The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-02
SPIRITED DISCUSSION
IN THE LOWER HOUSE ON
PANAMA AND POLITICS
Grosvenor Says the Presidents
Policy Is the Brightest Star in
His Pathway.
TILT WITH MR.. THAYER
Latter Objects to What Was Done
on the Isthmus-Hepburn
ArOuseS Minority.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The proceedings
in the House to-day were enlivened by a
spirited discussion of the Panama ques-
ton. Mr.. Thayer (Dem.), OF Massachu-
sets, declared the course of the govern
ment in Panama TO have been contrary
to the provisions of the treaty with New
Granada. Mr. Grosvenor, Of Ohio made
vigorous defense of the administration. and
said the brightest star that shines in the
pathway of the candidate of the Repub-
lican party is his course in the Panama
canal question. He advised the Democrats
to keep away from Panama as an issue.
IF the United States was guilty OF viola
ton of international law" said Mr.. Grosve-
nor, ''it was that violation, and that alone
that made any republic or government or
combination, whatever il may be called,
possible in the Isthmus of Panama. There
fore. point out to the gentleman from
Massachusetts that while he condemns the
United States in unmeaSured terms OF bit
terness and makes insinuations against the
PRESIDENT of character to which do not
wish TO refer. the great nations of the
world are also receivers of these stolen
goods. England, France, Germany, Russia.
Holland-all the nations, all the great pow
erS or the world, with every South Ameri-
can republic. have come in and Endorsed
the action of the United States government
by the ratification, as 1T were, of their rec
ognitlon of this new republic"
Mr. Grosvenor declared that nnety-nine
out of every 100 people in the United States
OF America except mugwumps of Mas
| AMI enthusiastically in approval of the
course taken by the President of the
United States in the matter of the
Panama canal, and said that If the Presi-
dent had not done just what he did do the
minority would be resounding to-day with
| the abuse of the President as being unfit
to represent great nation upon great
| question"
Mr.. Thayer asked Mr.. Grosvenor what
newspaper of any standing justified the
PRESIDENT in his course in recognizing Pan
anna in the way he did.
Mr.. Grosvenor asked what newspaper con-
dennis it,
Mr.. Thayer said he would refer the gen.
| tleman to the statement made by the pro-
fessors of Yale College.
"Oh, my God" said Mr.. Grosvenor, amid
laughter hn gh9 t subsequently Mr.. Grosyenor said
| OF Yale College strongly Endorsed the Pres
| idents conduct.
Then what are you ridculing them for?"
| Democratic side"
STAR IN HIS CROWN
Mr.. Grosvenor insisted that he did not
ridicule them and then said 81 believe
| that Theodore Roosevelt placed a star in
| the crown of his administration brighter
| than it had been the good fortune of any
American President in the last thirty years
| TO have established. / believe il will go
| down to the last generation OF our coun-
| try's history as an administration of what
one man or one administration can do to
J redeem the character of the Nation from
| the possibility of the charge of imbecility
and lack of courage In an hour of extreme
peril and excitement l believe that If the
| gentleman will put his ear to the ground
| just now and listen to the sounds that are
| coming from all over the United States he
| will hear sound of Endorsement of Theo-
| dore Roosevelt in this particular matter of
| the Panama matter that will unsettle his
| views as to the future possibility of Demo-
cratic victory in the common election for
| President. You Democrats are in a posi-
| ton now, If you will call off a few more
| leaders and get rid of them, to give us a
whole lot of trouble in the coming summer
/ and fall. But do not come to with an
| Endorsement of any mans speech, whether
| representative or a senator, that under
takes TO condemn the United States in it's
| action in the matter of the Panama canal
If you do there will not be enough left of
| you In November to make a respectable
| funeral procession. The brightest star in
| the galaxy that to-day shines upon the
pathway of the candidate of the Republic
question:
Mr.. Grosvenor spoke of Secretary Hay
| as the man than whom we have had no
| better or more clear headed secretary of
state within the memory of living men. "
| [Applause.] He declared the Colombian
| government had attempted to Jockey with
us and force the payment of a larger sum
of money! adding: There is a power, and
| 1t is moving in this civilized world, greater
| than the little contemplate spirit of the
| Colombian Senate, which says that ca
| nal shall be built, and woe to the politician
| or the newspaper man or the college pro-
| fessor that gets in the way of this mighty
movement of a mighty people TO do a
mighty thirg.
While bill proposing relief to an individ-
ual from the operations of the act restrict
ing ownership of lands in the territories
| and the District OF Columbia to American
| citizens under consideration, Mr. Hep
burn asked the minority If they had
! changed front on this question and why
| they were now willing TO support exemp-
tons from the operations of that act in
| view of the attitude they assumed at the
| time of its enactment. Mr.. Bartlett asked
! Mr.. Hepburn if the legislation in question
was not passed when they had the Cleve-
| land brand of Democracy rather than the
| Bryan brand, as Mr.. Hepburn had suggest
| ed whereupon Mr. Hepburn advised the
| Democrats to return TO the Cleveland
| brand.
| A bill was passed providing a naval office
i'm the collection district of Indiana and
| Illinois