The times., 1901-05-28
The Senate aud the Canal.


| Times some months ago, to the effect
that Senator Henry Cabot Lodge would
succeed the late Senator Cushman X.
! Davis as Chairman Of the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, has now
been revamped and sent to the New
York Tribune by its Washington cor
respondent There appears to be no
doubt that this action has been agreed
| upon, as members of the Senate Re-
! publican steering committee have so
stated to various people unofficially.
The ranking member of the commit
| tee, and its acting chairman since the
| death Of Senator Davis, is Senator
| Frye of Maine, and in the natural
| course of events he would inherit the
honor of the headship. But Senator
Frye is also President pro tempore of
the Senate, and Chairman Of the Com
mittee on Commerce. 1t would be phys
ically impossible for him to long at
tend TO the duties of all three positions,
although circumstances have compelled
him to do so for time. His tastes and
experience would make the chairman
ship OF the Foreign Relations Commit
tee attractive to Senator Frye, but
there are matters of the highest impor-
tance before the Commerce Committee
in which he is deeply interested. and
which will demand all the time and at
tention he can devote to them in the
next Congress, and he will remain with
IT, Senator Cullom, the next member
in point of seniority of the Foreign
Relations Committee, is Chairman of
the Interstate Commerce Committee,
from which he cannot well be spared.
It is expected that he will waive his
claims, and SO make the selection of
Senator Lodge unanimous.
Much Importance is attached to the
elevation of Mr.. Lodge TO the most in
fuential position in the country, save
that Of the President, and that of the
Secretary of State, in connection with
our international relations. In one re-
spect Americans who realize the harm
and menace to our commerce and ar
friendly intercourse with European ma
tions involved in the archaic and op-
pressive fiscal policy of the Republican
party in the past, viii have cause for
regret that Mr. Lodge has shown him
self inimicaI TO the ratification of reel
procity treaties which, if enacted, /
would go a great way toward removing /
trade friction with the other leading
commercial nations. But. on the other
hand, there is probable. cause for con-
graduation. in that he is believed to
favor abrogation Of the Clayton -Bulwer
Treaty and the construction Of the
Nicaragua Canal as an exclusively |
American enterprise.
1t is asserted by friends of Senator |
Lodge that shortly after his appoint /
ment to the craftsmanship the Foreign |
Relations Committee he viii introduce I!
a resolution denouncing and abrogat- I
ing the violated and legally dead con /
vention of 1850. Such a movement |
would, Of course. receive the enthusi- !
astic support of the country, and there |
seems to be no room for doubt that his /
influence and that Of his friends in the /
Senate would carry the measure tri- |
umphantly through that body.
Under the leadership of an able and |
forceful man who is at bottom strongly /
American in sentiment and purpose, |
the Senate would be able u success
fully resist the pro- British tendencies |
of Secretary Hay and bring the 18TH |
mian canal question to a direct issue |
with Great Britain. The sooner that |
can be done the better. It was a de- |
parture from the Monroe Doctrine prin- |
ciple ever 10 tolerate the idea of British /
participation in the settlement of |
purely American question. We cannot |
too quickly remedy that mistake, and |
the perfidy Of England In violating her
under the treaty by the es-
Of the Crown Colony Of
British Honduras In 1862 furnishes US
with full justification for an act of
abrogation.
Incidentally, the appointment Of Sena-
tor Lodge TO the Craftsmanship, in the
opinion Of most people in Washington,
will give an impetus to the American
Canal proposition and act
as a wet blanket upon the Panama job.
The new chairman is a man of inde- ]
pendent wealth, Of ambitions other
than merely scrdid, and hardly open to
influences opposed 10 tne PUBIC goOd
as he sees it. The French jobbers and
their American coparceners here and
in New York viii view the change with
but the American people,
who are more important to Mr.. Lodges
probably brilliant future than any
lobby could be, will be well pleased
The prospect looks like a step in ad-
,-apca along fhe line of real America m !
progress.