St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-01-20


Meeting The Civil Service Hill -
Clerks, tfme Iengthened-Notes of I'm
feress.
[From our regular correspondent
Someone remarked that there is a great
deal of history being made in congress
and outside this winter It is well under
stood that many of the speeches made
will furnish material for politicians to
use in the next presidential campaign.
The Presidents strong, clear message,
giving full account of the reasons for
the recognition of the Republic of Pana-
ma, and the favorable decision for the
Panama canal, followed by the able
address of Senator Lodge in the senate,
afforded much satisfaction to the repub-
ljcans. It is very interesting now to
follow the various senator's on both sides
of the chamber as they state their reasons
in favor Of or objections to, this treaty.
The democrats insist that there will have
to be some amendments made to it
before it can ever be passed. Already
several amendments have been made and
voted down, while the southern people
are largely in favor of it and do not hesi-
tate to emphasize their ideas through the
press and by sending delegations to their
it's passage. The editor of an Atlanta,
Ca, newspaper has been quite strenuous
in his efforts, coming here to visit coh-
gress and to call upon the President.
Yet the minority are determined to make
their power felt by considerable opposi-
ton in their discussions. Senator Lodge
stated that the New England people will
not probably be nearly as much bene-
flied by such canal as the south, which
is much nearer, and New Orleans is al
ready counting largely on becoming a
port of entry.
The introduction of a resolution by
Senator Bacon of Georgia, in the senate
brought out a long and warm debate.
1t asked the President to negotiate a
treaty with Columbia for friendly ad-
justment of difficulties, and if not accom-
plished, asked that it be referred to The
Hague for arbitration. Soon after Sena-
tor Lodge asked to table this resolution,
which reused the antagonism of the
minority. Senrtor Teller, who has
swung round the circle as politician
from the republican side, and is very fond
of debate, said it would cut off debate;
the measure was called drastic. So the
motion was Withheld and discussion fol-
lowed.
Senator Bacon declared his resolution
was to prevent an outbreak of war with
Colombia, while the other side replied
that negotiations were now being made
by the state department for that very
end and such resolutions and discussions
would prevent their contamination, for
the secretary of state was now working
with Gen. Reyes on the points at issue.
Senator Bacon thought the situation
critical, quoting from a dispatch from
the former Consul Smythe that the Co.
lombians were aroused and determined
to 60 to war. He thought the senate
was an advisory body of the President.
Senator Lodge felt that for the senate to
come in now with resolution distinctly
in favor of Colombia would be injurious,
for discussion now might bring on a
conflict of arms. Sen. Foraker explained
that Consul Smythe was appointed con-
sui by the Cleveland administration and
He felt that this resolution would be a
confession of wrongdoing on the part of
our executive and was based on the
theory that we were without proper
information of what was transpiriug on
the isthmus, while the Presidents mes
sage had been very full and explicit on
the matter.
Sen. Daniels asked if the President had
not committed an act of war in prevent
ing the landing of Colombia's troops on
the isthmus to attack rebellious state.
The reply was, such was not the Pres
ident's order; it was to protect the
transit across the isthmus, which had
been done by former administrations. The
marines had been landed to prevent war
and this was not an attack upon any
one, but it was the duty of the United
States government in accordance with
the Treaty OF 1916. Sen. Hale said that
the orders restrained the troops of
Panama as much as they did those of
Colombia. Sen. Lodge cited presidents
to refute those of Senator Daniels, that
the President had overstepped the au-
thority of the treaty; that in 1900, 1901
and 1902 the same policy had been fol-
lowed. Sen. Spooner of Wisconsin
| thought the resolution really charges us
with committing an act OF war against
Colombia, but that republic herself does
not claim it, aud we still keep up diplo-
| matte relations with her. and the other
| foreign countries have also recognized
Panama's independence. But the resolu-
| ton might awaken false hopes in the
Colombians that the republic might yet
be overturned. He realized such utter