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-SuppOsed to Repre-
sent the Views of the Admins
trntion-ScwcIFs Changed Position.

The Senate Committee on 1nter-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-
! ageinent to the friends of the Nicaragua
| Canal bill. Up to within n day or SO, 1t
I 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
| win 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 II
would be piece of bad faith and an affronl
\ to Great Britain for this Government 10
| enact such a measure into law with SO
| 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 that
convention, was agreed to- and that until
that treaty was ratified the United States
could not consistently pass legislation that
was by its very terms in direct conflict
-sNtx
out a hint that if the committee insisted
upon making favorable report on the
bill II would be antagonizad on the noor,
and that the party machinery would be
brought to bear against the proposition.
In other words, Mr.. Hanna as much as
gave his associates on the committee to
understand that IL the committee acted
favorsbiy on the House bill. the steering
committee would refuse to give the meas
/ ure any standing, and would prevent ii
from coming to a vote during this session,
at least. In this Mr. Hanna was sup
ported IL Mr. Sewell
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 matteree not,
he contended, whether the treaty was rati-
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 not provide for fortiaoations OF any
sort On the contrary, he said. it was IN
line with the terms of the treaty as orig
inally negotiated 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 a favorable report at
this time
1t is understood that if a majority of
the committee is against him Mr.. Morgan
will insist upon the committee making an
adverse report rather than permitting the
bill to sleep in committee. If an adverse
report is made it viii so to the calendar
and Mr.. Morgan can move at any time to
take it up This will enable him to put
Senators on record and b. yea and nay
vote show just where they stand on this
subject.
There is no hope Of securing the ratifi-
cation OF the -Pauncefote Treaty at
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 nego-
tiated oppose the amendment and refuse
to accept it. With these votes alienated it
is impossible to secure the necessary two
thirds. and Mr.. Davis has abandoned all
idea of getting the treaty through at this
session. The signing OF the protocol pro-
viding for a seven months extension of
lhe 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 II the treaty and
L.a 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