New-York tribune., 1903-03-22
iCANAL TREATY BLUNDER.
MAY ANGER COLOMBI4.
Morgan's Diatribes Made Public
Practically UnanSrered.
trv TELEGRAPH TO TIE rr!RrxE. !

by TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBINEl
Washington March 21.-A serious error has,
In the opinion Of a number Of leading Senators,
been perpetrated by the Senate in its decision
pertaining to the removal of the injunction OF
secrecy from the debate on the Panama canal
treaty Senator Morgan's bitter denunciatlon
OF Colombia the treaty, the Marroquln admlh-
istration and all that pertains to the SUBJECT
have been permitted to go out to the Worlo as
a part OF The Congressional Record, "hle'
with the exception of Senator Culiom S orlel
reply no word Of the able answers made TO
Mr. Morgan's arguments has been made puohc.
What the effect of Mr. Morgan's diatrloes may
be in Colombia Senators decline to predict. but
they admit that it is likely to prove lnmCal
to the success of the treaty. and regret "hat
they characterize as a blunder made IN the
rush OF the closing hours Of the session.
On the last day of the session, and after the
President had been informed that the senate
had completed its labors. a motion vas ii'due
to release from secrecy the entire debate on the
Colombian treaty, but II Immediately met s@Il-
Gus and vigorous opposition There was OF
course no question with regard to Senator Nor
gar's speeches. as they had already been printed
in The Record" but the Senators who replied
to Mr.. Morgan had done so with the tul eA-
pectation that their remarks we're also 10 ne
printed and they spoke vehemer uy in favor OF
the motion. It was deemed especially deSlranie
by the Republicans that Senator Spooner aole
argument should appear in print. nut senator
Gornau and others opposed the prop"sl'loh' an"
for an hour and a half the Senate carried on the
liIeliest kind of a debate So prolonged dld the
discussion become that question arose as I"
whether the failure to adjourn. after having
received uord from the President that he had
no further communication to make ana haNihS
informed him that all business was comPIeted
might not he construed a dis ourtesy t" the
executive Senator Cullen. wishing Ia avoid
such an appearance and to placate the opposing
factions moved to release the entire debate only
after Colombia had ratified tn. treaty, and this
motion was adopted but no" it is realized tht'
after the treaty has been approved a Bog"tA
the publication Of the speeches and arguments
in its favor will be useless and meanWhil" sen
ator Morsan's wholesale condemnation is the
only utterance of the Senate on the subject
given To the public. The Senator from Alahanla
has not been slow to seize this advantage. and
has mailed his speeches far and wide. and Whem
they reach Bogota the pride Of the C"ombi"nS
is likely to receive n severe shock.
Another question which IS causing some anX-
iety to the friends Of the Panama Canal is the
legal point involved in paying funds under the
Spooner act when the treaty does not agree
with that law and the law itself is attached
10 the treaty. Representative Hepburn and
others maintain that such payment cannot be
made. Had the treaty been ratified after the
enactment Of the Spooner amendment it would.
under ordinary circumstances, say the legal au-
thorities have taken precedence over the law
as more recent expression Of the purpose Of
Congress- but as a concession to Senator Nor
gan the Spooner law attached TO the
treaty and that leaves room for question as
to whether the law was not virtually re-en-
acted when the convention Was approved.
This question Will be referred to the Attorney
General for an opinion. and it is believed and
hoped that he will find there is nothing to
prevent payment for the Panama Canal Com
pany's property and the bonus to Colombia. but
there is enough doubt the subject to cause
anxiety to the friends Of the canal