The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-12
Big Panama Project Ready 10
Burst Into Bloom,
PLAN OF TIE DEMOCRATS
Will Urge an Amendment TO The Twenty third
Article Relieving il Of all Question Of
Our Right to Control the
Canal.
(By the Associated Press. }

| Washington, March 1l.-Decided prog
ress was made today toward an agree
ment for a vote on the Colombian Canal
| treaty, and when the Senate adjourned.
few minutes before o'clock, there was
general understanding that tomorrow.
in all probability, some hour next Tues
day would be definitely agreed upon as
| the time when a vote should be taken
upon the treaty and all amendments
All statements to this effect were how
ever, accompanied by the announcement
/ that there were yet some details to be
arranged leaving it impossible to alb
solutely conclude the agreement before
tomorrow There is, however no doubt
| in the minds of leading Senator's that the
vote will be taken on Tuesday
The arrangement was brought about
largely by Senator Frye. who by virtue
of long service with Senator Morgan on
| the Committee on Foreign Relations, has
come to be on terms of great intimacy
with the Alabama Senator. No other
Senator has so far shown any disposi
| tion to delay the final disposition of the
7 treaty, so that all that was necessary
was to secure Mr. Morgans assent to the
/
begn early in the day, and after Sena-
tors Frye and Morgan had been closeted
for some time the latter sought out Sen
ator German and talked the situation
over with him. The result of these and
other conferences was the announcement
at the close of the days session of the
strong probability of vote on Tuesday
Senator Morgan exacted consent to the
: printing in the Congressional Record of
! the remarks which he has prepared. CIV
| ing his best recollection of speeches he
has made in the executive sessions Of the
Senate on the treaty. These speeches are
contained in the pamphlets sent to the
Senators yesterday by Mr. Morgan. They
have been read by a number OF the Re-
| publican Senators, who say they find in
them nothing Objectionable and that
there Is no reason why they should not
| be printed, except that they bear upon
/ a treaty which is always considered in
executive session. They generally, how
ever advise that permission be given to
print in order to save time. which they
consider now more important than the
conservation of Senatorial etiquette
Democratic Senators have practically
agreed unanimously to urge an amend
ment to te 23rd article of the treaty. re-
! lieving It of all questions as to the right
of the United States to control the canal :
! they express confidence in Obtaining
some Republican votes for it, Many Sen
ators also express the conviction that
the change in the treaty committing the
United States to a policy of non acquisi-
tion of Central merican territory should
| be eliminated as entirely out of place.
The indications are, however, that the
treaty will be ratified without modifca-
| tion in any particular.
! The agreement made today does not
/ bear upon the Cuban treaty in any re-
| spect, except that 1t opens the way for
! it's early consideration in the Senate,
and the Committee on Foreign Relations
will meet tomorrow in order to take it
up with the view of reporting it to the
! Senate. The Demecrats will make an
effort to amend the Cuban treaty, both
in committee and In the Senate so as
to require action by the House, and they
also threaten to antagonize il with the
French reciprocity treaty, which is quite
Objectionable to many Republican Sena-
tors. The Indications however, are that
the Cuban agreement will soon be re-
ported by the committee. That IL VIII
provide such smooth sailing in the Sen
ate Is not quite so certain. Four or fye
Democratic Senators are favorable TO lit,
but while there is only one Republican
Senator who has announced his intention
to vote against it. there are number
who are Indifferent to its fate. 1t ap-
pears now as If it would be difficult 10
hold a quorum Of the Senate in Washing
ton while the treaty is under considera-
tion. If a quorum cannot be held 1t
VIII be impossible to secure its ratilca-
tion, for there is sufficient opposition to
require this conformity with the rules
of the Senate
Senator Morgan continued his reSarks
in the Senate today In opposition to the
| canal treaty, but most of the time was
given up to the reading Of documents by
the clerk at Mr. Morgans request. The
few remarks made by him related TO the
unsanitary conditions OF the vicinity OF
the Panama route and to the division
of the money to be paid to Colombia by
the United States.
The Guatemalan and Mexican extradi-
tion treaties were ratified.
The understanding among members OF
the Committee on Foreign Relations is
that none of the reciprocity treaties be-
fore the committee shall be reported for
consideration this session. and the Gu
ban treaty will be the last to receive the
attention of the committee for the pres
ent