The Press., 1903-12-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
wasningson, December ,4. 1903.

lCuSslOn or the pension appropriation
 bill, when Mir. Dinsmore, democrat of
 Arkansas, got the floor and made the
 statement that the president had
 usurped power and disobeyed the law
 by his actions in Panama. MT. Hitt,
 republican of Illinois and chairman of
 the committee on foreign affairs, came
 to the defense of the administration
 and was followed by Mir. Williams, the
 democratic leader, who set forth tho
 views of his party.
 ''Here Is the law." said Mir. Dins.
 more. "Did the president obey itY
 Everybody knows that he made no
 pretense of obeying the law, He has
 not even vouohsafed to congress. W whose
 law he violated, the slightest excuse,
 Is he above the law Indeed. Mr.
 Chairman, if this Is true. we have come upon evil times when the exc. cutive power can usurp authority aud
 cast aside the express wish of congress tieclArea In the law" !" The law rc.
 ferred to Is. of course, the speoner act.
 which directed the president to uego-
 tiate with Nicaragua after negotiations with Colombia failed, As the presi
 dent declared in his message, he eoa. sidered the act to refer te the Panama canal. without reference to the govern ment which might he sovereign over
 the territory. This interpretation Is agreed to by the republicans, inelnd- ing. of course, Senator Spooner. Mir. Hit stated in his reply: In the case of Panama our situation was different from that of any spot on earth. We had 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 en- force the obligation to keep the path open, and when we landed troops at Colon, when the ships came to Pana- ma with more of the marines, their duty under the treaty was plain to let no armed men or cause of any kind disturb the open free course of com merce, or of movement in the pathway across the isthmus.
 MT. Williams declared in his speech, "The so-called republic of Panama is an abortion upon the surface of the earth, mis- begotten, hag born, and to use the words of William Shakespeare, ditch delivered.
 President Roosevelt's chances of re- ceiving the nomination of his party next fall have been much discussed here during the last week, owing to report from Ohio that influential re- publicans doubted whether he was the best man to lead the party. This fact seems to have aroused the presi- dents friends who have issued em- phatic statements that he will be the choice of the convention.
 Senators Deliver, Penrose, Hale, Frye, and Platt of Connecticut are among the many republican senators who dictated statements in behalf of Mir. Roosevelt's candidacy. The re- publican national committeeman, who are now in session here, have been in- terviewed on the subject and are al- most unanimous for the president. The expressions in his favor have been so | positive, that it is now regarded as certain that MT. Roosevelt will lead the republican party next fall, to victory or defeat, as the ballots will decide.
 Representative Gardner of Massa- chusetts has introduced bill in the house providing for commission to consider and recommend legislation for the development of the American mer- chant marine. The commission is to consist of the secretary of the navy, the postmaster general, the secretary of commerce and labor and three mem bers from the house and senate. It is to investigate and report to congress at the next session what legislation it holds desirable for the development of the merchant marine commerce, and national mail service of adequate auxi- liary cruisers. This bill is likely to pass, as it embodies recommendations made to congress in the presidents annual message. If passed, it will probably take the place of a ship-sub- sidy bill.
 Senator Burrows, chairman of the senate committee on privileges and elections, has called 8 meeting of the to consider the case of Senator Reed Smoot of Utah, for whose expulsion from the senate petitions have been received from forty differ ent states. The case has aroused much interest and is similar to that of Brigham H. Roberts, who was expelled from the house few years ago on the ground that he was poligamist.
 There are two charges against Sena- tor Shoot. It is claimed that he is poligamist, although he denies it, and it is generally believed that the charge be sustained. It is likewise said that as an apostle of the Mormon church he has taken an oath of al- legiance to that body as the highest civil and military authority, and con- this oath is incompatible with his oath as senator of the United States. The position of the Mormon church in this matter will be investi- gated by the committee, and if the charges are discovered to be correct the senator will be forced to give up his seat. It is the general opinion, how ever, that there is nothing in these charges, and that the senator will be 
 Secretary Cortelyou of the depart ment of commerce and labor has just issued his first annual report. in which he discusses the scope of the depart ment's work. The department in no