The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-09
WILL RATIFY TREATY
SENATE WILL TAKE THE MATTER
UP THIS WEEK.
TO LET RECIPROCITY REST.
REPUBLICANS ARE NOT so EAGER
ON THIS SCORE.

Senators Bacon and Money Arc Ex-
pected to Renew Their Criticisms
of the Treaty but "a Determined
Opposition Is Not Expected.
Southern Senator's Are Desirous
of Seeing the Canal BuiIt-Re-
pubIicans Are Not Agreed on Rec
iprocIty Measures, and Nothing OF
Importance May Be Done.
Washington, Dec. S.-The only meas
ure of Importance which the Senate
has on its calendar for the present
week is the NEW Hay Pauncefote
treaty making provision for the abb
rogation of the Clayton Bulwer treaty
and opening the way for the unob-
structed construction of an isthmlan
canal by the United States. Acting
for the Committee on Foreign Rela.-
tions Senator Lodge will ask the Sem
ate to go into executive session to-
morrow for the consideration of the
treaty and each day thereafter until
the convention is disposed of.
1t can be said that at this time the
prospect is very strong that the treaty
will be ratified and it now looks as
If this result would be secured after
comparatively little delay. There Will
be some debate and some features of
the document Will be criticised as un-
desirable, but there is no probability
of captious opposition. The criticism
will be along the lines indicated by
Senators Bacon and Money in the
Committee on Foreign Relations at
it's meeting on Friday, last. No SEN
ator thus far, however. has shown a
disposition to carry his objections to
the point of ultimate effort to defeat
ratification The principal authors of
the criticism of the treaty are South
ern senators, who are generally very
anxious for the construction of the ca
nal. They find that all canal legisla-
tion will be tied up until action can be
secured on the treaty, and they are, OIL
this account, less liable than they
| otherwise would be to do anything TO
delay action upon the treaty itself.
| The most active friends of the treaty
| now claim that ratification will be Sc
cured during the present week. anu
the opinion is very general that rati-
| fication will be obtained before the
Christmas holidays.
Beyond the consideration OF tHe
| treaty little business will be undertak-
en- before the holidays. 1t is now gem
orally agreed that the question of re-
| ciprocity will go over until January
| probably without 80 much as being
mentioned, and IL may be added that
| from being for a time the subject most
| likely to attract early attention, il has
taken a position among the matters
which will not be vigorously urged.
| When the reciprocity treaties do come
up for consideration there will be per-
sistent opposition to the agreement
with France and to that with Great
Britain covering the West indies. There
is not so much feeling over the conven-
| tions with the South African republics
! The present outlook is also against any
immediate action in the Senate looking
to tariff legislation for the Philippines,
and there are some indications that
the Senate will await upon the House
| of Representatives in this matter.
| Probably the Chinese exclusion act
will be reported from committee dur
| ing the week.
The nomination of Attorney General
Knox will be reported at the first ex-
ecutive session, but immediate con-
firmation probably will be antagonized
| by some senator's.