Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-27
MR.. MORGAN'S FIGHT
REPUBLICANS BELIEVE 1T rs BE-
ING CARRIED TO AN EXTREME.

The fight being made on the Panama
canal treaty by Senator Morgan is being
carried to an extreme that is causing re-
publican senators to wonder what can be
done in order to bring about condition in
the Senate that will avoid the taking up of
so much time in discussions of the treaty
In the Senate when it is believed by them
that such discussions can have no possible
effect upon what is to be done at Panama
except to delay operations. The republic
cans are extremely anxious that work shall
be begun at Panama. They want to begin
operations there at as early a day as pos
sible.
Today Senator Morgan made another
move which republicans of the Senate re-
gard as unwarranted and as leading only
to delay. The committee on foreign affairs
met today and took action which in effect
withdraws the amendments to the treaty
which had been reported favorably to the
Senate in executive session. This action
was taken in view of representations from
the State Department, the Secretary of
State acting largely in response to COM
munication. dated January %, which had
been received from Minister Buchanan at
Panama.
Meeting of the Committee.
All the republican members of the COM
mittee on foreign relations were present
at the meeting this morning, and Senators
Morgan and McCreary of the democratic
side were there. The principal business
before the meeting was the consideration
of the proposition to withdraw the COM
mittee amendments. These amendments at
the time they were adopted were not re-
garded as absolutely essential, although it
was believed that the treaty would be i'm
proved by them.
They gave to the United States more con-
troll OF the two harborS at the termini of
the canal and also authority in looking
after the sanitation of Colon and Panama.
AT the time members of the commit zee be-
Heyed that this added authority could be
obtained in supplemental treaty They
are quite well convinced that however per-
feet the treaty is made within a year Ut
two at the farthest it will be necessary to
have additional treaty negotiations with
Panama, SO that matters that need atten-
ton can be looked after in that way.
Having adopted these amendments to the
treaty which have been submitted to the
Senate only in executive session and have
not been published, the committee received
word from the Secretary of State that Min
lister buchanan believed that 1t would be
tnjudicious to amend the treaty 1t is under
stood that the letter from MIR. Buchanan
states that conditions on the isthmus are
such that II the treaty is placed before
the authorities there at this time it will
doubleday give rise to extended debate.
There IS 4lso a possibility that PROPOSE
lions will then be m de to further amend
the treaty In such w " that possibly the
Onlteu states senate mig ut not regard with
favor The chef Importance of all of this
Is that 1t will cause delay. and the delay
might be six or eight months at Panama,
and when the treaty would come back here
there would be still her delay In it's
ratification. provided Panama had not ac-
cepted the treaty exactly as it was sent
there by the United Sac Senate. All that
means that IL would probably not be posi-
BILE to get to work on the canal for over a
year.
l: is well known that delay In continuing
construction at Panama means expense
because of added depreciation of the work
ali eady done there.
But that Is not even the chief objection
TO delay. The republicans in the Senate
are very earnest in wishing to actually
open water communication across Panama,
and they want to do ii as soon as possible.
The canal problem to the practical men of
the Senate is now a business proposition
Its chief elements lie In executing the work
OF construction
All of the debate on that subject is re-
garded as academic and leading to no I'M
portant result.
Minister Buchanan's Letter.
The letter of January % sent by Mr..
Buchanan to Secretary Hay was read to the
committee this morning in the presence of
all the members who attended the meeting
1t is understood that Senator Morgan even
made notes concerning the exact language
In that letter.
oeCduSe OF lHeSe IactS many republican
senators expressed great annoyance that
Senator Morgans resolution should have
been offered in the Senate calling upon the
Secretary of State to send that communica-
ton to the Senate because they regarded 1t
as giving an intimation to the country at
large to the effect that information was
being kept back. They consider that this
resolution indicates that Senator Morgan
himself had to take that course in order
to obtain knowledge as to what Is trans
piring between the United States officials
here and at Panama.
Their explanation. however, for Mr. Nor
san's move Is that he wishes to make Min
lister Buchanan's letter public and to make
it the basis of a speech against the canal
Mr.. Morgan's resolution will probably be
the subject for discussion later in the
Senate.