The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-17
CHAMBER WELL FILLED
Each Party Anxious to Make
 Good Showing.
Morgan, Pettus and Bacon Seek to Change Wording of Hay Cove nant, But All Are Jn-
 successful.


 business was transacted by the Senate in open session today. Before the doors were closed Levi Ankeney of Washing ton was sworn in.
 Immediately after the Senate met in executive session the order for the presen- tation of the amendments with fifteen minute speeches on them went into effect.
 There was a large attendance of Sena- tors, both political parties having sum- moned their adherents in the Senate to be present with the view of making the best possible showing in case of division on party lines. Consequently, the roll calls of the day were well responded to and the vote cast was larger than was expected.
 The first vote was taken about forty minutes after the dors were closed and 1t came upon an amendment suggested by Senator Pettus and providing that the treaty should not go into effect until 1t had been approved by Congress. This amendment was voted down by & large majority. all of the Republicans and some of the Democrats enrolling themselves against it.
 Senator Pettus's Amendment.
 The amendment was in the language of the amendment of similar purport which has been recommended by the Committee on Foreign Relations to be made to the Cuban reciprocity treaty. In offering 1t. Mir. Pettus made a brief statement giving his reasons for the amendment which were found in the fact that the provisions of the treaty for the acquisition of the canal zone dn not correspond with the provisions of the law under which the treaty was made In the law, the pro- vision is for the ownership of the zone, while the treaty provides for a lease to be renewed perpetually. He contended under the circumstances the treaty was without authority and therefore not bind ing without further legislation.
 Senator Morgan offered in turn each of the amendments of which he had previously given notice. The first of these. requiring the approval of France, pertained to the first article and related only to the State of the Panama Railroad Company. This was voted down by a large majority. but as no roll was called, hte majority against 1t was not recorded.
 His other amendments to the article providing for the reversion of the rail- road lands outside the zone to Colombia and confirming Colombia's reservation of shares in the new Panama Canal Com pany in acordance with the contract of 1s9O met with like fate.
 Brought in the Absentees.
 There was only slight discussion of the but Senator Morgan explain ed most of them to some extent. At one time the Senate presente a somewhat vacant appearance. which caused Mir. Morgan 60 make the point of no quorum with the result that a large number of Senators were called into the chamber. Sixty-nine answered to their names and business proceeded.
 The second roll call of the day was on an amendment offered by MT. Morgan providing for the acquisition of the canal sone in perpetuity and not by lease to be renewed after ninety-nine years, pro Yided in the treaty. It was voted down.
 The Senate then took up Senator Ba- ,on's amendment for the absolute control ,y the United States and MT. Bacon ad- iressed the Senate in support of 1t.
 The vote on the amendment offered by senator Pettus resulted nine for and sixty against Following the announcement of hat ballot. Senator Morgan offered lumber of amendments. of which he had ,iven previous notice, but they were pass d upon adversely and without roll call. )ne of these amendments was a declara- lon to the effect that nothing in the reaty was to be construed as invalidat- ng the Spooner act Another provided Or the submission of the treaty to the French Government as a party interested n the treaty.
 Messrs Teller, Clay. Mallory. Morgan, Blackburn and Carmack spoke for the Bacon amendment. The Republican packers. Senators Platt (Conn). Allison. ,ullom, spooner and Lodge, opposed the 
 The Democrats expressed the opinion hat before its completion the canal would ost not less than $3OO. 900 and declared l hat SO vast a sum should not be spent | Y this country without providing for the | bsolute and unconditional right to po- | ce, control and defend the canal They | that while both the political l arties had adopted declarations favor ble to an isthmian canal, every such | eciaration had had coupled with it the | ondition that the canal should be under | .merican control.
 Warmly Defend Treaty.
 The Republican Senators warmly de- snuGQ lHe treaty dS II SAcillAss GOllAtllA- lR that 1t affords ample protection to .merican interests. Moreover, in case of mergency, the United States could go | } the defense of the canal without walt lg for a call from Colombia and they | welt on the wide scope of this privilege. | sserting that in 1t was found | Il the guarantees of American | rotection that could be reasonably de | handed. They asserted that there could | @ no excuse for going into the canal zone | ith American troops except in case of | and as that opportunity is | rovided they argued that there was no | all for modification of the treaty and | specially in view of the fact that any l hange in It probably would insure It's re- | ,ction by the Colombian authorities. During the discussion some of the Dem | cratic Senators called attention to the ability of many of the Central and | outh American republics and urged that | n this account 1t would be necessary for | le United States to be constantly on the | ,ot with its means of nrotection The