The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-12
Mr. OinSmOre of Arkansas Crit- iCiSeS Course of AdmiDisTa-
 tiOn on the Isthmus
MR. WILLIAMS LIKEWISE
 BECOMES VERY CAUSTIC
He Charges That the United States Ia Playing High Handed Game Against Colombia and Roose-
 welt Is to Blame.

NSit iS tO Dldnc.
 Washington, December 1.-The birth
 Of the republic of Panama and it's recog- hilton by this government was the sub ject of spirited deoate n the house To- day. Mir Dnsmofe, democrat, of Arkan- sas, during consideration If he pension appropriation bill. severely cri. .'oized the administration in connection with the canal and Mir. Hit, republican, of Ill., nois, chairman of the committee m for eign affairs, replied in a vigor ms dofCnse of the President and his Central Amer ican policy Mir Williams of Mississippi, the minority leader repliei to NIr Hit, declaring that the minority did mt con- done that part taker by this government in connection with the Panama affair.
 Nearly the whole of four hours sessian was taken up in a discussion of the isth- milan question. No conclusion @as reach ed on the pending bill. MT. Van veorhs. republican. of Ohio. of the appropriations committee, made a statement c9ncorling the provisions os the bill when the debate digressed 10 Panama.
 House Routine.
 Washington, December 1.-The house. on converting today, resolved itself into committee of the whole fpr the eonsid- eratlon of the pension appropriation hill, with MT. Lawrence If Massachusetts m the chair.
 MT. Van Voorhs, republican, of Ohio explained that the pr1vlsirrs of he bill were practically idra;icu1 with those of last years measure.
 MT. Dinsmore aamaarat, of Arkansas who was recognized for me iur took ] occasion to speak os lhe 'epublis If Pan- anna He said the republic Lad eefn as- tahrased and that 1t eN !. by the bower of the llnted Ststrs. ;it that wfthosit that power 1t could mt exist. Nothing | had he said. been gained that could not have been gaiGol in raghtforward l and honora ble waV. He explained thlt 1 he did not use tile w5rl "h,n,rabie' in 1 an offensive sense. but insisted tEat but 1 for the action oe the u1ited States thers would be no republic of Panama.
 Mir Dinsmore. referring to the provis- 1 ions of the Panama canal bill' said' 1 Here is the law Did the President obey it? Everybody knows that he made no pretcnse of obeying the law. Has any | excuse been offered why he did not obey l it? He has not even vouchsafed to con- gross, whose law he has violated. the l slightest excuse. and is he above the law? Indeed MT Chairman. if this is true we shall come upon evil times when the executive power of the government can usurp authority and cast aside tho | expressed wish of congress in declared | law"
 Dinsmore Criticses.
 MT Dinsmore criticised the nasty rec ognition of the republic of Panama He said that Secretary Hay learned state craft at the feet of Abraham Lincoln and referred to the attitude of the govern- ment in 1860 toward the question of rec ogntion, saying that MT. Hay now takes | a different view of that question. He characterized the revolution as opera bouffe. and said a canal could have been built under the canal act without over- i turning any precedent. In conclusion, he said bunder had been committed which he hoped would never be repeated. l Mir. Hit said he was astonished at the remarks of the gentleman from Arkan- sas, saying such attacks upon the gov ernment would not be made by any for- l egner in discussing it's action 1 Mir. Dinsmore dlsavowed any purpose to | impute dshonorable or improper motives to the office of the government. MT. Hit said there was nothing hasty or unique in the recognition of the new l republic. as 1t occurred five days after the promugation of the independence of the republic.
 MT. Williams of Mississippi asked if this would not be the first time in South Am- erican history 'that the other fellow had been prevented from she ting back
 MT. Hit replied that he had seen 1t stated In the press, but did not Know lt to be so. but said that troops could be sent to Colon only to prevent interfer- ence with traffic on the sthmus. and that the United States is under obligations to | f..ta tt.s
 Hit Defenej Administration. Mir Hit made vigorous defence of the administration in connection with the re- public of Panama. His reference to the President caused applause on the republi- can side.
 The President said Mir. Hit. had not been precipitate but had waited reas- enable time but" he added, 'he did not waste time. He never does" This utterance was loudly appauded on the republican side.
 ordinarily" MT. Hit went on. when ship is in port and a disturbance or in- surrection occurs we land troops to pro- tect Americans from being killed or rob bed. We have done that in France and we would do 1t anywhere.
 Tn case of Panama our situation was different from that of any spot on earth. We had a solemn and binding engagement which had been impressed upon us by all the years. Often we were called upon by the Colombian government oftener by events, to enforce the obligation to keep that path open from sea to sea; not to air nor 10 suppress rebellion. but to keep the path open and when we landed troops at Colon their duty under the treaty was plain to let no armed men or cause of any kind disturb the open. free course of commerce. or of movement in the pathway across the sthmus. tAp- pause on republican side)
 Now it SO happened in the course of human events which We don't guide but which it is believed by many an all wise providence watches and directs. that in this case our duty In good faith under the treaty ~ keep that highway open. fell in with