The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-18
DEBATE IN THE SENATE
ON THE CANAL QUESTION
Uncle Sam Described by Mr.. Hoar
as a Policeman Assisting a Rob-
Der and Taking Spells.
GORMAN ALSO BITTER
Says the Situation on the Isthmus
Was Created to Make a Cam
paign Issue.
SORMAN ALSO BITTER

AAdtP|AhoNHNC u III GtpuDilC y Il 1dDdIud.
The discussion began with a speech by
Mr.. Hoar on his resolution of inquiry and
lasted several hours. In addition to Mr..
Hoar's address. there were speeches by Mr..
German and Mr.. Foraker. All three were
notable utterances and of historical inter-
est.
Mr.. Hoar confined his remarks to his
resolution and they were carefully written
out and read from manuscript. He held
that this country has not yet received full
official concerning the isthmian
revolution, and criticised in sharp terms
the conduct OF this country as shown by
What mad been given out, He compared
the conduct of the United States on the
lstnmus 10 a policeman who would man.
acle and hold a person about to be at
tackled for robbery, and who would then
insist on having the spells of the theft de-
livered TO himself.
There was no reservation in Mr.. Cor
mans utterances. He practically alleged
that the situation in Panama had been
e eheatea 70 As mske a ssampalgn issue of sand and
LOOMS with a violation of the proprieties
In discussing the question at a banquet
ther light was thrown on the subject he
would oppose the Panama treaty. He also
referred to the impetuous action of the ex-
ecutfve and declared that the Senate
should prevent the jeopardiZing Of the busi-
ness interests of the country.
Mr.. Foraker took Mr.. Hoar to task Sc
verely for his remarks rejecting on the
administration and his indiscretion in speak
ing In open session concerning executive
matters. He defended the administration for
its attitude toward the Panama revolt. A
heated colloquy took place between Mr.. For
aker and Mr.. Hoar during an effort of the
Massachusetts senator to explain fully his
position In the matter.
MR.. HOAR'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Hoar, in the course of his address,
said he was DESTROYS that the present Presi-
dent of the United States should build the
great waterway. But anxious as he was
for the accomplishment of all these ends
ne was even more anxious that the canal
should be built without faint or suspicion
or national dishOnor." what we want 70
Know he said, did this government, know
ing tnat a revolution was about to take
place, so arrange matters that the reyolu-
ton, whether peaceable or otherwise. should
De permitted to go on without interruption,
ana whether our national authorities took
ping it?"
Mr.. Hoar quoted the correspondence bear
ing upon the revolution, and asked: "Why
this great anxiety before any disturbance
mad occurred?" 1t was, he said, clear that
the correspondence so far printed included
all tne information possible to give, on the
subject. that from twenty-four TO FORTY
eight hours before the revolution broke out
TINS government had instructed a man-of-
war TO prevent Colombia from doing any,
tning TO prevent 1t. II want to know, and
the American people want to know. and
nave a right to know, whether this mighty
ponceman on the isthmuS, seeing a man
about to attack the other, is justified. before
the dow is struck, In manacling the assailed
party ana whether, after the assault has
been made, the policeman is justified in
claimin the pocketbook which has been
taken from the victim by the assailant
mani on the ground that he was the rightful
owner"
Mr.. Hoar said it was impossible to be-
heve, and he did not believe the President
was capable of such intrigue as thus indi-
Gated. and declared that 1T was for the
purpose of saving him from such imputation
that he desired all the possible
to secure on the question. He was sure
that all the on the subject
would entirely relieve the chief executive.
information before the country is incom-
plete.
GORMAN ASSAILS ROOSEVELT.
Mr.. German took the floor as soon as
Mr.. Hoar had concluded and there was
from the start evident interest in what he
might say. He said that Democratic sem
ators generally are as favorable to the
construction of the canal as are Republic
cans. He congratulated the country on the
possession of a senator like Mr.. Hoar, who,
he said. was following many examples of
courage, patriotism and disinterestedness
In the Senate, which had occurred at times
when the executive, by some inexcusable
act. had been about to involve the country
in war without the consent of Congress. In
this connection he referred to the course
of the late Senator Sumner, when he an
tagoniZeG President Grant in the San Do
mingo affair. Mr.. German said that he,
himself: had been a witness to Mr.. Sum-
mer's protest and that he declared that his
act would live in history as well as that
of the present senior senator from Massa-
chusetts.
Taking up the question at issue. Mr.. Cor
man said that facts were all that were
desired and he proceeded to refer to the
extension of the executive influence. saving
that this influence had been extended until
1.-The Senate had become practically the
agent of the executive" He criticised the
selection by the President of commissioner
from the Senate to negotiate treaties as a
reprehensible practice and declared that
the Associated Press secured it's sugges-
tons as to about events from
the administration He also criticised exc
cutive interference in State politics. saw
ing: "The President, with doubtful pro-
priety, telegraphs his instructions to state
conventions of their action" None of these
transgressions could be compared, he de-
clared, to the action of the executive i'm
connection with the affair in Panama. ct
is he said, 1.-THE most fragrant act of
transgression that has ever taken place in
the history of the country, and it should
be resisted without regard to party"
LOOMS CRITICISED.
Mr.. Spooner. who was sitting just across
the center aisle of the Senate chamber, on
the other side of which Mr.. German stood.
suggested that a two-thirds vote would
be necessary to ratify the treaty, to which
Mr.. German assented. and then proceeded
to ~criticise the speech made by Assistant
Secretary Loomis before the Quill Club in
New York a few nights ago. He referred
10 the fact that the Panama treaty was
at that time a secret document so far as
Official action was concerned. Heretofore
treaties similarly situated had been re-
garded as sacred by executive officials and
he did not believe that any secretary or
assistant secretary should of his own mo-
ton or at the suggestion of ''higher au-
thority" violate this secrecy Until the in
junction of secrecy should be removed nv
the Senate itself. He had not so far men
toned Mr.. LOOMS by name, but ne did at
this point and said Mr.. LOOMS had dis
cussed the Panama situation at a banquet
at which perhaps many were excited by
wine. and had given Information which
the Senate had not had from the admins
tration or from any other source. He did
not MIR. German continued. tell the
country all the facts. but he made the
broad assertion that the President was n
bold and great man, who had the courage
and the patriotism to land marines and
seize part OF the territory of the Republic
of Colombia, which We were under contract
to guarantee TO that country. This. i'm the
light OF the facts before us, is nothing less
than ~usurpation.'
Mr.. German then discussed the President
as n second Napoleon" which title had