The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-03-20
OUR WASHINGTON LETT Err.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10Th.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10Th.
Mr. EDIToR:-"The democrats in the
Senate have been seriously misrepresented
with regard to their attitude toward the
Panama canal" said Senator Arthur P.
German. the democratic leader, when
asked to make a statement by your CORE
spondent. The democrats he con-
tinued, hold the view that an important
treaty of this character should not be
treated as a party measure. 1t should be
considered and perfected according to the
hest Judgment of the Senate. A majority
in Congress, without regard to party,
favors the construction of an isthmlan
canal as is demonstrated by the fact that
the act authorizing such canal received
almost unanimous support from members
of both parties. The minority believes
that the treaty negotiated by Secretary
Hay requires several amendments in order
to bring it into harmony with the act of
| Congress under which it was negotiated
and to safeguard the interests of the
| United States Article 90 is in obvious
violation of that provision of the Spooner
act which provides that the United States
shall acquire the right to police, protect
and govern the strip through which the
canal shall pass in a way that obviously
implies sovereignty. These facts have
been presented to the republican leaders
and some of them appreciate the force of
the democratic contentious. What their
course will be am not prepared to pre-
Dict
Just after Mr. German made the above
statement, the republican steering COM
mittee held meeting to consider the pro-
gram for the remainder of the special ses-
sion and determined to ratify, if possible,
the Panama canal treaty as it stands.
They further decided to accept the amend
ment offered by Senator Bacon in the
committee on Foreign Relations and
adopted by that committee, which pro-
vldes that the Cuban treaty shall not go
into effect until it has been "approved by
the Congress-" An agreement has been
reached between the leaders of both par
ties to read the canal treaty today for
amendment, all speeches being limited to
fifteen minutes duration and to permit
two hours debate, followed by a vote to-
morrow. The Cuban treaty will then be
taken up in earnest and, as amended, will
be ratified and adjournment taken imme-
diately afterwards. 1t is deemed proba-
BILE that the special session will adjourn
the latter part of this week, although no
definite decision has been reached.
The President does not hesitate to say
that he regrets the adoption of the Bacon
amendment to the Cuban treaty and he
has threatened to call both houses of Con-
gress in special session to pass the legisla-
ton necessary to put the terms of the
treaty into effect. Such course would
meet with no opposition from the majority
of the democrats whose only object in Sc
curing the adoption of the amendmer
was to avoid violation OF the constt.
ton, but the republican leaders, many o.
whom are secretly opposed to any form
of reciprocity because they fear it means
the beginning of the end Of the protectiv'
system, express themselves as emphati.
cally opposed to an extra session before
election and it is probable that Mr.. Roose-
welt will give heed to their wishes and, if
he calls an extra session at all, refrain
from so doing until next November He
asserts now that he will certainly do so
then if not before.
Senator Aldrich is believed to be pre-
pairing to urge his financial bill, with pos
sibly some notifications, next winter.
He has obtained the consent of the Senate
to call his committee in session during the
recess and, as it is known that he does
not contemplate any tariff revision, it is
believed his purpose is to frame some sort
of currency legislation. 1t is generally
conceded that the Fowler currency bill,
even if it passes the House, will be re-