The St. Louis Republic., 1903-11-17
Caucus Is Unable to Agree on
Plan of United Action on
Isthmian Canal Questions.
SEVERAL PLANS REJECTED.
Compromise Proposition to Au-
thorize German to Appoint
Committee to Draft Party
Policy Also Was Oh,
jected To.

| Washington. Nov. 1S-Democratic mem
bers of the Senate caucused to-day fror
1:30 until o'clock. but were unable to sc
together on a programme as to canal leg
islation. -Four distinct propositions wer
submitted in the way of resolutions. an,
many other suggestions were made in
formally. but no agreement could b.
| reached and the caucus adjourned to NEE
again on call Of Senator German, chair
| man.
Several Senator's, In leaving the CAUCUS
bitterly complained of the lack of har
mony which prevailed. and compared tn,
Democratic position with the attitude O
the Republicans. who, they said. will
twice as many Representatives, had not 6
strasgler. while hardly two Democrat.
were OF the same opinion. Senator Gormar
aid of the caucus:
1t was our first pow-wow, in which We
all talked. and we will do our thinking aft.
erwarda"
CARMACK'S RESOLUTION.
The resolution which was discussed at
greatest length was offered by Senator
Carmack Of Tennessee. 1t declared the
sentiment of the Democrats to be that the
present canal law should be put into op-
Grafton 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 canal and
held that, under that act, the President
should proceed to the building of the ca
nal on the Nicaragua and Costa Rica
route. 1t 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 alterna-
northerly isthmian route.
In support of this resolution, speeches
were made by Senators Carmack. Dubois,
Teller. Blackburn. Patterson and others.
The speeches were Interrupted by Sen
ators differing from the proposition, the
principal arguments being made by Sem
ators Bacon, Clay and Cockrell. 1t was
apparent at the outset that a motion Of
such radical character could not har-
monize the minority.
COUNTER PROPOSITION.
Censure for the President for his alleged
pledging support IL canal treaty were
the purport OF resolution offered by
Senator Bacon as substitute for the Car
mack plan. This opposite extreme met
immediate rejection. 1t was at this point
the caucus.
Two compromise plans were suggested.
The first was offered by Senator New
lands. who proposed that the Steering
Committee be authorized to hold q con-
ference with 2 committee of Democratic
of the House to be appointed by
John Sharpe Williams, the
House minority leader, for the purpose Of
some party policy on all mat
ters which will come before the Senate
in the extraordinary session.
This resolution was antagonized on the
ground that the Democrats of the House
already have adopted their programme In
relation to the Cuban reciprocity enabling
act, and that any. opinion the House may
have on the canal treaty could not affect
the position of the Senate.
COMPROMISE PLAN FAILS.
proposal to authorize Senator German
to appoint a committee of five to devise
a programme on which there would be
at least fighting chance Of united action
was made and for time it appeared that
a solution of the differences had been
under the impression that this course
would be adopted, but objection was raised
by those Democrats who had supported
Senator Carmack's resolution, and the
then adjourned
1t was said Tonight by q leading men,
Der Of the Senate Democratic Steering
Committee that the minority party in all
will meet the question OF canal
legislation without organization of any
kind and will act according to its indi-
vidual opinions.