The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-10
President Has Busy Week Throw ing Down Imaginary or
 Real Candidates
HAS MANY INTERVIEWS
 GIVEN ID NEWSPAPERS
ooks as If War With Colombia Is Ger tain-Roosevelt Determined to Build Panama Route Regard
 less of Consequences.

Washington. December 9.-(Special.)- No Texas broncho has ever been so active in a test of throwing his rider as mas been President Roosevelt this week Tn throwing down imaginary or real candl- dates against himself for the republican nomination. To the newspapers today the president has caused to be given string of interviews in his favor Among them is one from Senator Proctor of Vermont and Senator Allison of Iowa. The latter says he does not expect to see the slightest opposition to President Roosevelt in the convention; that he will be nominated and elected. Senator Dolli- yer of Iowa says the entire middle west is for Roosevelt and that he will be nom- mated by exclamation.
 The announcements for Roosevelt with in the three days past has in measure uuieted the opposition candidate talk. His opponents cannot find any one to make the fight against him, since Hanna de- clines to do so. Yet they all say private ly that the republican party is in bad shape to go into a national campaign. The postoffice scandals are hurting them in the northern and middle states as we'll as in the west.
 War With Colombia.
 It looks like we are to have war with Colombia over Panama. Todays dis patches to the effect that Colombia has landed more than thousand troops near Panamas border would mean that we must send troops as well as ships of war to protect and fight for the republic of Panama which President Roosevelt has set up. Indeed it appears that the scheme to build the isthmian canal at Panama is to cost several times the esti- mates for canal at Nicaragua. The Panama route was selected by the com~ mission last year for the alleged reason that it would cost five millions less than the proposed Nicaragua route. Yet the complications have already added many millions to the estimated cost and it ap- pears that millions more are to be added. Indeed there has never been such cor ruption in congress for years about this Panama matter, and predictions are free iy made of an investigation on the part of the senate based on Henry Waiter sons recent editorial in the Louisville Courer-Journal in which he refers to the grey wolves of the senate. Undoubt edly promises of reward were made for votes in the senate last congress and President Roosevelt has been free to de- clare that he is embarrassed in consid- ering applications for positions on the proposed canal commissions by promises made by his senatorial friends.
 But regardless of these facts Presi- dent Roosevelt is determined to push the Panama treaty and if adopted to proceed under the alleged authority of the Spoon- bill to pay the new Panama canal company their $4o00O.Oo0 and proceed to contract for the building of the canal
 Democrats Are United.
 The democrats are almost united to fight what they term such high-handed proceedings. It is now said that all demo- cratic senators, except Bacon of Georgia. and Clark of Arkansas. are united in op- position to the Panama treaty Two dem- ocrats voting with the republicans will, however. give the republicans two-thirds of the senate sufficient to adopt the treaty. In the event that this be accom- plished then the democrats will insist upon the readoption of an appropriation bill for the purchase of the present canal companys rights and the completion of the. canal. In other words, the democrats are determined to show up the methods which have been resorted to and to have an sthmian canal constructed honestly and upon business lines. They believe it to be a commercial and business transac- tion rather than one of politics and cor ruption. Senator Morgan in his speech today in the senate well outlined the dem- ocratic position.
 Hobson's Greater Navy Bill.
 Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson broke into congress today with his greater navy bill. By strange coincidence he did not send this bill to Congressman Bank head for introduction (by request), as bills written by outsiders are always introduce ed but Captain Hobson sent 1t to Colonel Wiley of the Montgomery district. Col one Wiley first called upon MT. Bankhead to ascertain if the veteran statesman of sixteen years experience in congress had any objection. Of course not" replied MT Bankhead. and so Colonel Wiley dropped the bill in the box.
 The provisions of the bill are that $50,- 100000 be appropriated and made avaia ble at once; that s6O000. 900 be appropriated next year and on in Increases of $l0,- 100000 a year until 1914. when sl50.OO0,OO0 is appropriated for that year and ensuing years until 1925.
 The proposed act states that its pur- pose Is to enlarge consecutively the Unit ed States navy and establish It's suprem- acy upon the navigable waters of the world in order to promote the welfare and protect the interests and secure the peace of the United States at home and abroad and to advance everywhere the cause of peace and justice among the na- tions of the earth.
 Z.sd6soxs-|