Milford chronicle., 1903-01-30
WASHINGTON NEWS.
January 26, 1903.

/ quay lO-Qdy III aAlSWSA ~ al IL
quiry made by our correspondent.
"The Statehood bill shall not pass
even though a special session OF
/ Congress is necessitated by the
methods we are compelled to adopt
to defeat it," said Senator Hanna,
when an inquiry was put to him,
and the remarks of the two men
illustrate the present situation i'll
/ the Senate. Under the rules Of
the Senate it is impossible to Sc
cure a vote on any measure as long
as any one desires to debate the
question. Senator Quay has, by a
/ test vote, demonstrated that seven
teen Republicans and practically
all the Democrats will vote State
hood. This has placed the opposi-
ton. which includes the men re-
cognized as leaders of the Repnbli-
can party, in the position of fill
busterers attempting to talk to
death a measure favored by the
majority of the Senate, and they
accept the charge and assert their
intention of continuing to filibuster
and their belief that they are war
ranted in so doing.
The administration antitrust bill
is now before the House. 1t has
been carefully framed by the men,
bers of a subcommittee and the
Attorney General and is drawn
upon lines dictated by the eXper-
fence of the latter who has found
the Sherman law deficient and has
framed the present measure to
supply its deficiencies. The pro-
posed law is not drastic and con-
tains no provision capable of in
flicting the slightest injury on any
corporation doing a legitimate busi-
ness. 1t merely prohibits those
determinations which have, in the
past, served to build up huge mono
p)lies and provides the Govern
ment with the means for enforcing
the law. 1t is the ardent hope of
the President that the bill may be-
come a law. a wish which is evil
IDENTIFY seconded by the majority of
the people Judging by the cores
pondence of numerous members of
Congress which your correspon-
dent has been permitted to see.
The bill will pass the House at an
early date and, it is believed, with
out opposition from the Democrats.
According to present intentions
the Elkins antitrust bill which
embodies one of the Attorney Gen
erals recommendations, that re-
bates and concessions of all kinds
on transportation charge be pro-
hibited, will be reported to the
Senate to-day. 1t is said by pro-
minent Senators that the Elkins
bill will probably pass. The I'm
migration bill is being pushed in
the Senate, and Senator Fairbanks,
who has the measure in charge, is
confident that he will secure its
passage.
The utmost qualification is ex-
pressed by the friendsof the 18th
mian canal at the conclusion of a
treaty with Colombia on terms
generally regarded as most favora-
BILE to the United States. While
the price to be paid $40, 900
cash and an annuity of S25o,ooo
beginning FIVE years after the rati
fcation Of the treaty, is a generous
one from the standpoint of Colon
bia, there is every reason to believe
that this country will be amply
compensated once the canal is in
operation. The treaty was read to
the Senate in secret session on Fri
day and referred to the Committee
ON Foreign Relations. Several Of
the most influential members of
the Senate told your correspondent
that they were certain the treaty
would be ratified in its present
form at this session Of Congress. /
The only element Of doubt remain
ing Is the Colombian Congress,
both houses of which will have to
vote on the convention.
While Colombia technically OBJ
serves the provision Of her consti-
tuition, which forbids her to part
with any portion Of her territory,
she leases to this country for a
period of one hundred years the
desired one of land with privilege
of reaewing the lease for a like
period and the same rental, inde-
hnitely During the construction
of the canal martial law is to pre-
vail. After that arrangements are
to be made for policing the strip,
etc, by joint high commission.
At the end of sixty years the en-
tire property of the Panama Rail !
road Company will revert to the
United Stares The treqfV ie creu-