The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-02-21

Senate Nll Continue Cons deration
of Ii Until nj posed Of.
RESULT OF RePUaLicAN CAUCUS

As Option On Fr,rohssss q Panama
Canal Expire March s.. pro0'p, &c.
ton Is Necessary - ssa,eroos ell
Not Oispiseea.
Washington. Fct iS-Thc RepnDli.
can senators ho!d a caucus yesterday
ana decided TO have the senate con.
unue consideration OF The Panama
Canal treaty today and on future DAYS
until the treaty SHAH De- ed posed a.
AIS result was reached alter an hour
ana a hall OF discussion cu tAv Iesisia-
tive situation in the senate The cen
ciusion reached was Uaan nous. The
Understanding is that the statehood
olu does not lose its aJvantarCcs DO
sluon H. the order OF business when
the senate is in legislative session. The
Republican supporters ol the stateho~
bin agree NOT 20 anita onize a motion
Tor an executive session 70 couside~
the canal treaty. nor io make any 90
lection 10 the prolou scti1n or such ste
sions 20 any extent necessary TO Secure
ratification.
Senator CullOm. chairman OF the
committee on foreign relations. pro
scented a motion declaring il TO be the
sense of the caucus that the senate
should go into executive session i'm
mediately after the conclusion of the
merning business, TO ratify the Pan
ANA Canal treaty" In a brief speech
he dwelt on the fact that the option OF
the United States on the rights and
franchises of the Panama Canal ex-
pires on the 4th OF next March. He
said that other interests and other na-
tons might desire to control so i'm.
portant an enterprise. so that Il was
altogether possible that we would not
be able 10 renew the option at so low
a figure as sac. 100000 the price which
this country has agreed to nav in
case the bargain is contaminated As
only two weeks OF the session remain,
and there was determined though linn.
ited opposition to the treaty. it was
absolutely necessary that no further
time should be lost in getting down to
serious work on the treaty.
Several friends Of the statehood bill
IN speeches expressed the opinion that
the chief purpose Of the motion was TO
side-track the statehood bill. Speeches
based on this apprehension were made
by Senators Quay Elkins. Gallinger
and Foraker. They expressed their
adherence 70 the treaty. and said they
agreed fully with all that had been
said as TO the necessity lor its early
ratification. hut Thought thar the
proper way to reach = vote was first
10 take vote on the statehood bill.
BY pursuing that course" said Sena-
tor Quay, you can get the only OBJ
st1cle 70 consideration OF the treaty
out OF the way and get It out OF the
way by legitimate means"
Replies were made by Senators
Hoar. Hanna, Lodge, Aldrich and 9th
ers. IN which much stress was laid on
the necessity Of securing the ratifca-
ton OF. the treaty and the fact that
there was no Intention 10 displace the
statehood bill as the unfinished legis-
iative business. Senator Hoar made
an argument 70 prove that the execu-
tive business Of the senate occupies a
different plane from legislative bust
ness. and that courtesy toward other
nations demands that treaties should
have preferential consideration at the
hands Of the senate. This view was
accepted generally by senators. and
was the view acted on. Some OF the
senators afterward commented on it as
likely to form new departure and an
precedent in the senate.
Consequently when adjournment was
reached the announcement was made
that after the close OF the routine bust
ness Senator Quay should move 10 20
into executive session and that none
Of the Republicans should oppose the
motion. and that consideration of the
treaty should continue until it was
disposed of.