Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Power in Panama Vested by
the Spooner Act.
MANY SENATORS CALL
SHAFROTH SAYS NO LAND
FRAUDS OF CONSEQUENCE.
Greek Indians Visit the President
With Senator Quay-Delgado Graf
ton Gets No Pardon.

President Roosevelt embraced the oppor-
tunity afforded by calls upon him today OF
large representation of both the Senate
and the House OF Representatives to discuss
with members of both the majority and the
minority the situati which has arisen out
of the establishment of the republic of
Panama. The nature of the action, if any.
to be taken by Congress during the APP
preaching session on the Panama canal
question has not been determined definitely,
but it is known that it is constantly the
subject of conferences between the Presi-
dent and members of Congress.
A difference of opinion has been developed
regarding the authority conferred by the
Spooner act upon the President. Senator
Hanna, when the question was put to him
whether that act contained sufficient au-
thority to warrant the President in ne
gotfating a canal treaty with the new re-
public OF Panama without additional legis-
latfon, replied that, personally, he was of
opinion that it did. but that that might be
a question for lawyers to answer
Position of the President.
1t is known that the administration holds
that. the Spooner act furnishes ample war
rant for the President to negotiate treaty
with Panama and to pay the money made
available by the law for canal purposes to
Panama instead of to Colombia.
That the President did not think of To-
menting trouble in Panama is shown in the
following private letter he wrote to DIR.
Albert Shaw October 10:
Il think 1t might interest you to know
that there was absolutely not the slightest
chance of securing by treaty with Colom-
bia) any more than we endeavored to Sc
cure The alternatives We're to go to Mic
aragua. against the advice of the great
majority of competent engineers-Some of
the most competent saying that we had
better have no canal at all than to go there
or else to take the territory by force
without any attempt at getting treaty.
L cast aside the proposition made at this
time to foment the secession of Panama.
Whatever other governments can do the
United States cannot go into the business
of securing the results which it desires by
such underhand means"
Want Summers Displaced.
The President had call today from SEN
ator Dietrich, Representative Kinkaid R.
Z. Schneider republican national commit
teeman. and Editor Rosewater, all from
Nebraska, and all opposed to the retention
in office of Williamson s. Summers, United
States attorney for Nebraska. Senators
Dietrich and Mallard have been unable 70
agree for more than year upon man for
United States attorney. with the conse
quence that Summers has continued to hold
the position
Senator Willard has been favorable to the
retention OF Mr.. Summers, while Senator
Dietrich has desired the appointment of
Harry Lindsay. prominent lawyer ~
Fawnee City. and chairman of the repub-
hcan state committee. The failure to agree
prevented any new appointment beng
made. The two senators still differ on the
matter but a fight on Summers has been
started by Editor Rosewater, who has no
candidate. but insists that Summers is not
ktr,1 nf fNr -, ~
holds. The President heard the remon-
strances of his callers today but is said to
have reached no decision. The fight against
summers is to be taken to the Department
of Justice.
Hanna's New Dignity.
Senator Hanna of Ohio had long con-
ference with the President today. remain
ing more than an hour Although admit
ting that the Panama situation had been
under discussion, he declined to enter into
particulars. He was asked if the question
of his acceptance of the craftsmanship of the
republican national committee for another
term had been under consideration. He
laughed as he replied that that question
seemed to be a part of the stock in trade
of newspapers, but would not commit HIM
self.
The Senate committee on committees has
decided that Senator Hanna shall succeed
Senator Morgan of Alabama as chairman
of the committee on interoceanic canals
Senator Morgan has been the chairman Of
the committee ever since It's creation and
has prepared more matter relating to an
fsthmian canal than any other half dozen
men in Congress, and although held in high
regard by his colleagues on both sides of
the Senate. the change in the chairmanshin
of the committee now decided upon is re-
garded by the majority as necessary. and
that 1t In no respect reflects upon the SEN
ator from Alabama
Opposed to Repeal Of Land Laws.
Representative Shafroth the only demo.
crat elected to the House from Colorado
last year, called on the President this
morning to talk with him about the land
laws.
Il am opposed to any repeal of existing
Land laws said Mr.. Shafroth. such a re-
peal would be great detriment to the de-
velopment of the west. There are no
frauds OF consequence in my state and
there has been none for years, so far as
know. Occasional frauds cannot be pre-
vented, any more than in any other part Of
the government or private business / know
or millions of acres of lands that were
bought by individuals and abandoned or
SOLD TO corporations because of the lack of
water If there were any frauds in these
cases they were committed by the govern
ment In selling lands unfit for anything to
individuals at prices far above their worth
These lands afterward passed into the
hands of companies. and that accounts in a