The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-08

ministratiOn Legitimately in the
Panama Affair But Think 1t Only
Political Ruse-Keen Interest of
the Republicans In the Prospec-
tive Canal Very Sudden-Wnsh-
ingtOn News.
BY r. NJ. Larner.
Washington, Nov. 7.-Southeru Demo-
Gratis will sustain the administration
in a legitimate effort to defend the
rights and interests of the United
States at Panama. but some of the
ablest men in the Democratic party
claim that all this excitement over
Panama at this particular period is a
political trick on the part of the ad-
ministration to divert public attention
from the result of the recent election
in New York and other localities where
| Democratic success is recorded.
Representative Clayton of Alabama
voices the sentiments of a dozen South
ern representatives who discussed the
Panama question at the Riggs House,
| when he charged the administration
| with trying to rob the Democratic
party of the credit of being persistent
and consistent advocates of an 18TH
milan canal.
This is one of the Republican tricks
| of throwing dust in the eyes of the
| people who have become Indifferent
| about the canal and are giving thought
! to the coming presidential election.
| The Democrats have always been in
| favor of an isthmian canal and the
! Republican leaders have opposed it.
Now, when the country has become
Indifferent as to whether or not the
canal is built, the Republicans get
up row between Panama and Colom-
bia and send our warships down to
| Panama to give aid and comfort to
| the promoters of the rebellion.
The prospect of a fight makes more
interesting reading in the newspapers
| than post mortems over the recent
elections, hence it is part of the Re-
| publican game to work up all the eX-
element they can over the prObabili-
ty of a war between the United States
and Colombia, and in the meantime
| comments on the late election are
either ignored in the newspapers or
relegated to the back pages in limited
| space.
1T is evident to the average firm
minded men that all this excitement
at Panama has been cooked up by the
administration for political effect. The
Democratic party is just as ready as
Republicans to defend the honor of
the United States against any foreign
foe.'
For House Positions.
Two Georgians figured prominently in
the elections by the Democratic House
caucus this afternoon. Hon. A. j.
Julian of Forsyth county, former mem
Der of the state Senate, was nominat-
ed by the caucus for chief doorkeeper,
al
most important office of the House. His
name was presented to the caucus by
Hon. Carter Tate, in whose district he
! resides. He was given hearty support
| by all the Georgians, and he was made
] the nominee of the caucus. This ac-
| ton was in the nature of a handsome
tribute to the strength and popularity
/ of Representative Tate by his associ-
ates in the House.
| While the Republicans control the or
I ganization, and this nomination does
not, therefore, bring election, it puts
Mr.. Julian to the fore as the almost
certain winner should the Democrats
control the next Congress.
The other Georgian who figures in
| the election is Fulton Knight of Cedar
town, who was paid the handsome COM
plment of unanimous nomination for
! special messenger on the minority side.
| The majority always accords to the
| minority the selection of several en-
ployes, and Mr.. Knight has served in
/ this capacity for three Congresses. The
| position is one much sought after, and
there is usually a hard contest for it
in the caucus, but so efficient and pop
ular has Mr.. Knight proved himself,
| that this time, on motion of Judge
Maddox, he was given the substantial
compliment of unanimous nomination.
This insure his election, when the
| mia Wit
! opposition.
Protest of Missionaries.
Representative Livingston was at the
! White House to-day at the head of a
| committee representing the Southern
| Presbyterian Church, whose purpose
| was to present to the President a me-
mortal against the treatment of Ameri-
can missionaries by the government of
the Congo Free State in Aerica. Hon.
| Harry st. George Tucker, former mem
! Der of Congress and now dean of the
| law school of Columbian University,
| and Dr. w. H. Morrison, were the other
members of the committee.
! DR.. Morrison is a missionary who has
! served in the Congo country and is
| familiar with conditions there which
| he pictures as being very bad indeed.
| The chief complaint is against the
| King of the Belgians, who Is the head
| of the Congo government, and the Bel
CLANS who are his representatives
| there. The British government recent
| ly took up the cause of the mission
aries and some very lively correspond
| ence has been passing between the
! British Foreign Office and the Belgian
/ government in consequence. The de-
sire of those familiar with conditions
is to interest this government in the
| same way.
/ The matter was brought up before
! the Southern Presbyterian Church at
its general conference, and this COM
mittee was named to present the COM
plant to President Roosevelt.
| 1t is not clear what this
government can do, as the
United States were not party to
| the treaty under which the present
| Congo government is organized and
| it's independence guaranteed, but Col.
Livingston says the committee hopes
this government may find some way
to give expression to it's sympathy with
| the missionaries and others whose
rights are not protected under the pres
ent government.
Where GeorgianS Stop.
All of the members Of the Georgia
House delegation were on hand when
| the Democratic caucus was called to
order in the hall of the House at
o'clock to-day. Some Of them did not
reach the city until about IL o'clock
but they all got to the Capitol in time
to take part in the organization and
greet the new minority leader.
Col ana Mrs. Lester have taken
apartments at the Cairo. Col. Liv-
ingston is again in the Madison ave