Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-20
18TH CONGRESS.
Senate Sends Postoffice In
vestigation TO Committee.
Quarles Supports and Patterson C,iti-
zes Presidents Panama Course.
House Is Now Considering Hepburn
Pure Food Bill.

mittec on post offices the various reSo-
lutions looking to an investigation of
the post office department. The ques-
ton had been previously debated for
hours at Il time, but. today, no senator
manifested any disposition to discuss
ii further. ard it was adopted without
Il negative VCtc.
After the passage of 4 half dozen
ton of the Panama question. Quarles
spoke for almost two hours in support
OF tho course OF the administration and
was followed by Patterson, who criti-
ciZcd the Presidents course in Pan
ANA. Patterson was subjected to many
Interruptions and had not concluded
when the Senate adjourned.
Tho Panama treaty, as amended by
the committee on foreign relations. wa:;
read i'll executive session of tine Sen
ate. Debate on the treaty will begin,
tomorrow.
Tie Senate began its session by
passing a bill providing for the pay
ment Of Il claim of the State OF Yer
mont.
The Senate took up and adopted the
motion of Lodge to refer the post
office department investigation rcsolu-
ton to the committee on post Offices
The action was taken without further
debate.
The German Panama resolution was
lai;! before the Senate and QuaTics
took the floor. He'contendcd that up to
the time of the recognition Of the in
dependence OF Panama, the United
States had done nothing beyond send
ing out warships to harbors OF Panama
and Colon.
Quarles also contcnded that when
the United States extended its recogni-
ton TIM. Panama government had the
support Of the entire population Of the
isthnus. He defended the President
against charge Of undue haste and
against the charge that he had been
1creiict in his duty in failing to open
the way under the SpOCner act to the
construction OF the Nicaguran canal
when he did not succeed in his neSo-
tiatiGns with Colombia for q canal ut
Panama. He said on the latter point
that there was no intervening time be-
tween tee failure in Bcgota and the
corvening of the American Congress.
Discussing the treaty Of 1876, Quaric.s
argued that it guaranteed a right of way
to the United States across the isthmus
Whenever this country might desire 10
avail itself of the privilege. He COW
tended that the grant applies to all meth
| DDS of transit
Quarles controvertcd the theory that the
treaty binds the United States to protect
Colombia against civil strife within her
own lorlcrs saying that Colombia il
cortcnding for nothing less and that some
Democrats had shown I disposition to
Weld the point.
In response to question from Fulton,
QuarlcS said II necessarily follows that
the obligations of the treaty remain I'M
| impaired. but ere transferred from Co
| lomha to Panama. We are bound to
Panama to protect that country even
against Colombia, which is now foreign
, power.
; Ouarles declared the revolt of Panama
| in tho interest of the canal to be the
first movement on the isthmus for the
| promotion of the rights of civilization for
the past 100 years. He announced his adj
vocacy of II sea level canal.
| Pattison opposed the canal treaty. lie
| took the President to task for his rletE..
I
that the secession of Panama from Co
lonbia is as atrocious n crime as would
he the rebellion of Wisconsin from the
United States.
Patterson charged Spooner with having
| abandoned his previous position regarding
| the right Of the United States to inter-
, fcre in Colomba's affairs in Panama, but
Spoorer cOntended that his position now
was the same as at the beginning.
The controversy between Patterson and
Spooncr was extended and involved many
| minute points of difference. They stood
close together in the main aisle of the
| Senate talking freely to each other with
| the utmost good will. Pettus made the
point of order that conversations did not
accord with the rules Of the Senate. The
Chair raped for order and Spooner. re-
spending, said the senator from Alabama.
was; entirely right
Not 10 minutes aftcrward. however. the
two senators were again standing togcth-
or in the aisle. The new discussion was
on tie point rs to the extent to which
tho President was responsible for Assist
ant Secretary Darlin;,'s order TO the com
mander of the Nashville directing him to
prevent the landing of Colombian troops
on the isthmus Of Panama Spooncr con-
tended that the President was not ncccs-
(Contin11nd on mage ol