Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-18
57TH CONGRESS-.
Senate Looks Carefully Into
the Venezuelan Situation.
A United Front to SquareIy Back Up
the Monroe Doctrine.

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Dill
ingham concluded his remarks in OPP
position to the omnibus statehood bill,
Tuesday. and by unanimous consent it
was agreed there should be no fur
Their discussion of the measure until the
Senate re-cCnvenes. Jan. 5. Mr.. Teller
wanted to submit some remarks in re-
ply, he SAID, to the ISLANDERS of the
committee on territories and of Dilling-
ham but senators insisted that the
agreement not to further discuss the
bill should be adhered to. Morgan,
Ala, criticised salaries paid the 18TH
milan canal commission. For half an
hour the militia bill was up, Bacon,
Ga, on constitutional grounds OPP
posing the section which provides for
a reserve force of trained men. Sew
eral bills and resolutions were passed.
The Venezuelan question occupied
the attention of the Senate in eXecu-
tive session for almost an hour. The
question came up informally almost
Immediately after. the public was eX-
Guided. Senator Teller asked Sena-
tor Cullom, chairman of the committee
on foreign relations, what information
he possessed as to the Venezuelan af-
fair. Mr.. Teller inquiring said that the
situation is sucn that senators felt
that the Monroe doctrine at any time
might become involved If the compli-
cation should continue. Senator Gull
lom replied TO the inquiry that he had
no knowledge of recent events not con-
tanned in the public prints.
Messrs. Bacon, HOar. Lodge and
Stewart all made remarks. In none of
the addresses was anything harsh or
critical said. The tone of all the
speeches, whether by Republicans, or
Democrats. was that our position as
nation should be one of watchfulness.
There was a general agreement that
while the means adopted by Great
Britain and Germany had been quite
strenuous. they thus far had committed
no infringement of the Monroe doc
| trine and therefore. had done nothing
to which the United States could take
exception.
Mr.. Cullom said that much light as
| TO the attitude of the administration
could he obtained by. consulting the
correspondence conducted between the
state department and the German am
bassador a year ago. He stated that,
Dec. 10. 1901. the representative OF
EMPEROR William bad brought the
| matter of Venezuelan debts and her
apparent indifference to them to the
attention of the secretary of state. II
| was desired, he said. at that time. that
! it should be explicitly understood that
in whatever steps might be taken by
| his country, there was no desire 10
enroach on or interfere with the Mon
| roe doctrine.
| Secretary Hay replied. Dec. 16. 1901,
| in effect that the Monroe doctrine was
not intended TO shield any American
nation against the payment OF It's
honest debts and that its purpose was
to prevent the acquisitation of terri
tory by OLD world nations.
| When Senator Cullom had conclud-
! cd Senator Lodge called attention to
the declaration attributed to Lord
I.ansdowne by todays dispatches that
there is no disposition or desire on the
part of Great Britain to acquire any
| Venezuelan territory.
/ Senator Bacon of Georgia, a leading
!. minority member of the committee on
foreign affairs. said that on question
of this kind there was no party d.
vision: that everybody would stand
with the administration in doing what
was best for the general good. The
maintenance of the Monroe doctrine
he added, devolved on the whole peo-
, pie.
| Senator Stewart dwelt somewhat or
: the bombardment of the Venezuelan
. mort and said that incident should be
t accepted by our government as &
4 warning of what this country NIGH
expect whenever excuse might offer.
RI When the Senate met. joint resoiu
tion offered by Wetmore, R. l.. wa
adopted appropriating ssooo for the pur
chase Of a bronze bust of the late Pres
ident Mckinley.
Allison Hale and Cockrell We're name
as ronferees on the bill appropriating S5
| on TO nav the salaries Of the anthracit
4 coal strike commission.
| Morgan. Ala. asked what his Dill 1S
inc re salaries of the isthmian cana
| con,n,ission at $500 year be referred [
! he coYr mittee on inter-oceanic canal!
He said he had been informed that til
nrosant commissioners were paid Sloo1
month each and that their service ma
ryterded over twenty-nine ana ma
months. The bill was referred as n
onested and consideration resumed on n
militia bill. An amendment onered