Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-11-18

ALL SPLIT UP
Senatorial Caucus OF the Unterrified
Shows an Entire Lack Of Har-
mony Among Members.
Some Would Uphold the President
and Some Would Attempt Defeat
Of All Canal Legislation.

Washington. Nov. 16.-The Demo.
cratic members OF the senate caucus.
ed today, but were unable to get to-
gether on the program as to canal
legislation. Four distinct PROPOSE
tions were submitted in the way OF
resolutions and many other sugges.
tions were made informally, but no
agreement could he reached and the
caucus adjourned to meet again on
the call OF Mr. German, the chairman.
Several senators In leaving the eau
Gus bitterly complained Of the lack OF
harmony which prevailed and com.
pared the Democratic position with
the attitude OF the Republicans who
they said with twice as many repre-.
sentatiyes has hardly straggler
while scarcely two Democrats were
OF the same opinion. Senator German
said Of the caucus:
1T was our hrst pow.wow in which
we talked and we will do our think.
ing afterward."
The resolution. which was discussed
at great length. was offered by Sen.
ator Carmack. Of Tennessee. Ii de-
clared the sentiment of Democrats to
be that the present canal law should
be put into operation by the president.
The resolution declared the Spooner
act to be the present law" governing
the authoritative course Of the United
States In regard to the building OF a
canal and held that under that act the
president should proceed to the build
Ing OF the canal on the Nicaragua and
Costa Rica route. II asserted that the
reasonable time" for the acquiring
OF the Panama route lapsed at the
death OF the Hay-Herran treaty and
that the president consequently was
left with no alternative but to build
the canal on the northerly isthmus
route.
In support of this resolution spo.ch-
es were made by Senator's Carmack
Dubois. Teller. Blackburn, Patterson
and others. Speeches were interrupt.
ed by Seators differing with the prop.
osition. the principal argument being
made by Senators Bacon. Clay and
Cockrell. II was apparent at the out
set that a motion Of such radical char.
acter could not harmonize the minor
ity.
Censure OF the president for his al
legged assistance OF the Panama re.
volt, but pledging SUPPORT IN a canal
treaty were negotiated with the new
republic was the purport OF a vesolu.
tion offered by Senator Bacon as
substitute for the Carmack plan. This
opposite extreme met immediate re-.
lection. IL was at this point that some
OF the senators withdrew from the
caucus. Two compromise plans were
suggested. The first was offered by
Senator Newlands. who proposed that
the steering committee be authorized
to hold a conference with a commit.
tee OF Democratic members OF the
house TO be appointed by Representa-.
tive John Sharpe Williams. the house
minority leader, for the purpose of
preparing some party policy on all
matters which will come before the
senate in extraordinary session. This
resolution was antagonized on the
ground that the Democrats of the
house already have adopted their pro
gram In relation TO the Cuban reel.
procity enabling act and that any
opinion the house may have on the
canal treaty could not affect the posi.
tiOn Of the senate.