The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-13
BY PLAN OF BACON
IN PANAMA MATTER SENATORS
WERE STIRRED UP.
TO THE HAGUE, SAYS BACON,
WITH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
COLOMBIA AND UNITED STATES.


democrats Would Not Have 1t.
Debate ut Times Acrimonious.
Washington, Jan. 12.-For almost
fve hours to-day the Senate debated
the Panama question, and it was still
under consideration when the Senate
adjourned.
Inc discussion arose over a resolu
'loh looking to the arbitration of Co.
lombia's claims on account of the Pan
anna revolution. 1t was introduced
early in the day by Mr.. Bacon. and
was met promptly by a motion on the
part OF Mr.. Lodge to table ii. This
motion aroused the feeling of senators
on the Democratic side. who con strre1
II as intended to cut off debate, aud
SAID they would debate the Panama
question on some other resolution. If
not ON this. Finally Mr.. Lodge con-
scented to withhold his motion until to-
morrow.
Republican senators in their speerhes
referred to the resolution as a confess
sion OF wrong on the pant of the United
States, and expressed the opinion that
any agitation of that question at this
time would give undue encouragement
| to the people of Colombia, and misrep-
resent the attitude of this country.
Mr.. Bacon disavowed any such in
tention, and said that he accepted the
revolution as an accomplished fact. A
ready response to this announcement
came from Mr.. Hale and during the
course of the debate, he and Mr.. Ba-
con practically agreed on a declaration
which Mr.. Hale minated that he
would offer tomorrow i'm the Senate.
| Following is the full text of the teso-
luton introduced by Mr. Bacon:
! Resolved by the Senate, that the
President be respectfully informed
that the Senate favor and advise the
| negotiation, with a view to it's rati-
tication, of a treaty with the repub-
lie of Colombia, to the end that there
may be peacefully and satisfactorily
determined, and adjusted all differences
between the United States. and the Re-
public of Colombia growing out OF
| the recent revolution i'm Panama and
| the consequent secession of Panama
| from Colombia, and the alleged aid
and assistance by the land. and naval
| power of the United States in the sue
| cesful accomplishment of said revo-
luton and secession, through the al
| legged forcible prevention by said land
| or naval forces of the assertion and
| maintenance by Colombia of her soveA
reignty and authority In Panama,
and that full and complete compensa-
ton may be made by the United States
to the republic of Colombia for the
, loss of her sovereignty and property
rights in Panama, so far as the same
| may be shown to be due to any act
of the United States through the land
or naval forces of the same
Resolved, further that the Presi-
dent be respectfully informed that, IL
it should prove to be impracticable for
the United States and the republic of
| Colombia to agree through a conven-
! ton upon the question of the said al
legged responsibility on the part OF the
| United States, or upon the question of
! the amount of compensation to be made
when such responsibility shall be es-
| tablished, the Senate in that case favor
and advise the negotiation, with a view
to It's ratification, of a treaty with
the republic of Colombia submitting
to the permanent court OF arbitration
at The Hague, or to some other tribu-
nal to he agreed upon, for impartial
arbitrament and peaceful determina-
ton, all questions between the United
States, and the republic of Colombia,
growing out of the matters herein re-
cited"
Consideration for Colombia.
Mr.. Bacon, in support of his resolu-
ton, said he regarded the Panama sit
uation as critical. and had read "a
dispatch from former Consul Symthe.
stating that the Colombians are great
ly aroused and feel that the honor of
their country demands that they should
go to war. Mr.. Bacon expressed the
opinion that this country could reach
a peaceful solution by showing some
consideration for the people of Colom-
bia. He did not, he said desire to
invade the province of the President
of the United States, but he consid-
cred the Senate an advisory body. He
said he wanted it understood that he
did not speak as a partisan.
Mr.. Bacon moved the reference of the
resolution to the Committee on For
eign Relations, and Mr.. Lodge NOV
ed to lay the motion on the table
In doing so the Massachusetts, senator
took the position that agitation of the
question would be most injurious at
the present time; he said the President
is now, through the Secretary of State,
negotiating with Gen. Reyes concern
ing all the points at issue.
Mr.. Lodges motion to lay on the
table brought a number Of Democratic
senators to the floor, including Mr..
Bacon, Mr.. Teller and Mr.. Daniel.
Mr.. Daniel declared the motion to
be unreasonable, and Mr.. Teller said
it was unusual and extreme both say
ing that the motion to lay on the table
would cut off debate.
Mr.. Lodge then said he would tenn
pcrarily withhold his motion in order
to allow senators to speak. 70
Was 1t an Act of Warf
Mr. Foraker proceeded to discuss the
resolution and was asked by Mr.. Dam
iel II he did not consider that the
President had committed an act OF
war in preventing the troops OF Co
lombia, a friendly Power, from land
ing on the isthmus, to attack the
troops OF a rebellicus state. Mr.. Fora
ker replied that the President had not
given any such order. He said ma
rines had frequently been landed for
the purpose of preventing war.
War between whonn?" asked Mr..
Daniel, to which Mr.. Foraker replied:
WAR on the part Of anybody who
wants to fight"
Mr.. Daniel said that he considered
the issue 70 be whether the United
States had a right to interfere IN a
civil strife between the forces Of Co
lomhia and those Of one Of its own
.tataa Mr. Eofakor Commanded foe fhn