New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-27
PANAMA TREATY SAFE.
OPPOSITION VANISHING.
Democrats Hwrying to Its Support
Mr.. FOrdker'S Statement.

Washington Dec. 26.-with haste more lu-
dicrous than dignihed. Democratic Senators are
climbing the Panama treaty band wagon.
Senator Clay, OF Georgia. who has heard rum
blings Of censure at home, has announced In
newspaper interview that the Demo-
Gratis can satisfy themselves that the course OF
this government in recognizing Panama was
warranted, they will stand ready to approve the
treaty, while Senator Stone of Missouri has
done some lively "sidestepping' on the position
he took little than a week ago in the Dem
ocratic caucus. Senator Stone was of Sen
ator Germans most active assistants in trying
TO bind the Democrats in caucus by the strict
ties of the Blackburn resolution TO united ac-
ton in opposition to the Panama treaty, but
to-day he has taken occasion to give out an in
terview of great length with himself, explaining
the Democratic position along the lines indicated
by Senator Clay.
This movement was begun as soon as The
Tribune made known the plans of the House
leaders in its announcement of last Tuesday,
and since then Democratic Senators have
been taking the back track. Present indica lions
that opposition to the Panama treaty will
have gone glimmering by the time Congress
meets after New Years. While they do not say
outright that they will vote for the treaty the
Democrats getting under cover by announc-
ing that as soon they learn that the admins
tration acted with propriety in the Panama in
stance, they Will vote for it.
SENATOR FORAKER'S VIEWS.
As matter of fact the position of the admin
istration has already been ably presented in
both houses of Congress- in the upper by Sena-
tor Foraker and in the lower by Representative
Hit. Speaking this subject. Senator Foraker
said to-day:
The great burden of complaint against the
administration from the Democrats is that this
government in a position TO act quickly in
performing it's duty on the isthmus, under
treaty obligations, when the revolution broke
out The Democrats would have the country
draw the inference that such promptitude was
evidence of participation in the revolution.
Everybody knew for months before IL
CURED tnat revolution was imminent IN Para-
ma. stated in a speech in the Senate on
December II, dealing with this subject, that it
was a matter of common report everywhere,
and the administration would have been blind
lot to have been prepared to do it's duty. 1 now
say that II will be shown that the President had
official information of the imminency of a revo-
luton as long ago August and. of course.
the offclals OF this government, knowing their
bounden duty to keep the traffic of the isthmus
open, were able to act promptly when the blow
fell.
Congress will have all this information
When it is read, the man who reiterates the in
situations of completely OF this government will
be uttering charges that are disproved by facts
so plain or their face that every one can under
stand them.
in their criticism of the President for his prompt
action in Panama. Suppose he had not done ii,
and the rebellion had been followed by all the
horrors that accompany open war. what would
have then been the criticism of our Democratic
friends? They would have criticised the Presi-
dent, not for acting precipitately, but that ne
had not acted at all; that he had lost the canal
after the United States had expressed her pref
erence for it, and after the people of the whole
country, without regard TO party and without
regard TO section, had demanded il.
It to be prepared for any contingency and
to prevent such criticism that the President took
minority in Congress.