Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-21

was taken on any OF the amendments
which have been prepared by Senator
Morgan.
When the Senate met, at IL A. NJ, 1t
was still the legislative day of yester-
day a recess having been taken last
night until this morning. The pro-
ceedings We're still behind closed doors.
Immediately after the Senate was
called to order the point that no
quorum was present was made and the
senators hurried in from the committee
rooms quorum soon responded and
the Panama canal treaty was immedl-
ately laid before the Senate. Morgan
yielded the door TO Burton, Kan, Rep,
an advocate of the omnibus statehaad
bill. He spoke especially of the i'm
portance OF the passage of that meas
ure only Indirectly referring to the
treaty His contention was that while
the canal treaty might be meritoriOus
measure, the statehood bill was equally
so and that it should be voted upon.
Burtons speech was drawn out by
some criticisms of the decision of the
Republican caucus. Quay made COM
plant of the publication and Hoar said
that the caucus resolutions We're not
for the newspapers.
Burton referred only briefly to the
caucus and then argued for an hour
and half for support of the admis-
sion of the three proposed states.
Dubois Gdabo) followed with speech
in criticism of the treaty and of what
he characterized as the summary action
of the Republican caucus He complained
that the caucus had tried to force vote
upon the Senate on measure that had
not been considered at all and said this
could not be done. He added that the at
tention which had been given to the trea-
ty had shown that it was full of defects
and these were sufficient to justify the
demand for thorough investigation. When
he concluded, Morgan continued his re
| marks in opposition to the treaty in its
present shape.
The most interesting event of the day
| transpired before the beginning of the
routine proceedings when Quay rose to g
| question of personal privilege. He sent
| to the desk and had read an article from
| a New York paper of this morning accus-
| ing him of violating pledge which the
paper said he made in the Republican
| caucus. Wednesday, to support the trca-
| ty to the exclusion of every other sub
| ject. He said such was not the case but
| that on the contrary he protested to the
| last in the caucus against any action
| looking to the displacement of the state
| hood bill. He called upon other senators
| to testify to this effect and several did SO,
| among them Foraker, who said that he
| was quite sure that Quay made no such
| pledge. Lodge said that he did not hear
| him make any. Nelson expressed the
| opinion that a pledge was at least inn
piled. Senator Hoar thought that the
| proceedings of the caucus should not be
| revealed not even in an executive SEES
| sion of the Senate.
| Burton thought that there should be a
committee on publication and having TAX
| en- the floor for that purpose went on with
his statehood speech.
! After Morgan had spoken for an hour
| or more ne gave way to Quay, but before
| the latter had well begun, Carmack mov-
ed that Morgan be allowed to discuss the
canal question in open debate. In sup
| port of the motion he said that the queS
| ton was of general Importance and that
the country should be placed in posses
sion of the details.
| The motion brought on a general debate
in which the rules of the Senate the al-
| visibility of cloture, the necessity Of
maintaining the Senate forum of free
| speech and many other kindred topics
were discussed. Among those who spoke
| were Spooncr Teller. DepeW, Hale and
| Bacon. most of whom opposed Carmarck s
motion for open doors on the ground that
/ it was not eXpedient to air our relations
with other countries before the world al
| large. The speakers differed widely, how
! ever, as to the eXpediency of the policy
of delay which it was freely charged is
|
Panama treaty on the one hand and with
| the statehood bill on the other.
| Some of the senators avowed themselves
laovocateS of a rule of cloture. Others eX-
pressed the conviction that prOlongation
| of the present situation would lead to tie
speedy adoption of such a rule. Speaking
in this vein, Senator Hale expressed the
| conviction that the present situation. in
| which friends of the statehood bin had
| Joined with opponents of the treaty, was
due to d previous understanding between
| them and between Senator Quay and Sen
ator Morgan. Morgan replied earnestly
denying that there had been such combi-
nation. to which Hale replied that he had
| been led to believe that such was the case.
To this Morgan replied very tartly that
If Hale chose to believe what was not
true, he would injure only himself
| At this point Quay rose and, expressing
| Impotence with the interruption, asked
leave to proceed with his speech. No one
objected, and the course of the contro-
versy was shifted without putting Car
| marck's motion to a vote.
| Quays speech consisted of long re-
port on the isthmian canal question. This
| reading he asked the clerk at the desk
| to perform, but objection was made and
| the matter was submitted to Il vote. The
| result was adverse to Quays request the
| vote standing 20 to 81. He then began the
| reading of the document himself and con
| tinued for two hours or more.
| At $50 o clock in accordance with a de-
! ciSion of the steering committee. Cul0m
moved a recess until II O'Clock tomorrow
| and the motion prevailed.
| TO PROTECT PRESIDE