The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1903-03-20
CANAL PROTOCOL
SENATE VOTES DOWN ALL
AMENDMENTS.
SIX HOURS SPENT IN WORK
Chief Debate of the Session Centers
Round the Right of America to De-
fend Waterway, but the Colombian
Powers Are Not lnfrinqed.

WASH1NGTON.-The senate spent
six solid hours in executive session
Monday voting on amendments to the
Panama canal treaty.
The greater part of the debate cen.
tered around the American defense OF
the canal, the democrats contending
that the United States should be
given the initiative in that respect,
and the republicans urging that the
interests of the country are sufficient
ly safeguarded by the treaty as it
stands.
A substitute for the provision plac-
ing the defense of the canal primarily
in the hands of Colombia resulted in
test vote and the democrats cast a
solid vote in support of the amend
ment, the republicans voting as SOL
idly against it. The vote was "a to
46 against.
During the day Senator Morgan Of
fered a number of his amendments,
but none of them received more than
ten or twelve votes. The treaty will
be ratified tomorrow by a large ma
Jority and without amendment, as on
the final ballot many of the democrats
will vote for it.
Before the executive. session COM
menced Levi Ankeny of Washington
was escorted to the desk by Mr.. Fos-
ter, his colleague, and sworn in. No
Legislative business of any kind was
transacted.
Immediately after the doors had
been closed the order for the presen-
tation of amendments went into effect.
There was quite a large attendance
of se1zstors, both political parties hav-
ing used every effort to secure full
representation so as to make the best
showing in case of a division on
party lines. Consequently the roll
calls of the day were well responded
to and the vote cast was larger than
expected.
minutes after the doors were closed,
coming on an amendment by Senator
Pettus, providing that the treaty
should not so into effect until ap-
proved by congress. This amendment
was voted down by large majority,
all the republicans and some of the
democrats recording themselves
against it.
The amendment was in the language
of the one recommended by the COM
mittee on foreign relations to be add
ed to the Cuban reciprocity treaty
In offering it Mr.. Pettus claimed that
the provisions of the treaty for the ac-
QUESTION of the canal zone do not cor
respond with the provisions of the
law under which the treaty was made
In the law the provision is for the
ownership of the zone, while the treaty
provides for a lease to be renewed !
Derpetually. He contelded that I'M
der the circumstances the treaty was
without authority and therefore not |
binding without further legislation |
The vote resulted so for, 60 against. |
Following this Senator Morgan Of
fered a number of amendments, of |
which he had given notice, but they
we're passed upon adversely and with
)ut roll calls. One of these was a
declaration that nothing contained in
he treaty sould be construed as in
the Spooner act Another
provided for the submission of the
.reaty to the French government as
/ party Interested
His other amendments provided for
he reversion of the railroad lands
outside of the zone to Colombia and
confirmed Colombia's reservation of
shares in the new Panama Canal
in accordance with the con-
ract of 1890