Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-03-13
THEY ARE STILL TALKING.
THE SENATE IN EXTRA SESSION CON-
TINUEs ITS OLD PROGRAM.
Senator Morgan Goes Over and Over the Canal
Question and Calls for Correspondence -
spooner Canal Act Attached to Panama
Treaty. as Concession to Him.


One of the features of the opening or
the extra session of the senate OF the
5Sth congress Thursday, was the ova-
ton given Senator Arthur L. Gormah
of MARYLAND, who returned to the SEN
ate after previous long service. MT;
German was Friday elected to his ola
position as chairman of the democratic
senatorial caucus. Mr.. Tillman re-
piled to Mr.. Cannon's speech in the
house Wednesday in which he charac-
terized Mr. Tillman's pushing through
of state SAT, 900 claim, as Legislative
blackmail." He gave the history OF
his claim, showed that it was just, said
that when the watchdog OF the treasury
shut his massive jaws down on the
claim, 81 simply shut my jaws down
on the proposition that | would nave
that money, or have an extra session.
and | was in a position, under the rules
of the senate, to force it," Senators
Hale, Allison and Teller spoke, sus,,
tanning Mr. Tillman in his position ana
denouncing the utterances of Mr.. Can
non.
The naval appropriation bill passed
last week carries total OF SSl, ,oOo.
1t provides for the construction OF three
battleships of 5000 tons each, to cost
s4.212, 600 each, and two of 1900 tons
each, to cost 100000 each, two steel
training ships and one wooden brig.
Discretion is also given the secretary
of the navy to contract for or purchase
subsurface or submarine torpedo boats
at an expense not exceeding SJOo,Ooo.
A substantial addition is also made to
the personnel. The cost of rebuilding
the naval academy is increased to $40,
coo, 600.
Representative Livingston, ranking
minority member of the appropriations
committee compares, IN statement,
the appropriations made by the ODD
congress, both branches of which were
controlled by the Democrats, amount
ing to $3.50, 239, 205, with the appropria-
tions of the 57th congress. aggregatlng
81. 554, los, 5l4, and comments on the
difference as affecting some OF the big
items. In conclusion, he says: Moth
ing short of revision of the tariff on
revenue basis and the administration
of the government under the wise and
prudent methods of the democratic
party can be looked to to bring about
a reduction in the national expendl-
lures exhibited by these figures in such
appalling proportions.
Mondays open session OF the senate
lasted only six minutes and no leglsla-
tive business was done. Senator Nor
gan offered, in the session of the for
eign relations committee, to consent TO
a vote on the Panama canal treaty at
o'clock on Saturday, provided the sen
ate would consent to allow him to print
such remarks as he wanted in the Con-
gressional Record, or as public docu-
mept. The committee refused this
offer, owing to previous utterances OF
Mr. Morgan rejecting severely on the
president of Colombia and its govern
ment. II the Colombian government
were offended, it might fail to ratify
the treaty. The committee agreed to
favorably report the Colombian canal
treaty to the senate.
Tuesday the senate agreed TO attach
| the Spooner canal act bodily to the Fan
anna canal treaty. This was conces-
sion to Senator Morgan, and made in
compliance with request presented
| by Senator Lodge after the necessity OF
| it had been discussed by Mr.. Morgan
! and other senate members. Senator
4 Morgan consumed the entire time OF
I the remainder of the closed session
discussing the canal question from va
rious points of view, going over much
ground he had already covered. lie
/ finally called for copies of the cores
pondence between the United States
Government and the new Panama canal
/ company bearing on the acceptance of
the option given by that company to
the United States to buy the canal for
! SIC. 600. GOO, and said be could not pro-
coed without them. The senate sent
/ to the secretary of state for them Sen
ator Morgan is said to have remarked
that he could talk on the Panama ca
nal treaty until the first of May. Sen
ator Morgan takes issue with the con-
illusions of Attorney General Knox as
to the validity of the title the canal
company can transfer, and contends
that no cession is valid unless an act
of cession be passed by the Colombian
congress, and then maintain that If the
I Colombian congress passes such an act
j Colombia must warrant the title
against all membranes, and that
otherwise il cannot be satisfactory.
The president nominated William
Plimley assistant U. s. treasurer at
| New York.
President pro tempore Frye called
/ attention Wednesday to the fact that
only such business as properly belongs
to matters under consideration IN eX-
ecutive session should be presented at
this extra session. Other business con-
fuses the record and would have to be
reintroduced at the regular session in
December. A resolution was offered
and referred to committee. authoriz-
ing the committee on rules to re-exam-
inc the rules of the senate with the
view to ascertaining what changes, If
any, are necessary and especially to
make inquiry whether it is expedient
to limit debate in the senate, and If so
to what extent. Decided progress was
made toward reaching an agreement
for vote on the Colombian canal
treaty. The vote will probably be TAX
en- Tuesday. Senator Frye, who is on
intimate terms with the Alabama SEN
ator, did much toward bringing the ar
rangement about. Senator Morgan ex-
acted consent to the printing in the
Congressional Record of the remarks
he has prepared, giving his best recol-
lection of the speeches he has made in
the executive sessions of the senate on
the treaty. The republican senators
consented in order to save time. Sen
ator Morgan continued his remarks in
opposition to the canal treaty, but
most of the time was given up to the
reading of documents by the clerk at
Mr.. Morgan's request. The Guatema-
Ian and Mexican extradition treaties
were ratified. The Cuban senate at
Havana "Wednesday ratified the rpci-