Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-24
THE PANAMA CANAL
Democrats to Desert Senator
Gorman's Position.
A FIRE OF PROTEST
COMING FROM THEIR CONST1TU-
ENTS AT HOME.
Probable Vote on Ratification Will Be
Sixty-Five and May Be More
Mr. Richardson Talks.

Democratic senators are getting ready to
desert the sinking ship.
The next move in the Panama canal
treaty situation will be a motion in the
democratic caucus declaring the sense of
the caucus to be that the canal treaty
shall be supported by democrats in
the Senate. Instead of following SEN
ator German in his raid against the
canal, democratic senators are now dis
cussing the wisdom Of aligning their party
in favor Of the canal The carrying out Of
this proposition would be serious stab at
Senator Germans leadership, but some
democrats in the Senate are becoming
alarmed ait the overwhelming reputation
of Senator Germans course, as evidenced
by expressions from all parts Of the coun-
try, and are now becoming more concerned
in saving their own bacon than conserving
their leaders prestige.
The motion will probably originate with
the southern faction Of the party. 1t will
be opposed by Senator German and those
who have been most closely associated with
him in his inexplcable course of opposition
to the treaty. There is no doubt the next
democratic caucus will be one of the warm
est held in many years in the committee
room Of the minority.
Heavy Fire of Protest.
Democratic senators have been subjected
within the past week, 1t is said, to heavy
fire Of protest from their colleagues in the
House and from their constituents at home.
The democrats of the House were first to
realize the danger to the party involved in
the course of the Senate probably from the
fact that they were in somewhat closer
touch with the rank and file of the people.
They have been journeying back and forth
between the two wings of the Capitol for
days urging their senators against the folly
of trailing in Germans lead
When the southern senators began to
swing into line in favor of ratification the
movement gathered strength among the
eastern and western democrats Influential
men in the House from New York, Ken
lucky Missouri and Indiana talked rati-
fcation and the mistake Of beating the
treaty. 1t was found two or three days ago
that Senator HOar and Senator Hale would
not vote against ratification. Senator Hale
coming out in an interview this morning in
ca stern papers making his position clear on
that point.
So events have been steadily trending to-
ward the inevitable failure of the German
campaign Of opposition, and democratic
senators are beginning to ask why they
should immediate themselves upon the altar
OF a mistaken leadership and fall In the
last ditch, when by little side-steppfng
they can get into the vanguard OF the pro-
cession. This consideration will be urged
in the next caucus of democratic senators
and is expected to have weight
Probable Vote on Ratification. 4
AS near as can be figured out now. the
vote on ratification of the Panama canal
treaty will not fall below this: Entire re-
publican strength, including Hale and Hoar,
81 Overman and Simmons (dem), 2; NAL
lory and Taliaferro (dem), 2; Bacon and
Clay (dem), 2; McEnery and Foster (dem.),
2 Total, IS. Necessary to ratification, 0O
The probabilities are that this margin
will be further increased by access1ons
from Missouri, Mississippi, Kentucky, Mon
tana, Texas and Arkansas.
This democratic program does not pre-
clude criticism of the administration
haste in recognizing Panama. Indeed, there
are republicans who are not altogether
easy In their minds on that score. But the
argument of these men, with occasional ex-
ception, Is that the recognition OF Panama
is a closed incident; events have marcheo
way beyond the point OF cavlllng over
either facts or ethics in connection with
that international episode, and the Con-
gress and the country are racing more I'M
portant questions in the construction or ire
canal and the preservation OF peace On the
isthmus. These philosophtc views are rep
resented in an expression by Represent
ative Richardson of Tennessee
Representative Richardson Talks.
Representative Richardson, who was
the leader of the democratic party in the
House of Representatives In the last
Congress, said to Star reporter today
that indications seemed to point to the
ratification of the canal treaty.
'It is curious" he said ito see how
utterly friendless Colombia Is shown to
be- Even among the South American re-
publics there is no sympathy with CO.
lombia. The great nations of the world
approve what the United States has done.
Only England is holding off, and do not
doubt that when she satisfies herself as
to the loans in which she is interested In
connection with Colombia she will also
very readily approve what this country
has done.
However high-handed some of us may
look upon the course that has been pur-
sued by the administration at Panama 1t
seems that there will be nothing to do
except to ratify the treaty, and suppose
that is what will be done"