The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-02-16

Prompt Legislation Necessary
Senatorial Steering" Com
| mittee- Uncle Sans Stamp
| Books.
Especial Correspondence.
Washington, Feb 10 Opinion is
very much at sea as to the ultimate
fate of the Hay -Pauncefote treaty re-
garding the Ishmian canal. 1t is GER
tain that mere majority of the
Senate is favorable to ratification as
the treaty stands, but there is power
full minority opposed to its ratification
i'll any terms and yet others who will
not vote for it unless amended in Ger
tain particulars. The estimates of the
vote range all the way from the
necessary two thirds to ratify, fifty
nine votes, to it's failure by twelve
votes, which would be forty-two
against ratification, while thirty adj
verse votes would kill the treaty.
The best opinion is that unless it be
amended to meet the views of those
who object to it as it stands it will
not receive the required two-thirds.
And even amended, the treaty
| threatens to prevent or delay the pas
sage of canal bill. The feeling is
strong that to build the canal either
under the terms of the Hay-Paunce-
fote or the Clayto -Bulwear treaty
would be to defeat it's principal pur-
pose and to serve the ends of our
enemies rather than our own. Where
there was no talk of any other plan
| for the building of the canal than by
| 40 mi g q
growing feeling that if when con-
structed it is to be subject to the
conditions of either of the treaties
named it would be wise to let it be
built by private parties or not be built
at ALL The chief feeling against it is
based on the idea that the Hay
Pauncefote treaty is deliberate and
pusillanimous trucking to England.
1t is argued that England has no more
right to interfere in the matter than
it would have if the canal were to be
constructed entirely Through territory
of the United States. Altogether,
the best conservative view is that the
treaty is a most unfortunate thing
for the United States The fear of
many Republicans is that it will not
help but iniure the cause of their
party this fall
The Presidents action in sending q
new commission to Manila is based
upon the idea that the revolt of the
Tagal insurgents in Luzon is practi-
cally at an end and that the time has
come to subordinate the military to
the civil branch of government there.
The head of the commission, Judge
Taft, of Ohio, is an able and expert
enced man. He is well-known in
Washington, having been Solicitor
General of the Department of Justice,
the next officer to the Attorney
General, under President Harrison,
who was so favorably impressed with
his ability that he appointed him a
Circuit Judge of the United States.
Judge Taft will be aided in his I'm.
portant task by other able and ex-
perienced men. In fact, the new COM
mission will be in point of ability and
experience the hest the United States
can turn out. Gen. Otis will return,
having requested to be relieved when
the rebellion was put down. The
military commander in the Philip
pines, probably General Macarthur,
will be confined to military duties,
civil functions devolving upon Judge
Taft and his commission.
! The Senate Republicans caucused yes
terday, but the only thing they did was
| to authorize their chairman, Senator
Allison, to appoint steering COM
mittee of seven who will have charge
of legislative matters so far as decid-
ing what matters shall come up and
| the order in which they shall be con-
sidered The fact that Senator Cullom
gave notice that he would call up his
bill to provide permanent government
for Hawaii Immediately after the FL
nancial Bill is disposed of and that
no opposition was made nor purpose
indicated to antagonize his motion
with one to take up the Quay case
looks as though that case would not
be reached and acted upon until very
late in the session, if at all. The
fact is there are number of Republi-
cans ON both sides of that case, if it
should come to vote, who do not
want to be called upon to vote. If
the case should fail by not reaching
vote it would suit them exactly.
Congress has been remiss entirely
too long in providing permanent gov
ernments for our new possessions,
meaning particularly Hawaii and
Porto Rico. 1t is charged that Porto
Rico is now worse off than it was
under Spanish rule; that it has lost
certain markets for its products with
out gaining access to ours ON any bet
ter terms than existed when we had
no claim to it, This condition of
affairs is not complimentary to the
business qualities of Congress. 1T
should be rectitied with as little delay
as possible. The same is true of
Hawaii. Its former government,
however. was continued, that is the
executive and judicial branches, but
the legislative branch was not, so that
it was not so badly off as the little
island of Porto Rico has been and is.
Alaska too, needs legislation to meet
the new conditions brought about by
the discovery of gold in large quanti-
ties, and needs it urgently if it is to
be saved from a chaotic state of
affairs when navigation opens in the
spring. However, these matters ap-
pear to be in a fair way of settlement
at last.
The Shipping Subsidy bill seems to
be in danger of not passing at this
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