Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-03-20
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON LETTER
(From our Regular Correspondent
, Washington, March IS The demo
Gratis ia the Senate have been serious
ly mlsrepresented with regard to thei
!, attitude toward the panama canal.
said Senator Arthur P. German. tb
democratic leader, when asked to max
statement by your correspondent
1.-The democrats" he continued "hol,
the view that an important treaty O
this character should not be treated a.
party measure. 1t should be copsid
cred and projected according to the bes
Judgment of the Senate. A maiorit,
III Congress, without regard to party
fav0rs the construction of an istbmiar
Canal as is demonstrated by the fact
that the act authorizing such a cana
received almost unanimous supper,
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 tha act of Con.
gress under which it was negotiated
and to safeguard the interests of the
United States. Article % 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 so YER
eighty. These fact have been pres
ented to the republican leaders and
some of them appreciate the force of
the democratic contentious. What
their course will be l am not prepared
to predict
just after Mr.. German made the
above statement, the republican steer
Ing committee held meeting to con
slider the program for the remainder
of the special session and determined
to ratify, if possible, the Panama
canal treaty as it stands. They fur
ther decided to accept the amendment
offered by Senator Bacon in the com.
mittee on Foreign Relations, and adopt
ed by that committee. which provides
that the Cuban treaty shall not 90 into
effect until it has been approved by
the Congress- An agreement has
been reached between the leaders of
both parties to read the Canal treaty.
today for amendment, all speeches be-
ing limited to fifteen minutes dura.
ton, and to permit two hours debate.
followed by a vote tomorrow. The
Cuban treaty will then be taken up
in earnest and, as amended, will be
ratified and adjournment taken imme- |
dlately afterwards. 1t is deemed prob |
able that the special session will ad.
ourn the latter part of this week. al
though no definite decision has been
reached.
The President does not hesitate to
Jay that he regrets the adoption of the
Bacon amendment to the Cuban treaty
md be has threatened to call both
Houses of Congress in special session
% pass the legislation necessary to put
ne terms of the treaty into effect.
such course would meet with no op-
osltlon from the majority of the demo-
rats whose only object in securing the
doptlon OF the amendment was to
void violation of the constitution.
ut the republican leaders, many of l
nom are secretly opposed to any fern .
reciprocity because they fear it '
leans the beginning of the end of the r
rotective system, express themselves t
emphatically opposed to an extra Q
sslon before election and it is prob f
ole that Mr.. Roosevelt will give heed t
their wishes and, if be calls an extra I
ss1on at all, refrain from so doing "
ntll next November. He asserts now p
at he will certainly do so then if not r
,fore. B
senator Aldrich is believed TO be y
eparlng to urge his financial bill. ly
lth some notifications, next winter. a.
Q has obtained the consent of the .
nate to call bis committee in session
lrlng the recess, as it is known that
does not contemplate any tariff re- az
slon' it is believed his purpose is to IL
anne some sort of currency legisla- Il
IN. 1t is generally conceded that the q,
'wler currency bill, even if it passes ia
House, will be rejected by the 70
nate. The upper chamber, at least ri
so far as the majority is concerned. ~
analterably opposed to any form of is
currency. which is what the Fowler w
Is provides for. An extension of OF
banking system of currency along ; Te'
es agreeable to the national bankers in
y be expected from the Aldrich CO
nmlttee and doubtless a serious eff.
to accomplish such enactment next VI
sion will be made. -