Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-13
57TH CONGRESS.
Senate Will Vote, Monday, on
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.
Four Hours Of Animated Discussion,
Thursday, in Executive Session.
Foraker. Spooner and Money Principal Speak.
ers First Two Favoring Treaty.

et resolution ulfeCtiES thc commit
tee on printing to consider the cxpedi-
cncy of providing for the free distribu-
lion Of the Congressional record to IL
braries throughout the country.
Mason, from the committee Oh manu-
factur2s submitted a favora hic report
on a bill relating to the ldulteration
Of food products and addressed the
Senate briefly criticisinc certain pro-
ducts which had come under the obser
vation Of the committee. On motion
Of lodge the Senate at ! =. NJ, went
into executive session TO further con-
slider the Hay pauncefotc treaty.
At i.40 p. NJ, the Senate adjourned
until Monday at II O'Clock.
The Senate agreed i'll executive s"s-
sion, today, TO take a vote before ad-
iournment next Monday on the now
Hay Pauncefote treaty for thc ahroga-
ton Of the Clayton -RulWer treaty and
the opening of The way for tho con-
struction Of canal across the isthmus
Of Panama by the United Seates This
agreement was reached after four
hours Of debate sufficiently interesting
to insure the constant attendance Of
most Of the senators
Spooner was one u the principal
speakers of the day and had Just con-
cluded when Lodge made an effort to
secure a vote.
II developed there We're other sena-
tors who desired to be heard. the result
being that The date for the vote was
postponed until Monday.
The agreement provides for an dd-
iournmant Of the Senate. from tod ~
until Monday ana for 4 meeting al IA
o'clock Of that day, one hour in al
vance. OF The usual time. The under
standing is that rs soon as practicable
after the Senate conVenes. senator
Lodge shall move AN executive session
and that the treaty shall have the m
tire attention of The Senat. until Ill
nal vote il reached. before The adjourn
ment f"r that day.
The principal speakers. to-day, besides
Spooner. Mere Money ana Foraker
Money. while finding much IN ;he
treaty TO criticisZc, said that as h
found the fortunes Of the PROPOSED
canal across the isthmu- in eNtricahly
intcrjwined with the treaty. he could
not see his way clear to doing anything
iication. The parti, ular features ii the
now treaty with which he found fault
were those retaining the neutrality
provision Of the clayton Bulwcl con
rention. ana specifying police control
Of the canal when built. H argued
that the effect Of these provisions n
cvitahly must be to limit and prescribe
the power of the United States 10 con-
troll its own property in case of war.
Senator Foraker maintained that the
provisions Of the new treaty meet ev-
cry objection made to the original Hay
Pauncefote treaty, and every essential
thing that was included in the amend
ments made by the Senate to that doc
ument. He regarded it as Of the ut
most Importance that the Clayton Bull
cNvr treaty should be wiped out. This
result was effected by the convention
and consideration. He asserted that
all rights Of the United States We're
amply protected under this treaty and
that our absolute and complete control
Of thr canal could not be questioned
by Great Britain or any other power.
F'oraker's speech dealt largely with
the legal construction and the general
a careful study Of its provisions he was
firmly convinced that it could he hon
estly supported by every patriotic citi-
zen.
Foraker was frequently interrupted
by Bacon. III the course Cf one IF these
interruption Bacon asked if il Was not
true that under the terms Of the treaty
tn. fortifiCation built by the United
States would be an act of war.
Foraker replied in the negative. de-
claring that not only would such an
act not be an act of hostility, but that
to build fortitications in case OF necea-
sity was ona OF the inherent rights Of
the government.
To this Bacon responded that he for
one would never bring himself to vote
for the ratification of the treaty with
th2 understanding that this govern
mcnt was To violate it.
Foraker retnrted sharply 70 the effect
that his friend from Georgia could he
no more virtuous along the line of
maintaining the country's honor i'll the
matter Of keeping its agreement ana
with other nations than were other SEN
ators.
l'hcon rarned t!ltl ne hau h't nltaht
Il assume virtue that he did not pos
SesS nor to imply that others We're not
as Jealous Of the cOuntry's good name
as he himself was
Foraker then declared that h had
not meant 10 charge Bacon with an un-
fair assumption. but simply TO say that
like all other senators supporting the
treaty he felt he was giving his name
10 a transaction which would honor
ably carried out as between nations.
Snooncr, who followed, also was fire.
oiently interrupted by senator's on the
Democratic side. One Of the first in
came from Bacon and per
ts.ined TO the right to fortify the canal. |
Replying to this inquiry Spooner said |
that it was well-known principle Of |
law thar all treaties. like |
continued on page p