New-York tribune., 1903-02-01
CANAL TREATY'S STATUS.
ITS FRIENDS WORRIED
Conference at the White House on
Ways to Secure Ratification.
By The Associated Press.>

Washington. Jan. 31.-An important confer
ence held at the White House to-day be
tween the President, Secretary Hay and Sena-
tor Cullom chairman Of the Foreign Relations
Committee OF the Senate. The subject under
discussion was the status of the Panama Canal
treaty. The situation with regard to the treaty
1t has developed in the Senate is giving the
administration and it's supporters grave con-
Germ. The President is exceedingly anxious that
the treaty should be ratified at the earliest pos
sibIe moment; yet the indications now are that
serious distractions may be placed in the way
of ratification.
The conference to-day was with view Of as
certaining, if possible what could be done to
hasten consideration Of the treaty by the Sen
ate. 1t is certain that the advices received by
the President are not reassuring. An effort is
TO be made to get the treaty out of committee
with favorable report That the effort will be
successful is reasonably certain; but then it's
troubles. in the present view Of the matter. Will
only have begun. Senator Morgan, chairman
of the Committee on Interoceanic Canals, takes
the ground that the negotiations conducted by
the State Department with Dr.. Herran repre-
senting Colombia are not valid. as he holds that
Dr. Herran did not possess the necessary au-
thority to make treaty binding on his country.
and ii is understood that he ill use his utmost
efforts TO defeat the treaty in it's present form
Indeed. the intimation has reached the President
that when the treaty Is called up for considera-
ton in the Senate amendments will be offered
to almost every section of IT, Such action. ii is
well understood will seriously delay final action
it, even if it should not result in the defeat
of ratification. 1t ia said definitely that any
amendment to the treaty would imperil the
tire canal project, the government of Co1om-
bia might hesitate to accept amendments par
ticularly II they involved essential details
principles.
At the conference to-day the situation
considered carefully but wh--- decision. if any.
was reached could not be ascertained. 1t is
only known that an earnest effort is to be made
in the Senate to ratification of the treaty
at the present session. but the method Of pro-
cedure is not disclosed. While the treaty will
not fail, if it should not be ratified at this
session. the officials fear that the delay which
would result from failure of the Senate to take
final action might involve serious consequences.
The Committee on Foreign Relations again
to-day discussed the Panama Canal treaty, but
did not reach a conclusion. The discussion was
based entirely on the amendments which were
offered yesterday by Senate Morgan. but ac-
ton was not taken on any of them, and the
committee adjourned until Monday, when the
subject will be further discussed.
Senator AIorgan's resolution directing in
quiry into the credentials of DIR. Herran
voted down.
Senator Morgan said in the course of his dis
cuSsiOn of the question that his only purpose
was to perfect the tire .ty so that there would be
troabie in the future. We decIs red that lis
interest in the proposed canal Is great as il
would be IL the Nicaragua route had been
chosen. He felt, he said, that the document in
its present shape did not guard details as care
fully as 1t should. and he urged amendments
calculated to accomplish that end.