Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-13
57TH CONGRESS-.
Morgan Continues Opposition
to the Canal Treaty.
Has Little Matter of 80 Amendments
to Offer to the Bill.
House Talks About White House Elk.
pense and Philippines.

Washington, Feb. 12.-The Senate
went into executive session soon after
a bill fixing the rank of certain officers
in the army. The bill provides that
any second lieutenant in the United
States Marine Corps who may have
been appointed second lieutenant of
artillery since Feb. 2, 1901, shall re-
;eive credit for prior service as lieu
tenant of volunteers.
McComas gave notice that he would
eall up the S-hour bill at the earliest
)portunity which brought from Quay
the statement that until the senator
rom Maryland and those obstruction
SITS behind him. consented to fixing up
On day when a vote could be taken on
he statehood bill, he would oppose any
lotion on the S-hour bill.
The Senate then went into executive
session, and Immediately after Pettus
moved reconsideration of the vote by
which, yesterday, the Senate ratified
he Alaskan boundary treaty. Lodge
moved the motion be laid on the table
md the latter motion prevailed, 36 to
s. There was little debate on the mo-
ion.
After the confirmation of a number of
nominations the executive session be-
san consideration of the Panama canal
reaty between the United States and
he Republic of Colombia. Morgan i'm
nediately took the floor to urge that
he treaty be amended in many re-
;pects and to oppose it unless amended.
He had been speaking only a short time
When the suggestion was made that
here was not a quorum present. A roll
all brought in the necessary number
md the senator then resumed. He con-
ended that the convention is loosely
lrawn and he said that in order to
properly safeguard the interests of the
United States it should be practically
made over.
Morgan directed especial attention to
he fact that there had been a failure
embody the act of Congress provid-
ng for the construction of the canal in
he treaty as was set forth in the pre-
imble and dwelt at length on what he
ermed the unreliability and revolu-
ionary character of the government
He asserted that the price of $4,000, 900
n cash which the United States had
greed to pay to Colombia was exorbit-
mt and more than was necessary in
lew of the former agreement to take
100000. He also criticized the pro-
7ision for perpetual annual payment
# S25o,100 and declared that in all prob
tbility much of these payments would
o into the pockets of private individ-
ais. In this connection he declared
INIT hit
colombian government had sold out
nd abdicated for $1.000,000 He repeat
d his declaration that the existing
government has no power to enter into
reaties and asserted that treaty with
hat government would not be binding
lie declared that it would be folly to
make the payment of SAT, 100000 as was
proposed by the treaty dependent on so
Unstable and unsubstantial an institu-
io7 as the Colombian Congress. es-
>ecially in view of the chronic insurrec-
.ionary condition of the people.
Cullorn. chairman of the committee
on foreign relations, made brief
speech in the middle of Senator Nor
CAMS address. 1t was devoted to an
explanation of the terms of the treaty
Cullom gave special attention to
criticisms Morgan had made on Arti-
lie 23. placing the control of the canal
IN charge of the government of Co.
,ODhia in case of trouble and said that
is the canal penetrates Colombian ter
2itory the arrangement was equitable.
Moreover, he thought it would be i'm
possible to secure Colombia's sane
ton of the treaty under any other ar
eangement. He also defended the pro-
vision for a mixed tribunal for the
adjudication of legal difficulties in the
canal zone as necessary under the
circumstances. He declared that un-
der the terms of the treaty the United
States had ample power to protect the
canal. Speaking of the contention that
the United States should own the
canal right of way he said that the
Colombian constitution places an in
superable obstacle in the way of
ownership by prohibiting sale for such
purposes. He commended, however,
that lease in perpuity would be
equally as good as the transfer by pur-
chase outright.
Morgan gave notice of 80 proposed
amendments to the treaty. The first
of these amendments of general i'm
Continued on page 81