Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-03-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFron, our Regular CorrespondentJl
Washington, March %, 1908

Washington, March %, 1908.
Editor Press
The special session of the Senate
Of the Fifty-eighth Congress has
adjourned sine die after having rati-
fed both the Panama and the
Cuban treaties and the President
has expressed himself as satisfied
with the work of the session.
| Nevertheless, there is grave doubt
in the minds of many friends of
both treaties as to their future. In
the case of the Cuban treaty it has
been amended in several instances
and one, at least, of these amend
ments ceriously jeopardizes the
success of the agreement. This is
the amendment which provides
that the treaty shall go into effect
only when approved by the Con-
gress." The question is now rails
ed. Can an exchange of ratifca-
tion be made when the ratification
of the Senate is of so equivical q
character and depends, for its ulti-
mate settlement, on the action Of
both houses of Congress at the next
session? 1t is certain that there
will be no reciprocity with Cuba
until late in the next session and
in the opinion of many competent
judges the House will amend the
treaty and thus precipitate gem
eral discussion and contest which
will mean the defeat of the entire
project.
1t is admitted thata serious mis-
take has been made with regard to
the Colombian treaty, in that SEN
ator Morgan was permitted to print
in the Congressional Record all of
his speeches against the canal,
while the injunction of secrecy was
not removed from any of the
speeches made by the friends of
the convention, aside from Senator
Cullom's brief, closing argument.
Moreover, the question is now rails
ed as to whether the Secretary of
the Treasury will feel authorized to
pay out funds under the provisions
Of the Spooner act and ON the con-
tract made with Colombia, as there
is a serious difference between the
provisions of the two. Several
Senators, who most vigorously
maintained that there was nothing
in Mr.. Morgan's contention to this
effect, now admit that it is an i'm
portant factor, although they say
that hereafter all responsibility
rests with the Attorney General
who will have to decide this ques-
ton. The old suspicion of the
sincerity of the Senate sdvocates
of the Panama route is again
aroused on apparently good
grounds.
1t is frankly admitted that the
President is seriously disappointed
at the failure Of the Senate to con-
firm or reject his nominations of
William Michael Byrne for United
States Attorney for Delaware and
DR.. Crum for Collector of the Port
of Charleston, S. G. Both Of these
nominations were sent in during
the regular session and reported
unfavorably by the Judiciary and
Commerce committees respectively,
but no action was taken by the SEN
ate as whole. They were sent
in again on the first day of the
special session and Mr.. Byrne's
nomination was unfavorably re-
ported by the committee on Judi
ciary but the commerce committee
refused to assemble to consider the
Crum nomination. True to his
word, the President has appointed
both men as recess appointments
but it is evident that the senators
"played politics" and determined
to place the onus of the appoint
ments no Mr.. Roosevelt. Taking
the past session as a whole, there
is good ground for the belief that
Mr.. Roosevelt was very shabbily
treated by the leaders of his own
party. From the standpoint of the
leaders there is reason for it, He
is the most difficult, president to
use and manipulate Republicans
have ever had. Cleveland was as
difficult, but Republican Office seek
ers expected nothing from him.