The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-17
Senate Will Have a Vote on the
Mighty Project at To-
days Session.
DEMOCRATIC AMENDMENTS NOT ADOPTED
Republicans Insisted That the Treaty Should
Pass as 1t Was Drawn.

the treaty gives US the right to pro-
tect the canal, but this is~qualified by
the provisions of Article %, which the
Democrats seek to amend AS it
stands, we could have the right to use
armed forces only by the consent of
Columbia 1t ought to be specifically
set forth that the United States gov
eminent should have the absolute
right to police and protect the canal
whenever the necessity arose. While
the sentiment of the people was unani-
nous in favor of a canal, they ex-
pected their money to be invested in
a canal which would be a success, and
that the government would have the
unconditional right to defend it with
it's army and navy whenever it's in
terests We're endangered.
He recalled the action of the Senate
in adopting the Davis amendment to
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, which en-
bodied exactly that for which the Dem
ocrats are now contending. He asked
what change had come over the Sen
ate to make it willing to, at this time,
ratify treaty which denied to our
government the right to defend its own
property.
Argument of Clay.
Senator Clay quoted at length from
the national platforms of both parties
during the past twelve years, which
declared for an Isthmian canal to be
built by American money and under
the control and protection of our gov
eminent. AS a business proposition,
he did not believe the American peo-
pie would be willing to spend millions
of money upon the construction and
operation of a canal unless we reserv-
ed the right to defend and protect 1t
at all times.
The Bacon amendment he considered
essential to the preservation of our
own property, and such large expan-
diture as the enterprise involved ought
to be guarded by such a carefully pre-
pared amendment, He commended that
there was no force whatsoever in the
Republican plea that the treaty should
not be changed. He believed that If this
amendment was adopted it would be
thoroughly acceptable to Columbia; if
not, the Senate could then decide
whether it could recede. He added,
however, that if the amendment were
voted down, he would feel it his duty,
Notwithstanding what he considered
serious defect in the treaty to cast
his vote in favor of ratification.
During the debate, which lasted from
noon until $50 o'clock this evening. the
treaty was riddled by Democratic
speakers as measure has seldom
been riddled in the Senate before. The
principal speeches on the Democratic
side were made by Senators Blackburn,
Morgan, Carmack, Clay, Bacon, Pat
terson and Teller. On the Republican
side, most of the arguments came from
Senators Allison, Aldrich, Plat of
Connecticut, and Spooner.
Republicans Really Taking.
The Democrats boldly charged that
the United States were not making this
that amendments needed to perfect it
were voted down because any change
would lead to the rejection of the
treaty by Colombia. They maintained
that the treaty was one that the
United States could not observe. In
other words. they said that the treaty
was being made in order that the re-
quirements of the Spooner bill be car
ried out so that the Panama Canal
Company could get its $4,000, 900, and
after that important transaction was
consummated, the treaty obligations
would be disregarded by this country.
Senator Blackburn, during his
speech, referred to the article in this
mornings Herald, in which Republican
senators were quoted as saying that
the United States would disregard the
treaty as soon as they got a foothold
in Colombia, and would exercise SOW
ereignty with guns. if necessary. He
drew from Senator Platt of Connecti-
cut All admission that if the welfare
of the United States was threatened
the United States would disregard the
treaty even if they had to apply force
to maintain their position.
Senators Tillman, Daniel. Newlands
and German are scheduled to speak to-
morrow before the final vote on the
treaty is taken and Frye will close
for the Republican side.
Some of the ''die-in-t st-ditch
Democrats favored a filibuster against
the treaty, but other counsel prevailed,
and the adjournment will probably be
reached at the close of the present
week.