The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-28
GOSSIP OF NATIONAL POLITICS.
Opinions of Senators on German
Bombardment of San Carlos.

Washington, Jan. 26.-That 5Ger-
many has gone too far in her treat
ment of Venezuela and should be call
ed upon to halt is the conviction Of
many of the leading men in Congress.
Senator Bacon, when seen yesterday
by yoRr correspondent, said, Il do
not believe Germany was justified IN
this bombardment (of San Carlos.
It is possible the German naval officer
may have exceeded his instructions
but I doubt if his Government will
disavow his action if this is true.
The harsh attitude of Germany is
open to very severe criticism, but at
the same time it is probably prudent
not to stir up any bad feeling by harsh
expressions of opinion. If Germany
wants to blockade the port she may be
justified with the consent of the Unit
ed States, but bombardment is not
part of a blockade. Senator Elkins
said The situation looks alarming to
me for the first time. Germany, this
country begins to believe. is not acting
fairly nor openly" Senator McLaurin
of Mississippi said, If I had my way
IAsWouId drive Germany and England
out of Venezuela. After that the
matter might be settled by arbitra-
ton. I do not believe that Germany
ought to be allowed to take the brutal
course she is taking solely because
Venezuela is the weak power.
At tho State Department it IS said
that the United States will not at pre-
sent take any cognizance of Germany's
action. 1t is further admitted that
President Roosevelt has, by his de-
fnition of the Monroe Doctrine, placed
this country in most unfortunate
position. Relying on that definition,
any European power can intlmldate
and bully any north American repub-
lie, and SO long as it does not land
troops and attempt the acquisition Of
territory the United States cannot
logically protest, at least cannot do so
without repudiating the Roosevelt
definition of the Monroe Doctrine.
Minister Bowen is in Washington and
is doing all in his power to bring
about a peaceful settlement OF the
difficulty, but is meeting with grave
obstacles which are giving rise to
serious suspicion as to the honesty of
Germany's purpose.
That set of men known as the leaders
of the republican party is perpetrat-
ing in the United States Senate one OF
the most outrageous flibusters in
parliamentary history. After test
vote by which it was demonstrated
that seventeen republican senators
and practically all of the democrats,
constituting majority OF the Senate,
desire to vote on the Statehood bill
and vote affrmatively, the Senate
leaders, Aldrich, Hanna, Spooner,
Allison, Lodge, Hale, ct al, have
announced that they will net permit
the question to come to vote If their
determination necessitates the calling
of an extra session to make appropria-
tions for the regular expenses Of the
Government. They are openly defying
the will of the majority and are setting
themselves up as oracles whose will
the Senate must obey.
Among the reasons which are doubt
less prompting the continuance of the
Statehood blockade by the republican
ring may be cited a desire to prevent
anti trust legislation which will prove
inimical to the interests which have
placed these men in the Senate and the
hope of preventing the passage of the
Immigration bill and other legislation
in the interests of the whole people.
With a review to further complicat
ing the antitrust situation the mem
bers of the Senate are now preparing
number of anti trust bills which
it is we'll understood are intended to
head off the administration measure
Just reported to the House and likely
to pass with the help of democratic
votes at an early date. When it gets
to the Seate, however, it will be met
with the argument that one clause
has been covered in the Elkins bill,
arother in some other and SO on and
it is the hope of the republican leaders
to sin this way prevent all effective
antitrust legislation even supposing
their fight on the Statehood bill should
not prove sufficient to do so.
The Secretary CT State has finally
concluded terms with Colombia and