The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-12-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.

dOlC nOlOS vi nOuldS N6Cu Ill d QCtl1-
ocratic Congress, For Heavens sake
show your competency to attend to pub
lie business. If you haven't any trust
and confidence in yourselves in the name
of God who do you expect to have any
confidence in p" cried John Sharp Will
lianls, the minority leader in the House,
as he tainted the majority with keeping
Congress in session without transacting
any business. Mr.. Payne, republican,
lied in good time and that when it met in
December it would have plenty of bus
mess to do. Then the debate turned on
the question of reciprocity with Canada.
Mr. Williams had introduced resolution
saying that Congress would view with
approval any step the President might
take to reconvene the joint high commits
sion for the purpose of negotiating rec
iprocal treaty with Canada and demand
ed to know why the committee on Ways
and Means was not considering this and
other important measures. Mr.. Payne
said that it was not good tiuie to nego-
tiate treaty, while Canada was annoyed
by the Alaskan Boundary decision, but
that the subject would be taken up at the
proper moment.
Congress is in session because of the
unanimous agreement of the Senators to
postpone the vote on the reciprocity bill
until December Is, and because of Speak
er Cannons determination that Congress
shall not adjourn until it has taken action
on the measure for which it was called
together in extra session. The Senate
wished for vacation before the begin
ming of the regular session, on December
T, but as neither branch of Congress can
adjourn for more than three days without
the consent of the other, the House had
forced the Senate to remain in session.
Mr. Williams has given his list of minor
ity committee appointments to Speaker
Common, and it is believed that the cou-
ulittees will be announced in time to get
some work done before the regular session.
Several thousand bills have been intro
duced and are waiting to be sent to the
different committees.
In some quarters the action of the
Senate in postponing the vote on the
Cuban bill until the regular session is re-
garded as slight to the President for
having called the extra session.
~
The Junta at Panama will lose no time
in ratifying the new Treaty. 1t has sent
word TO Minister Varilla that the docu-
ment will be signed quickly and returned
to Washington. This promptness was
urged by Minister Varilla and is in mark
ed contrast to the slowness of Colombia
in taking any action on the treaty.
The Colombia peace or war eniissary,
General Reyes, has arrived in Washing
ton, and if he shows that he is duly
accredited, will be received by the Pres
ident. He has, of course, no hope of
saving W NOlOulOid III d. thO
Panama minister expressed it, Panama
has served the meal, and it has been
eaten" Neither will he be able to make
the Administration look seriously upon
Colombia's threat of war. He may sue
coed in getting a money indemnity for
Colombia and in forcing Panama to take
over her share of the Colombian debt.
This question will be presented to our
government by the new British ambas-
sador, Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, who
will press the claims of the English bond.
holders, that the new republic should
assume pro rata portion of the COM
mon debt. After such an agreement is
reached, England will no doubt recog-
nize the republic. Much of this debt was
incurred by Colombia during the war of
liberation from Spain, started in 1919.
Panama took part in the war, but did not
sign the papers uniting her to Colombia
until 1925. From this fact the Panamese
argue THAT they are not bound by the
debt. A discussion of the situation in
Panama was brought up in the Senate by
Senator Morgan who made a long speech
severely criticising the President and his
policy toward the new republic. The
occasion of the speech was the announce
ment that Senator Morgan was succeeded
by Senator Hanna as chairman of the
Committee on Inter-oceanic Canals, and
before it was finished these two rivals in
canal matters became involved in dis
cussion as to whether President McKin-
ley favored the Nicaraguan route. SEN
ator Hanna showed that he did not.
Has the President any excuse" asked
the Senator from Alabama, "for his fail
ure 10 carry into effect the agreement
with Nicaragua and Costa Rico, unless it
be resentment toward Colombia and
qualification of personal ambition which
the law deprives him of further power to
indulge?' Whatever the incentive, he
will fail to carry the people with him in
his wild and inexcusable raid"
Niffsrauce