The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-19
HAY-PAYNCEFOTE
TREATY IN SENATE
Yet the Centre of Interest in
That Body.
RESOLUTION BY TILLMAN
Asks For Correspondence Between
Washington and Colombia.
FORAKER SPEAKS IN FAVOR OF TREATY
Senator Morgan Also Makes an Address. Five
Treaties Of Minor importance Ratified.
The House Devoted Inc Day
to District Business.
(By the Associated Press }

(By the Associated PfeSS.)
Washington, Dec. 1S.-Again today the
Senate had under discussion the Hay
Pauncefote Treaty in executive session
No business of consequence was transact
ed in open session. Mr.. Tillman Is. CO.,
had read the following resolution:
Resolved. that the President be, and
is hereby, requested, if not in his judg-
ment incompatible with public interest to
furnish the Senate all information and
copies of all correspondence between this
Government and the Government of CO.
lombia, showing what steps if any have
been taken by this Government to secure
a treaty between the two Governments,
or a modification by Colombia of exist
ing treaties or concessions with the view
Of securing to the United States the right
to construct a canal over the territory
of Colombia, between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans"
At 1890 p. m. the Senate went into
executive session.
The Senate then ratified five treaties
of comparatively iftle consequence These
include an agreement supplementary to
the Hay Pauncefote treaty itself and ex-
tending the time within which It may be
ratified. Under the terms of the original
treaty the time for ratification expired
five months ago. The agreement favorably
passed upon today extends the time un-
til the 4th of March.
The other treaties ratified were as fol-
lows:
Extending for one year the time within
which the Commercial Treaty with
Argentina may be ratified and the same
extension for the treaty with Great Brit
ain for reciprocity with Jamaica; the new
extraditon treaties with Bolivia and
Chilli
The resolution offered earlier in the
day by Mr.. Tillman was then agreed 10
after being amended at the instance OF
Senator Morgan so as TO call for all the
correspondence with the Panama Canal
Company, including all offers on the part
of that company. aud all negotiations
concerning the Panama Canal Company
The friends Of the Hay Pauncefote
Treaty occupied most of the time in the
consideration of the treaty. Senators
Foraker and Morgan being the speakers
Senator Bard, Of California. gave no.
tce of an amendment he will offer to the
treaty providing that the United States
shall have the right to discriminate in
favor of American goods shipped through
the canal in American vessels engaged in
the coastwise trade"
Senator Forakers speech was a defense
Of the Hay-P Pauncefote Treaty, and hC
took occasion to praise in high terms
Secretary Hay, who, he said. in fallni
into the policy of neutrality had only
followed historic precedentS.
Every Administration since 1850 hat
given some recognition to the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty. To further show the at
titude of this nation Mr.. Foraker quoted
the fifteenth article Of the treaty made
between the United States and Nicaragua
in regard to the canal in 1867 as a posi-
| tive and definite declaration for neutrality
| in dealing with the canal.
| Mr.. Foraker cOntended that there is al
implied reservation in the treaty as +
came to the Senate to protect the cana
! from enemies. The treaty guarantees IL
neutrality in time of peace. he said. bu
we reserve the right to do with It as w
! see fit ia time of war, except that w
cannot fortify it, But he went on there
| is no prohibition against our closing j
| in war time. He found great Significance
| III lnc ulHeTence between the language
used in the Constantinople treaty relating
TO the Suez Canal and the language EN-
| ployed in relation to the Nicaragua Cana
| and dwelt upon the fact that the Sue
! Treaty contains a provision that in tim'
of hostiities that canal shall be open &
ships Of billigerents. although the Otto
man Empire, through whose dominion tn,
canal was TO be constructed. should b,
one of the bellgerebts That provision
had been omitted from the Hay Paunce
fote Treaty, Mr. Foraker said and h,
argued that the omission could be inter
preted in no way except as a concession o
| difference in intent.
Senator Morgan traversed much Of tn,
| ground he had already covered. He SAT-
| that the ratification Of the Hay PauHce
| fote Treaty is a debt we owe TO Nicara
qua and Costa Rica. Those countries, /
they should see fit might rise up and re
fuse to allow us to do anything; henc,
we could not afford to do anything tha
would offend them.
At 3:15 p. m, the Senate adjourned.