The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-11
Most Of the Time Yesterday Occupied
by Mr.. Morgan I'm Opposition
to Ratification.
GAINED A MATERIAL POINT
WHEN THE sPOONER ACT WAS At
TACHED TO THE TREATY.
Concession to the Alabamian That 10
Not Expected to Affect the Docu-
ment-Batch of Pamphlets.

the Senate met to-day Mr.. Cullom, chair
man OF the committee on foreign relations,
referred TO the action of the committee in
passing resolution calling on the secretary
of state for the copy I'm Spanish OF the
Pan-American canal treaty. 81 have it,
said he, ''and / think ii proper TO present
il. 1t is the original treaty signed by the
parties in Spanish" Mr.. Cullom had over
looked the fact that the Senate was in leg
islative session and was proceeding to dis
cuss the document when Mr.. Allison
moved an executive session. During the
last Congress Mr.. Cullom was very careful
to see that the treaty was not discussed
except in executive session, and he showed
signs OF embarrassment as he promptly
acquiesced in the motion to close the doors,
which was done eight minutes after con-
vening. The other senators enjoyed the
joke at the expense of the Illinois senator.
Senator Morgan to-day secured the first
material concession that has been made TO
him by the Senate in connection with the
Panama canal treaty with Colombia. This
consisted of an agreement TO attach the
| Spooner canal act bodily to the treaty.
This change was made in compliance with
| a request presented by Senator Lodge dur
| ing the days executive session of the Sen
ate to-day, for the necessity of il had been
discussed by Mr.. Morgan and other men,
bers of the Senate committee Mr. Daniel
expressed the opinion that as the preamble
| to the treaty calls for the attachment OF a
| copy of the act that attachment was neces-
sary to preserve the terms of the document
| intact. Senator Morgan commended that
without this attachment the treaty was alb
solutely invalid. Senators Teller ano Hoar
took the opposite view, urging that as the
| act was in existence and of record I'm the
statutes of the United States the physical
annexation was of no consequence what
| ever. Senator Lodge, however. Suggested
| tachment of the act and unanimous con-
sent was given to do so. 1t was specifically
! stipulated, however. that this concession
did not amount to an amendment of the
| treaty.
Senator Morgan consumed the entire time
of the remainder of the closed sessions, dis
cussing the canal question from rarious
points OF view, and going over much ground
he already had covered. Most of hisspeech
| was written, and when Senator ,ulIom
asked him If the speech he was rading
was a new one or an old one, he rplied.
with some manifestation of vexation that
| Ii was new, adding that he did not hive to
| repeat his addresses. He discussed prtic-
| ularly the attitude of the isthmian canal
| commission, OF which Admiral Walbr is
the head and criticised to some extet the
change of view taken by that commission
| in its last report. He also dwet OF the
| variation of the terms Of the treaty from
| those OF the Spooner law. During the
progress of his address, Senator Mrgan
| expressed a desire TO have copies the
correspondence between the United. Gates
| government and the new Panama anal
Company. bearing on the acceptane OF
the option given by that company {, the
United States to purchase the cana for
$500 900. and the Senate consented { re-
quest the secretary of state for thecor-
| respondence. The papers had not arved
| at half-past o'clock, and as Senator Tor
gan stated that he would be unable toDro-
coed without them. Senator Cullom mved
| that the Senate adjourn, and this mdon
prevailed.
During the day there was more or ess
| informal discussion OF the propositio to
| permit Senator Morgan to publish hisre-
marks In the Congressional Record, )ut
| there was no effort to reach concluon
on this point. Senator Cullom, chairma OF
the committee on foreign relations, as
taken the position that this permissioito
| print shall not be granted unless Senior
Morgan will agree to allow a day tobe
other hand, Senator Morgan says thahe
| Is entirely Independent of the Senatein
| this respect because he says he can
| cuss to any extent he pleases In the puic
prints former treaty between the Uned
States and Colombia. which is almost in
| teal with the pending treaty, and with
| has been made public.
| Senator Morgan to-day forwarded to eh
senator copies Of eight pamphlets prepad
by himself on the canal question. Ty
| dealt usually under special titles, with le
following subjects: The history of Cole
| bias canal concessions and the organi-
ton of canal companies, the methods a.
| ployed to put the old Panama Canal c.
| pany into operation in France; Colombis
relationship to the canal company; Ca
paign OF Bo. Hutin and Cromwell.
torney General Knox and the Law OF b
Case" The Rights of Creditors OF
Panama company, and THE State of c.
| ilization In Colombia.
VALIDITY OF TITLE QUESTIONED.
In the second of his pamphlets senat
Morgan contends against the validity OF q
title OF the new Panama Company, decla
ing that the French courts had no powt
to dissolve the old Panama Canal Company
or to appoint a liquidator to hold and con
troll the property of that company in Pan
anna. He asserts that IF the decree dis
solving the old Panama Canal Company is
valid that the effect Of that decree was "a
terminate all the privileges and property
rights of that company in Panama In any
way appurtenant to the canal, and by the
terms OF the law OF concession the French
courts could not prevent the same from
immediately reverting TO Panama" Mr..
overstepped their jurisdiction in the matter
of the transfer of title. He also contends
that the work done the canal by the old
company belongs 10 Colombia and that that
government is justly bound for the debts OF
the company and hence that no title TO the
Panama Canal Company can be given by
any one but the Colombian Congress.
Discussing the efforts to sell the canal
companys property to the United States,
Mr.. Morgan said: THE people Of Colon
bia did not believe that the United States
would ever consent TO pay the enormous
rental and give back TO Colombia, at the
end OF ninety-nine years. the canal and
railroad without compensation. They were
correct in that belief. for the United States
will never expend sl40.oo0.0o0 in completing
that canal and s25000.0o0 for the rent OF
the ground and 81. 100000 for the privilege of
doing this work. and sl0.0o0.0o0 for conces-
sion from Colombia for one hundred years.
in all SIZE. 900 600, and give back the canal
and railroad TO Colombia at the end OF the
| lease"
Mr.. Morgan accuses those desiring 10 sell
the canal OF riding down the Colombian
| constitution" and asserts that 100000 In
| gold was furnished by the new canal com.
| pany, together with the use OF Its railroad
| and ships, 10 Colombian leaders In order
| to prolong the canal concession by main.
tanning the army and continuing the state
of war The trampling OF their constitu
ton under foot in this manner he charac
, terizes as a very bitter experience for thu
people of Colombia.
Discussing the action OF the canal com
pany Immediately after the passage. earl,
| i'm the Fffty-seventh Congress. OF the Hep
, burn bill for the construction OF the Mica
|, | ragua canal. Mr.. Morgan says:
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