The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-03-20

Washington, March 17.-WithOut dot
ting an 'I'', or crossing a ''T"', even
without changing a single punctuation
mark, the senate today voted to ratify
the treaty with the republic of Colom-
bia. for the construction of an isthmian
canal. The vote for ratification was
seventy-three in the affirmative, to five
in the negative The senate was in
executive session when the result was
themselves and a few confidential en-
ployees were present All the senators
announced themselves as gratified TO
have the long struggle terminated, but
none of them manifested their apprecia-
ton by cheers or handclapping. On
the contrary all of them seemed more
concerned about getting away from the
chamber than about anything else, SO
that by the time the senate could ad-
jOurn, which it did almost Immediately
after the result was announced, most
of the senator's had left their seats and
some of them had donned their hats
and oyercoats.
The day was giveE almost entirely to
general debate on the treaty and in ad-
dition to the set speeches made under
the general agreements by Senators
Morgan and Cullom. there were many
short addresses and a rather long
speech by Senator Daniel, of Virginia.
The only party vote of the day was
taken on the substitute for Article ",
which was agreed upon by the demo>
cratic caucus and had reference to the
acquisition of territory in Central and
South America by the United States.
There were Il number of speeches on
this amendment, but it was voted down
by an almost twO-thirds majority, the
ballot footing up f1fty-One ayes TO
twenty-seven noes. Senator Money, Of
fered the substitute for the fourth ar
ticle of the treaty, which disaVowS any
intention on the part of the United
States to increase it's territory at the
expense of South or Central America.
Speeches were made in support of the
Money amendment by Senators Bacon,
Teller. Daniel, Morgan, Bailey and 9TH
ers. They contended for an impartial
recognition of all American republics,
urging that under the language of the
fourth article of the treaty, Mexico
would be left as the only American re-
republic to which the avowaI of Mons
encroachment could be held as nom
applicable. Senators SpOoner and Hoar
replied. contending that there was
practically no difference between the
amendment and that of the article as
it stands. After the vote was taken,
Senator Daniel then offered an amend
ment providing that the treaty should
not take effect until it had been ap-
proved by the congress. Mr.. Daniel
spoke in advocacy of this provision.
The fact soon developed that Senator
Daniel had offered his amendment for
the purpose of making a general speech
upon the treaty and when the fifteen
minutes allowed to him for his speech
on bis own amendment had expired and
the amendment was voted down, Sena-
tor Morgan read four or five of his
amendments which were each in turn
defeated, but upon all of which Sena>
tor Daniel continued to speak. All told
he spoke for about an hour. His speech
was an arraignment OF the republican
policy in pressing the treaty with what
he asserted was undue haste. He re-
ferred to the enormous expenditure
that would be required to construct the
canal and charged recklessness in rush.
ing into such an enterprise, as he de-
clared was being done.
After Senator Daniel had closed. sew
eral other senators on both sides of the
chamber addressed the senate in fifteen
minute speeches for and against the
treaty. Among those who spoke a gainSt
it was Senator German, who devoted
himself especially to the question of the
necessity for adequate defense of the
canal, which he said, could only be as
sured by the United States. He assert
ed that senators were not thinking for
themselves, but were following blindly
in the lead of the secretary of state.
Indeed, he decIard that senators were
practically surrendering their own Of
fees IN order TO maintain a reputation
for party allegiance.
Senator Platt, of Connecticut, was
one of the very few senators, If not the
only senator, to announce his entire
satisfaction with the treaty. He criti-
cised the democratic senators for using
undue minuteness in their efforts to
find defects in. the agreement. He was
sure they We're splitting hairs
When, at 4:45 p. m. it became appar-
ent that the fifteen minutes speeches
had been concluded, Senator Morgan
surprised the senate by refraining from
presenting any more individual amend
mehts and by presenting all of the fifty
which he had prepared in one block,