Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-12
Senator Bacon Proposes !
Treaty With Colombia.
REPUBLICANS AROUSED
RESOLUTION WOULD PUT ADMIN
IsTRATIoN IN THE WRONG.
Senator Lodge Denies That This Gov
eminent Has Made War OF Has Act
ed Contrary to Convention Of 1s46.

Senate adopted a joint resolution intro
duced by Mr.. Fairbanks authorizing the
erection of statue to hthe late president
BENJAMIN Harrison south of the new post
Office building in Indianapolis. The statue
is to be on land owned by the government
and is to be erected by the Benjamin Har-
rison Memorial Association
The Senate also agreed to a resolution
providing for the reappointment OF Johh
B. Henderson and Alexander Graham Ben
of Washington, D. c., as regents OF the
Smithsonian Institution.
Mr. Bacon introduced a resolution author
izing the President to negotiate a treaty
with Colombia looking to an amicabie an.
justment of the differences growing out Oh
the secession of Panama. he gave NOTICE
OF his intention to move to reTer the fesotu-
ton to the committee on foreign relatlohs,
but before doing so addressed the Senate
on the subject
Mr.. Bacon's Resolution
Following Is the full text of the resoiu-
ton:
Resolved by the Senate, That the Presi--
dent be respectfully informed that the Sch
ate favors and advises the negotiation with
a. view to its ratification of treaty with
the republic of Colombia, to the end that
there may be peacefully and satisfactorily
determined and adjusted all differences De-
Colombia growing out of the recent revolu-
ton In 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 success
full accomplishment of said revolution ana
secession, through the alleged forclble pre-
vention by said land or naval forces of the
assertion and maintenance by Columbia or
her sovereignty and authority in Panama:
and that full and complete compensation
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 Presdent
be respectfully informed that If 1t should
prove to be impracticable for the United
States and the republic of Colombia 10
agree through convention upon the ques-
ton of the said alleged responsibility ON
the part of the United States. or upon the
question of the amount of compensation 10
be made when such responsibility shall be
established. the Senate IN that case favors
and advises the negotiation, with view TO
it's ratification. of treaty with the repup-
lie of Colombia, submitting to the perma-
nent court of arbitration at The Hague OF
to some other tribunal to be agreed upon,
for impartial arbitrament and peace1ui ue-
termination, all questions between the
United States and the republic of Colombia
growing out of the matters herein recited.
He said he regarded the situation as crit
teal and mad rGaQ q OlSpdtCU lIOui IOi HASi
Consul Smythe. stating that the Colom-
bians are greatly 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 consid-
Grafton for the people OF Colombia. he dfd
not. he said, desire to invade the province
of the President of the United States, but
he considered the Senate as an advisory
body He said he wanted it understood
that he did not speak as a partisan
MI. Lodge Moves to Table. =
He moved the reference of the resolution
to the committee on foreign relations, and
Mr.. Lodge moved to lay the motion ON the
table In doing so the Massa chusetts SEN
ator took the position that agitation OF
the question would be most injurious at the
present time because, he said the President
is now, through the Secretary of State, ne
gotiating with Gen. Reyes concerning all
the points at issue. He contended that we
could not know the status Of that nego-
tiation or how delicate the situation may
be- and he added. "I- am convinced that
| for the Senate to come in now with reso-
luton distinctly In the interest OF Colom-
bia would he most harmful
Indeed" he continued, 4 consider 1t
most init ricus to at this time even discuss
the question, because nothing ID more cal
cuIated to bring on a conflict at arms"
Mr.. Lodges motion to lay on the table
bI ought a number of democratic senators
to the floor, including Mr.. Bacon Mr.. Tel
Ter and Mr.. Daniel Mr.. Daniel declared
the motion 10 be unreasonable, and Mr..
Teller said it was unusual and extreme,
both saying that tie motion to lay on the
table would cut off debate.
Mr.. Ledge then said he would temporarily
withhold his motion in order to allow
senator's to sneak.
! Mr.. Teller expressed the opinion that the
resolution should have gone to the com
mittee, and said that when Mr.. Bacon
made motion for such disposal of it Mr..
Lodge should have been satisfied. He did
not think il courteous to attempt to dis
miss the matter IN so summary manner.
and this the first time that he had ever
known of similar attempt in connection
with so important a matter.
Mr.. Foraker referred to the telegram
from former Consul Smythe, and said he
| had taken the pains to make an investi-
CATION. and had found that Mr.. Smythe had
been appointed consul to Cartagena dur
ing the Cleveland administration and that
he was even then a resirent of Cartagena.
Mr.. Foraker Discusses Resolution.
He then proceeded to discuss the resolu-
ton. saying that it proceeded on the theory
that the government of the United States
had been wrong in what it has done in
CONNECTION with the establishment of the
republic of Panama 1t also, he said, pro-
ceeded on the theory that we were without
adequate information as to what had been
done on the isthmus, whereas the President
! had furnished complete history of all
! that had TRANSFERRED He had yet to hear of
| any one saying that the Presidents state
nient had not been full and complete
Mr. Daniel asked Mr.. Foraker IL he did
| not consider that the President had COM
| mitted an act of war In preventing the
| troops Of Colombia. friendly power from
| landing on the fsthmus to attack the
| troops of a rebellious state
| Mr.. Foraker replied that the President had
| not given any such order and he cof1tended
| that the President had done only that
| which had been done by former admins
| trations to protect transit across the 18TH
mus. He said marines had frequently been
landed for that purpose and for the pur-
| pose OF preventing war.
| War between whom" asked Mr.. Daniel,
to which Mr. Foraker responded: war on
! the part OF anybody who wants to fght"
Mr. Daniel said that he considered the
| issue at stake to be whether the United
States had right to interfere In civil
strife between the forces Of Colombia and
| those OF one OF its own states
! Mr.. Foraker commended for the right of
| the United States to prevent any conflict
which would interfere with the free and
uninterrupted transit across the isthmus
\ and he declared again that aur N, ri,, a.,