Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-19
CANAL TREATY IS
RATIFIED AT LAST
Passed In the Senate Tues.
day With Only Five Dis
senting Votes.
soLoNs TALKED MUCK
Is the Termination Of Long strussl,
and Cause of Much Qualification
Morgan Made First
Speech.
soLoNs TALKED MUCH

Washington, March 10. Without
dotting an So or crossing 1T" even
without changing {. single punctuation
mark, the senate yesterday voted to
ratify the treaty with the republic of
Colombia for the construction of al
isthlnian canal. The vote for ratifica-
ton was 73 III the affirmative to in
the negative. The senate was In eN-
ecutive session when the result was
announced, so that only the senators
themselves and Il few confidential ems
ployes We're present.
All the senators announced them
selves as gratiiied to have the long
struggle terminated, but none OF them
manifested their appreciation by cheer
ing or handclapping.
Immediately after the doors were
closed the Panama canal treaty was
laid before the senate. The proceed
ings opened with q speech by Senator
Morgan, devoted especially to the
question of the defense of the canal. He
criticised sharply the action of the SEN
ate in refusing to so amend the treaty
as to insure American control
Money Amendment Defeated.
When Senator Morgan concluded SEN
ator Money offered Il substitute for the
fourth article of the treaty, which dis
avows amy intention ON the part of the
United States to Increase it's territory
at the expense of South or Central
Am erica. The substitute offered by
Senator Money was agreed on by the
democratic caucus, and without mem
tioning South OF Central America IL re-
iterateS the American doctrine on nom
interference with the affairs of all the
American republics, with the view of re-
assuring Mexico ON that point, and
pledges this country to attempt no ac-
QUESTION of Colombian territory.
Speeches were made in support of the
Money amendment by Senators Bacon,
Teller, Daniel, Morgan. Bailey and
others. They contended for an impair
tial recognition of all American repub-
lies, urging that under the language of
the fourth article of the treaty Mexico
would be left as the only American re-
public to which the avowal of nom
encroachment could be held as non-ap-
plicable Senators Spooner and Hoar
replied, contending that there was prac-
tically no difference between the
language of the amendment and that
of the article as 1t stands.
Senator Moneys amendment was de-
feated, 81 to 81, by a strict party vote.
Senator Daniel then offered an
amendment providing that the treaty
should not take effect until ii had been
approved by the congress. Senator
Daniel proceeded in advocacy of this
proposition.
The tact soon developed that Sell
ator Daniel had offered his amendment
for the purpose of making Il general
speech upon the treaty, and when the
fifteen minutes allowed him for his
speech on his own amendment had eX-
pired and the amendment was voted
down Senator Morgan presented four
or five of his amendments, which were
each in turn defeated. but upon all of
which Senator Daniel continued to
speak.
Several Fifteen-Minute Speeches.
After Senator Daniel had closed sew
eral other senator's on both sides of the
chamber addressed the senate in fif-
teen-minute speeches for and against
the treaty. Among those who spoke
against 1T was Senator Morgan, who
devoted himself especially TO the ques-
ton of the necessity of adequate de-
Tense for the canal, which, he said, only
could be assured by the United States.
Senator Plat of Connecticut was also
among the speakers. He was one of the
very few senators, If not the only SEN
ator, to announce his entire satisfac-
ton with the treaty. He referred to
the fact that number of republican
senators had said if they had the maxi
ing of the treaty they would have
changed some of the features of It, and
declared that he considered the treaty
the best that could have been made.
Margan's Bobbin Runs Out.
1t was now Il few minutes past s
o'clock, and Senator Morgan took the
floor to make the last OF his long series
of speeches in opposition to the treaty.
In accordance with the unanimous ar
rangement, he spoke for an hour, and,
in order to contine himself to the time
and to make the points he desired to
make, he had prepared his speech in adj
vance. He read deliberately In firm
voice, often depressing in order to en-
phasiZe Il point. He stopped short at
the expiration of his allotted time
whereupon Senator Cullom, chairman
took the floor. He also read care
fully prepared and businesslike sum
mary of the reasons for ratifying the
treaty and for constructing the canal
Senator Cullom occupied only about
three-fourths of an hour allotted to
him, and when he had concluded the
question as to whether the treaty
should be ratified was promptly put be-
fore the senate. The hands of the an
Client clock in the rear OF the senate
chamber indicated 10 minutes to Z
O'Clock when the roll call began All
the sena tors In the city occupied their
seats, and all We're prompt in respond
ing when their names We're called. The
vote resulted in the ratification of the
treaty by % to 5.
Five Dissenting Voices.
The result was no surprise, for all.
had predicted that when the offered
amendments had been disposed of the
treaty would be approved by an over
wheiming majority. Such proved to
be the case. Indeed, the roll call had
proceeded for some time before a sim
gle voice was heard in the negative, the
first opposition vote being that Of Sen
ator Daniel of Virginia. After another
long lapse Senator Daniel was Joined
by his colleague, Senator Martin, and
after them came the two Alabama SEN
ators, Messrs. Morgan and Pettus.
Senator Teller of Colorado also voted
In opposition, and his was the last
vote on that side of the question.
When Senator Frye, who occupied
the chair, announced the result there
was no demonstration, and at o'clock
p. m. the senate had adjourned for the
day.
Before this result was reached, how
ever, 1T had been decided to meet again
today at III o'clock for the purpose of
taking up the Cuban treaty, and with
a nope of concluding its consideration
i'll order that the senate might adio,.cn
finally today.