass legislation that
in
with the terms Of the treaty. He threw
out a hint that if the committee insisted /
upon making a favorable report on the
bill it would be antagOnlZed on the tioOr,
and that the party machinery would be
brought to bear against the proposition.
In other words, Mr. Hanna as much rs
gave his associates on the committee to
understand that if the committee acted
favOrsbly on the House bill, the steering
committee would refuse to give the meas
ure any standing and would prevent it
from coming to a vote during this session,
at least. In this Mr.. Hanna was sup
ported by Mr.. Sewel
Mr. Morgan occupied much Of the time
Of the committee. He asserted that the
Canal bill stood by itself and had nothing
to do with the treaty, and that nothing in
the treaty could in any way interfere with
the proposed legislation. 1t mattered not, /
he contended. whether the treaty was rau-
fed at this session or some other session, /
and Great Britain could not possibly take /
affrOnt at The enactment of 'the bill now /
pending. which, Mr. Morgan pointed out, |
did rot provide for fortiacations OF any
sort On the contrary, he said. it was N /
line with the terms Of the treaty as orig /
inany nego -iated by Mr.. Hay.
Mr. Mcbride Of Oregon, was not pre-
sent at the meeting. He has been count |
ed upon by the friends of the canal to join |
in ordering a favorable report on the |
bill notwithstanding the objections Of the /
Administration Republicans. Senators who |
talked with Mr.. Mcbride yesterday. how /
ever gathered the impression that he. /
too, was beginning to view the situation |
through Mr.. Hanna's spectaclcs and that /
if put TO the test he would vote with that [
Senator against favorable report at /
this time.
It is understood that if a majority of I
the committee is against him Mr. Morgan /
will insist upon the committee making an /
adverse report rather than permitting the I
bill to sleep in committee. If an adverse !
report is made it win 90 to the calendar. ]
and Mr.. Morgan can move at any time to ,
take it up. This viii enable him to put
Senators on record and by a yea and nay
vote show just where they stand on this .
subject.
mere IS no nope OF securing LNe IdLlu- ]
cation of the Hay Fsuncefote Treaty al /
this session Of Congress. While the Davis |
amendment secured a number Of votes /
that would otherwise have been cast +
against it, the Administration Republicans /
who believed in the treaty just as uego- /
tiated oppose the amendment ard refuse /
to accept it, With these votes alienated il .
is impossible to secure the necessary two I
thirds. and Mr.. Davis has abandoned all /
idea of getting the treaty through at this 1
session The signing OF the protocol pro- /
viding for a seven months extension of /
the time within which the ratifcations :
shall be exchanged shows that the State /
Department has not abandoned the hope .
of securing the ratification Of the treaty
in the shape it desires. If the treaty and [
the Canal bill are to go hand in hand. as
now appears probable, there is absolutely
no hope Of the House bill going through /
the Senate before the June adjournment