The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-13

NO
gan today secured the first material
concession tina has been made to him
by the senate in connection with Pana-
ma Canal treaty with Colombia. This
the Spooner canal act bodily to the
treaty. This change was made in COM
pliance with a request which was pre-
scented by Senator Lodge during tOday's
executive session of the senate and at
ter the necessity for it had been dis
cussed by Mr.. Morgan and also by other
members of the senate Senator Daniel
explained the opinion that as the pre-
am5le to the treaty calls for the at
tachment of a copy of h act that the
attachment was necessary to preserve
the terms of the document intact. Sem
ator Morgan contended that without
this attachment. the treaty was abso-
lutely invalid. Senators Teller and
Hoar took the opposite view, urging
that as the act was in existence and Of
record in the statutes of the United
States the physical execution was Of
no consequence whatever. Senator
Lodge, however, suggested that no in
jury could result from the attachment
of the act and requested unanimous
consent for that purpose. There was no
objection n Senator Morgan's wish
in this respect was gratified. 1t was
specifically stipulated, however, that
this concession did not amount to an
amendment OF the treaty.
Senator Morgan consume the entire
time of the remainder of the closed Ses-
sion, discussing the Canal question from
various points of view. and going over
much ground which he had already COW
cred. Most of his speech vas written
and when Senator Cullom asked him if
the speech he was reading was a new
one or an old one, he replied with some
manifestation of veXatiOn that it was
new, adding that he did not have to re-
peat his addresses. He discussed par
ticularly the attitude of the isthmian
canal commission of which Admiral
Walker is the lee and criticised to
some extent, the change of view taken
by that commission in its last epOrt.
He also dweIt upon the variation of the
t~erninoligy of the treaty from those
of the SpooneE law.
During the passage Of his amend
IIISIIlSg SCIIdlOI IOISdH oppressed a u
sire to have copies of the c~orrespon~
dence between the United States gov
eminent and the new Panama Canal
Company being upon the acceptance
of the option given by that company to
the United States, to purchase the ca
nal for forty million dollars, and the
senate consented to make a request on
the secretary of state for these dOcu-
ments. They had not arrived at
half past 8 o'clock and as Senator Nor
gan stated that he would De unable to
proceed without them. Senator CullOm
moved that the senate adjourn, and this
motion prevailed.
During the day there was more or less
Informal discussion of the proposition
to permit Senator Morgan to publish his
remarks in the congressional! record,
but there was no effort to reach d con
clusiOn on this. Senator CullOm. chair
man of the committee on foreign rela>
tions has taken the position that this
permission 70 print shall not be grant
ed unless Senator Morgan Will agree to
allow a day to be fixed for a vote the
treaty. On the other hand. Senator
Morgan say that he is entirely indie
pendent of the senate in this respect,
because he says. he can discuss to any
extent he pleases in the public prints.
a former treaty between the United
States and Colombia which is almost
Identical with the present treaty ans
which has been made public.
During the day. Senator Morgan for
Warded 10 each senator copies of eight
pamphlets. prepared by himself on the
canal question. They dealt. usually
under special titles. with the following
subjects: The history of Colombia's
canal concessions. n the organization
of canal companies: the methods en-
ployed to put the old Panama Canal
Company into operation in France: 20
lOmbia's relationship to the canal com
pany: Campaign of BO. Hutin, and
Cromwell. Of temptation, insolence and
COERCION Attorney Genera Knox
and the law of the case" The rights of
creditors of the Panama company and
THE state of civilization in Colombia"
In the second of his pamphlets. Sena-
tor Morgan commended against the va
lidity of the title OF the new Panama
Company, declaring that the French
courts had no power to dissolve the old
Panama Canal Company or to appoint
a iiquidator to hold and control the
property Of that comapny in Panama.
Mr.. Morgan asserts that the French
courts Overstepped their jurisdiction
in The matter of the %transfer of title.
Mr.. Morgan accuses these desiring to
sell the anal riding down the Colom-
bia constitution and asserts that ST.
000. 900 IT gold was furnished by the
new canai COMPANY. together with the
use OF its railroad and ships to Colom-