Evening journal., 1903-02-21
OPTION ON CANAL
EXPIRES MARCH 5
Tactics Of Quay and Morgan
May Lose Panama Water
way to This Country
TREATY Hello UP IN THE SENATE

tNlnil uLIu VI ~ ihI VhUntN
Washington. Feb. 21.--The senate
spent the entire day yesterday in exec
utive session. considering the Panama
canal treaty. and at 5.25 p. m. took q
recess until to-day. No vote was Ia
ken on any of the amendments which
have been prepared by Senator Nor
gan.
After Senator Morgan had spoken
for an hour or more he gave way TO
MIR. Quay. but before the latter had
well begun Senator Carmack moved
that Senator Morgan be permitted to
discuss the canal question in open SEN
ate. In support of the motion he said |
that the question was of general i'm
portance and that the country should |
be placed in possession Of the details.
The motion brought on a general
debate in which the rules Of the sem
ate, the advisability of cloture, the
necessity of maintaining in the senate
forum Of free speech, and many
other kindred topics were discussed.
The speakers differed widely, however,
as TO the expediency of the policy OF
delay which II was freely charged is
now being pursued in connection with
the Panama treaty on the one hand
and with the statehood bill on the
other
Mr.. Quay's speech consisted Of a
long report on the isthmian canal
question. This reading he asked the
clerk at the desk to perform, but OBJ
lection was made and the matter was
submitted to a vote. The result was
adverse to Mr.. Quay's request, the vote
standing 20 to 81. He then began the
reading Of the document himself and
continued for two hours or more.
At $50 o'clock, in accordance with a
decision Of the steering committee,
Senator Cullom moved a recess until
to-day and the motion prevailed.
This decisionof the steering committee
against a night session was reached at
a meeting OF the committee held yes
terday afternoon at the request OF
Senator Cullom. who has the Colon
bian, otherwise known as the Panama
canal treaty in charge, and wished the
steering committees advice as to aban-
INK iHt nlAul cCtclOns n' AVlnAiAAA''
decided that the sentiment OF the SEN
ate was against holding another night
session until an effort had been made
10 reach an adjustment of the some
what tangled legislative condition in
the senate. In order to bring about
such an adjustment Il was suggested
that s6ihe compromise might be made
on the statehood bill. The opponents
OF the statehood bill never have be-
lieved that the measure could be car
rled as q rider on the postofice ap-
preparation bill in the senate, but the
friends of the measure have declared
that they had the votes not only to
carry IT, but to overrule the chair
should he decide the rider was not in
order Inquiry about the senate made
the opposition apprehensive, though
not convinced Of the claim and in the
committee yesterday they said that
should such be the case 1t would mean
an ssion OF congress, and the
'no' Son bill with the statehood
mapped be defeated. Il was also
degrat leaders in the statehood
of sue willing to assume the re-
we dty for this outcome.
sube meantime the option held by
United States to purchase the ca
.A property for s40.O0O.OOO will ex-
pire at midnight of March 3. II it Is
renewed at all the United States will
be compelled to pay a largely increased
price But the probabilities are thai
the option may not be renewed at all
and that the shortest cheapest an(
most practicable route for an isthmiaI
canal. according to the report of IN,
United States canal commission vii
pass into the hands OF a foreign syn
dlcate
Cable dispatches several weeks ag,
announced the formation in Europe o
syndicate OF capitalists benin,
which the German government wa
clearly apparent. to furnish the capi
tai to complete the Panama canal a
soon as the United States permitted IL
option to expire. All the senators
with the exception OF Messrs. Morgai
and Quay, and their colleagues, Pet
tus and Penrose. recognize the impor
tance OF early action and are ready Z
vote at once.