The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-02
CHANGED FRONT
OF DEMOCRATS
NO REAL. DISPOSITION TO DE-
FEAT PANAMA PACT.
President Would Be Able to Make
Terms Effective Anyhow--OnI Ef-
feet Would Be to Leave Colombian
Questions Unsettled Louisiana
Senator's Position-Not the only
Democrats Who Will Vote for
Treaty.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,

From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,
Washington.
Washington, Jan 2.-Notwitll-
standing a good deal Of talk in demo-
cratic circles, there appears to be no
real disposition to defeat the Panama
treaty. There was at one time feel
ing among democrats that the treaty
should be defeated, but some careful
study of the question in its several
phases has resulted in a change of
front of sufficient consequence to in-
sure ratification. This is now the opin-
ion of leading men in congress- in
both parties.
What would be the. result if the
treaty were defeated? It is the answer
to this question which has brought the
democratic leaders in congress to their
present position. Under the decisions
Of the supreme court, acts of congress
have the same force as treaties. Fol-
lowing the precedent established in the
Hawaiian case, the president, on the
failure of the pending treaty to be
| ratified, would ignore congress entire.
ly, continue his protection of the new
republic, and assist it Indirectly in
getting together some sort of legis-
lar to- those held by the American con-
gress. This body would at once pass
an act granting to the United States
the several things called for by the
treaty, and that act would become
operative upon it's acceptance by our
congress, by 4. majority vote. In this
way the president would get around
the senate and accomplish his pur-
pose.
This would leave the questions of
the claims of Colombia's foreign cred
ltors and her grievances unsettled,
without any advantage having been
gained, so far as either country is con-
I a NJ WI oh ho
democrats are now saying they do not
desire. For this reason it is now
claimed in high democratic quarters
/ that it would be very questionable, ex-
pediency to defeat the treaty, even if
there We're enough votes to do it,
which is very doubtful.
What Leader Williams Saws,
The position of John Sharp Will
lams the minority floor leader, may be-
understood by the remark which he
recently made on the floor of the
house. He said that treating an illegi-
innate child as a human entity and a
physical being was not expressing ap-
prevail of bastardy. Mr.. Williams
strOngly disapproves of the policy of
! the administration as to the new Pan
anna republic. but the republic is here,
altho illegitimately, AS he claims; and
the only thing to do is to treat it the
same as if it had come into being i'll
! the proper way. Besides which, to
ignore the new republic doesn't settle
the other questions, such as the finan-
cial claims of foreign governments,
| ETC., and he holds that it would now be
better@to. ratify the treaty after pro-
testing against the so-called ini-
Duties which have produced it, and
then to seek to secure a fair adjust
ment Of Colombia's numerous claims,
/ by an<act OF congress, than to UNDER
take to n1aV anO1iticSH -
This attitude is. typical of Mr. Will
Jams leadership. He is putting things
on higher plane than they have oc-
cupieds HITHERTO for years under his
predecessors, and evincing qualities of
mind which are very close to real
/! craftsmanship.
/ Several democratic senator's, among
4 them German, Daniels. and Pettis say
that the country cannot afford to com
promise with wrong, and that wrong
ought not to be perpetrated because
self interest suggests its preparation.
! This however, will not be the position
of a majority of the democrats in
either house. AS previously stated the
! democratic leaders now concede that
the treaty will be ratified. Ratifica-
! ton has, Of course, been made more
certain, independently of the matters
here referred to, because of the action
/ OF Louisiana in instructing it's senator's
to support the treaty. There are nine
| ty members of the senate, and sixty
constitute the two-thirds necessary.
There are fifty-seven republican sena-
tors, or within three of enough. 1t is
| not claimed that the two senator's from
/ Louisiana will be the only democrats
to vote for ratification.
w. w. Jermane.