Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19
Members Glad of a Recess at
This Critical Time.
PANAMA CONTROVERSY
GORMAN WANTS FULL TEXT OF
BRISToW REPORT.
All Leading Members of Foreign Rela-
Washington During Holidays.

Congress adjourned today for the holiday
recess to reconvene January 4. There has
been notable exodus of statesmen within
the past few days homeward bound and
there was hardly a corporars guard IN
either the House or the Senate today
The administration leaders In both houses
are glad for the recess at this particular
time. They are thankful for a surcease of
political talk just at the moment when
affairs are so critical on the lst!mus of
Panama and on the Colombian frontier.
The grave consequences which may fol-
low the utteraEces of men in Congress aIe
realized by those who are couversant with
the situation on the iSthnrs. While the
political speeches in Congress are under
stood in this country and appraised at their
current value and in their Piclwickian
sense. the fact Is not overlooked that they
may have grave effect in other quarters.
Chairman Hit of the House committee
or foreign rela tions has heret0for jepre-
Gated discussion in the House of the Pam
anna situation, and in conversation with a
Star reporter today repeated ms views
the danger which may be involved IN pol.-
ical talk on such a subject in the House.
Deplorable Wrangling.
There is a practical side of the wrang-
ling over the Panama question that is de-
plorable In the results that may come"
said Chairman Hit this afternoon. Every
bitter and infiamma tory thing said here at
home against governments course
| toward Colombia is repeated and spread
| broadcast there, inf1aming people who are
| always ready for a disturbance.
ut may at any hour precipitate some
| rash violence and bloodshed. 1t will en-
| courage every passionate, ignorant brOil-
seeking Colombian.
General Lawton told of the horrible
| fruits borne in the Philippines of the bitter
| things said here against our government by
| Wordy politicians, which We're repeated
| there and inspired the brown assassins who
| murdered our own volunteers from covert,
like young Logan, aSid afterward Lawton
| himself"
| At the Capitol today 1t was said that all
| of the leading members of the foreign re-
| lations committees of the two houses will
remain in Washington during the recess.
as it is expected that a vigorous policy
| will be framed to be pursued after the, re-
convening of Congress. The appropriation
bills eill come along in the House, and
when in committee of the whole for the
discussion of general subjects. In the
Senate the Hoar resolution Will hold the
floor until some of the republicans can an
swer the bitter attacks led by Senator
Hoar and the democrats
Asked for Reports.
At the beginning of todays session of the
Senate Mr.. German presented and asked
immediate consideration for resolution
directing the Postmaster General to send to
the Senate the reports of Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Brstow and Holmes
Conrad and Charles ]. Bonaparte, special
commissioners for the government. He said
that the reports for which the resolution
calls already had been sent to the House
and had been printed
Mr.. Lodge suggested that the House doc
ument be reprinted but Mr.. German said
| that document had only been published by
a House committee, and that he preferred
TO have the information direct from the
head of the Post Office Department.
Mr.. Quay then made objection and asked
for the postpOnement of the resolution for
day. This objection has the effect of post
poning consideration until after the hoi.
days.
Morgan Resolution.
The Morgan resolution offered yesterday
was then laid before the Senate. Mr. Pet
tus said that If Panama was an indepen-
dent nation 1T was important to know
whether 1T was legitimately such. Was
It," he asked, 'legitimately brought into
being, or was 1t unlawfuily and untimely
ripped from the mothers womb" He
said 1t was important to know whether
the participation Of the United States in
the birth of the nation had been of
q character TO taFn1Sh the honor of this
country. God forbid"' he exclaimed,
that this giant republic of ours should
ever become too great to maintain its own
honor"
Mr. Pettus announced it to be his pur-
pose to confine his consideration to the
legal aspects of the case, adding that IL
the recital should prove severe reflection
upon the administration the fault must be
attributed to the law and not to himself.
He quoted authorities to show that de
facto governments should only be recog-
nized when established, and declared that
such law was severe commentary upon
what the United States has been doing in
Panama. No logic, he said. could be suffi-
cient to defend indefensible act.
He contended that the United States
should not be actuated by selfish motives
and urged that national honor should al
ways be consulted rather than commercial
success. After quoting General Jackson
in support of this theory he turned to some
utterances of President Mckinley. saying.
Whatever you may say of Jackson have
never seen the bastard who could utter
word against the honor of this great
statesman, who has gone to his reward
Contention Of Mr.. Pettus.
Mr. Pettus contended that If the United
States should take the canal property in
Panama we should pay part of Colomb!a'a
public debt. Yet he feared that this would
rot be DONE even though demanded by
common law and ordinary deoency. He
also declared that Colombia had right
to reject its treaty with the United Statea
IL 1t SO desired.
He asserted that one brigade of regular
United States troops would be sufficient 10
cope with the entire force of Colombia, but
surely he said, the great power gwen Us
by the Master was not to be used by us
like bully. whenever" he added, the
too la large Get to be be re respected 1 BY its q own cid.
zens." He declared that war ag. .Inst Co.
lonlbia had already been practically wagea.
but argued that no other authority than
Congress could assume this respons b.lity,
When Mr.. Pettus concluded the Senate, at
1:40 p.m.. went into executive session.
The Senate, at R:16 pm, adjourned Until
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