The Press., 1902-06-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, June 2s. 1902.

Washington, June 23, 1902.
 Last Thursday afternoon, after the sen- ate had adjourned, John 1T. Morgan, the venerable senator from Alabama, sat at his desk writing press-telegram to his home paper. When he had completed 1t he handed 1t to me and said, ssThat tells you my position" The telegram read, in part: II feel more encouraged than at any other time since I began the fight for an isthmian canal. The action of the senate this afternoon means that canal will be constructed. I wanted 1t con- structed by the Nicaraguan route because think that route the better. If 1t could not be by Nicaragua, however, gladly accept the Panama" These were the words of a man who had made long and valiant fight for project he knew to be good, and for route which he believed to be the better. He had been defeated in the choice of route, but the great end he regarded as accomplished, and he knew how to accept the defeat of his methods with the same bravery that had charac- terized his prolonged fight for an isthmian canal. ~
 By vote of 42 to 34 the senate adopt ed the Spooner substitute for the Hepburn Nicaraguan canal bill. This substitute authorizes the president to purchase the entire property of the Panama Canal com pany, after having satisfied himself of the validity of the title and secured the neces- sary concessions from the Columbian gov ernment. In case he is unable to do this, he Is to negotiate the proper treaties with Nicaragua and Costa Rica and commence operations on that route. An amend ment to the substitute provides for the issuance by the government of 3 per cent. interest bearing gold bonds to the amount of $130, 900, 900 to cover the cost of the project. The senate measure Is now in the hands of conference committee, but it is generally believed that the house will eventually accept the senate's substi- tute.
 Following the receipt of the message of the president, in which he so strongly ad- vocated the Cuban reciprocity, the repub- lican members of the senate have held tive conferences in an effort to agree upon some measure of relief to Cuba, but their deliberations have not been productive oi results, and now all hope of reciprocal tariff concessions to Cuba at this session of nh |, ~ll but few enthusiasts. MT. Roosevelt as. serts that, inasmuch as he considers that the honor of the nation is at stake, he will not abandon the fight. He expects to make an extensive tour of the country next fall, and will present his views to the people in the hope that they will in- duce their representatives to ratify a treaty which, in the mean time, he will probably negotiate, granting reciprocity to the new republic. There are rumore to the effect that the president will call a special session of the senate to ratify such treaty before next December, possibly immediately after the adjournment oi congress, but have succeeded in obtain. ing no confirmation of the stories and doubt that special session will be called at least until after the fall elections.
 If MT. Roosevelt attempts to effect by means of treaty which will require only the ratification of the senate what the two houses of congress have refused to grant there will result bitter protest from members of the house of representatives who declare that the senate has no power to modify the tariff by means of a treaty Under the constitution all revenue meas ures must be initiated by the house, anc on that ground the members claim tha revenue duties cannot be modified by tht executive and the upper chamber to tht exclusion of the house. ''Such a prece dent" said prominent republican mem Der to me recently, "would mean that were the executive and the senate te prove false to their trust, they could without the house being in position ts prevent 1t, so modify the tariff as to re duce the revenues of the country by hal to the infinite benefit of, say, Great Brit ain. That 1t was the intention of tn, framers of the constitution to proven such possibility, and provide that import ant laws must be the product of thre, law-making powers, the senate, the hous' and the executive, no intelligent Ameri can can deny. In the instance I cite tn, three powers making the law would b, the executive, the senate and Great Brit ain, the latter taking the place of tn, house as third party to the contract"
 | On Thursday the house took up tn, Philippine bill, the debate on which will last until next Thursday, and possibl. longer, for the reason that the specia rule under which the house Is workins provides that, in the event that any othe business which may come before the hous occupies more than one hour, the Philip pine debate will be extended by the sam | length of timo Therefore, the vota Ia m