The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-02
WANT DANISH ISLES
SENATE DOES NOT CARE FOR IN
vESTIGATIoN.
BACON ARoUsES REPUBLICANS
HE WANTED PRESIDENT TO DE-
FER PROCLAMATION.


Not Be Proclaimed Until House
Concludes Its Investigation OF
Bribery Charges-President Needs
No Advice From the Senate, said
Republican Leaders-The Charges
UnfOundcd Anyway and VIII
Amount to Nothing-Money Agreed
With Bacon.
Washington, April LIN the execu-
tive session of the Senate to-day Sem
ator Bacon of Georgia offered a reso-
luton requesting the President to de-
fer the issuing of his proclama ton an
nouncing the acquisition of the Danish
West Indies under the terms of the
treaty recently negotiated with Dem
mark until the pending investigation
of the charges of bribery made In
connection with that treaty should be
concluded by the House.
The resolution provoked a smart de-
bate. which was participated in by
Senators Bacon and Money. both DEM
ooratic members of the Committee on
Foreign Relations on the one side and
by Senators Cullom. Lodge, Hanna, AL
lison, Nelson and other Republicans on
the other side.
Senator Bacon outlined the charges
made by NJ. Gron, that NJ. Christmas,
another subject of Denmark. had made
a report to the effect that he was TO
receive 10 per cent. of the consideration
of $4,000. 900 to be paid by the United
States to Denmark for the islands and
that Christmas in his report had men,
toned the names oil sevcfsLl persons 10
whom he had paid money. Mr.. Bacon
said that ne did not for a minute ac-
cept this report as true, but felt that
inasmuch as the House had taken suffi-
cient cognizance of it to order an in
yestigation the Senate should take
some step, in view of it's recent action
in ratifying the treaty, looking
to the suspension of final action by
this country. He did not believe that
the Senate could reconsider it's action
of ratification. but there would be no
improperly in asking the President
to hold the matter up temporarily or
finally in case 1t should be proved that
the charges were not without founda-
tion. He said that his only motive
was to put the Senate right before the
country, and in this connection he
commented upon the readiness Of the
public to assume the correctness of all
charges involving public men.
Republicans We're Aroused.
Senator Bacon was interrupted fire.
quently by Republican senators, and
when he took his seat there were sew
eral of them on the floor to respond
to his suggestion. They agreed, to a
man. that the Senate was not called
upon to take any action under the cir
clmstances, saying that the charges
had not been made public and were
not known when the treaty was rati-
fled; that the President could be de-
pended upon to perform his duties
without any hint from the Senate, and
that the House investigation would
probably very soon develop that the
charges were based upon nothing. They
expressed regret that the charges had
been made, but said they saw no rea-
son why the sale of the islands should
not proceed.
Senator Cullom, as chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, said
that the treaty had received careful
consideration, and that there was gen.
eral agreement that the United States
from both a strategic and economic
standpoint had done well in acquiring
them.
An Unworthy Charge.
Senator Lodg>. also of the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, ana Otner
Republican members took ne same
position. Senator Nelson spoke with
more feeling than most of the other
senators, saying that he did not con-
slider that the charge, originating as II
had originated, with persons who were
unknown to the Senate, worthy of that
body's serious consideration. In his
opinion to take any such step as was
contempla ted by the resolution, under
the cfrs.i1ustanc would be an insult
to the government of Denmark. He
did not for a moment, he said. believe
that the Danish administration had
made any contract to pay any commits
sion for the sale of the islands, nor
that any money had been paid officials
or the press, as had been charged in
that connection, in the negotiation
with the United States.
Hanna Denies Christmas.
Senator Hanna denied all knowledge
of Mr.. Christmas or his mission, and
expressed his opinion that the transac-
ton, so far as the United States gov
eminent was concerned, had been per-
fectly clean.
Senator Money spoke in the same
vein as Senator Bacon. Senator Bacon
closed the incident by saying that he
would not press the resolution in view
of the expressions of so many senators,
and in consequence of this announce
ment, the Senate adjourned without
taking action