Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-03-20

at an agreement 10 take q vote On tho
Panama canal treaty on Tuesday.
March 18th.
Several senators who have talked
with the President believe It to be un-
likely that an extraordinary session
swill be called next autumn. They say
many reasons might be cited why such
a session should not be held. the prin-
cipal one being that some important
state elections are to be held In No
vember and members Of Congress will
be busy with political AFFAIRS In their
own states. They point out that on the
eve of a presidential campaign II II
highly important that every effort bs
made. especially In the doubtful states.
to maintain the strength OF the party
organizations. In such circumstances
IL is said 1t would be possible only with
difficulty to maintain quorum at each
branch Of the extra session. u the ses-
sion were not called until November.
they say II would be so close to the
regular session as to render II practtc-
ally unnecessary.
Discussing the efforts OF the Panama
Canal Company to secure an extension
of its concession. Senator Morgan said
this was accomplished In 1900 for tho
purpose Of unloading the enterprise on
the United States. "The company" he
said. bought from the president OF CO.
iombia for 100000 francs. in French
coin, to be paid In Paris. u prolonga-
ton OF the extension for six years from
October Il. 1904. This proposed agree
ment was laid before the Congress OF
Colombia and was rejected. The con-
stitution and laws OF Colombia re-
quired that such contracts should be
confirmed by Congress. but the prcsi-
dent OF Colombia. In direct violation OF
both the laws and the constitution.
signed the contract and received the
81 .000. 900 In gold from the New Pnna-
ma Canal Company. The House OF Rep
rcscnintiycs thcrcupon voted that the
ofiicc Of president Of Colombia was
vacant and dissolved
Alexander Mcdowell. clerk OF the
House OF Representatives. has made
public nn ofilciai compilation made by
Tally Clerk Wakefield. shown. tho
work done by the House during tho
sifty.scycnth Congress. II shows that
the longest day o: the session lasted.
with rcccsscs. IA hours. during which
SO roll calls were taken. The number
Of bills and resolutions introduced In
tho House during the two sessions OF
the Congress was 1890. and reports
were made on ?.sio bills and rcsoiu.
tions. The Senate sent to the House
1850 Senate bills and resolutions. The
House disposed Of :.ti3 OF the meas.
urcs originating with Il. and OF i.ol:
OF the Senate bills and resolutions.
making total OF 5.t3o bills and rcso.
lutions acted on. conkrcss left on It's
calendars i05 House and lis Senate
bills and resolutions. Fifteen Of the
members OF the House died during the
Rhca tkcntncky) and Butler mis-.
sourD were unxcatcd. the latter twice.
Tho Democratic senatorial caucus
met March 9Th and elected Senator Ar
thur Puc German TO his old position as
chairman OF the caucus. The steering
committee for the past conxrsss has
numbered only seven members. but
Senator German requested that tho
number should be Increased to nine.
which was the number In the days OF
his previous ehairmanship and this In
crcaxc was decided upon. The com.
mittcc was named and consists OF Sen.
ators German Of Maryland. Cockrcii Of
Missouri. Martin OF virginia. Bacon OF
Georgia. Dubois OF Idaho. Money or
Mississippi. Bailey OF Texas. Black.
burn Of Kentucky and Tillman OF
South Carolina. The new members on
the committee are Mcsars. German.
Blackburn and Tiilman. The commit.
tee is empowered TO negotiate with tho
Republican steering committee with a
view to aErt cinx on general rcorEnni.
xation. but SO far as there was express.
sion OF opinion on this point. Il was
favorable to the view OF leaving the
question of reorganization on general
lines to be determined by the Rcpubii.
cans. M they are In power. There is
no doubt. however. that the Demo.
cratic steering committee wi,l insist
upon having some OF the committees
allied. for the reason that the Demo.
cratic party has lost quite heavily in
somc OF the committees which arc In
control OF present business.
Al the meeting OF the Senate com.
mittec on foreign relations on the 18th
inst. amendments made to tho Cuban
treaty by the committee ut the last
session OF Congress were removed and
wcrc accepted without discussion.
Ono of these provides for n reduction
of 10 per cent. In the tariff on Amcri.
can cattle shipped into Cuba, and the
other is n provision prohibiting in cS-
piicit terms fourth reduction of more
than 20 per cent. in the duty on Cuban
sugar shipped into the United States
hiro t'uuN'ltuN
rates on sugar coming into the United
States from other countries. The
amcndmen, providing for the submis-
sion of the Cuban treaty TO the House
was offered by Senator Bacon. At the
last session of Congress the commit
tee refused to attach II to the treaty.
but when 1t was presented on the 18th
inst. II was accepted after little de-
bate. The principal reason for its ac-
ccptance was that members of the
House have urged In strong terms the
constitutional right of that body to
pass on all reciprocity treaties. be-
cause of their effect on the revenues.
Senator Bacon strongly supported this
view. but other members OF the com.
mittee thought that the action of the
House was not necessary to render the
treaty OF binding effect. They, how
ever generally concurred in the opin-
ion that the incorporation of the
amendment could do no injury and
that 1t would aid in maintaining ami
cable relations with the House. No
formal vote was taken upon the
amendment, 1t being accepted by
unanimous consent. Senator Bacon
u