Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-23
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
Is ,.sks
Session Of Three Hours on
Panama Treaty.
INQUIRY RESOLUTION
TO BE DRAWN AND PRESSED
: NEXT WEEK.
Belief That An Correspondence Has
Not Been Furnished and Every
thing Will Be Asked For.

For three hours this afternoon the demo-
Gratis of the Senate were. In conference in
Leader Germans room upon the subject OF
future course of the party in the Senate
with respect to the Panama canal treaty.
The meeting was well attended.
The result Of the three hours delfbera-
tons was the decision by the caucus to
support a resolution which Is to be offered
In the Senate calling upon the President
and Secretary of State for every line of
correspondence that has passed between
this government and any other government
or person upon the Hay-Herran treaty and
the Colombian and Panama affairs.
Leader German stated at the conclusion
of the caucus that the opinion seemed to
prevail among democratic senators that for
some reason. accidental or otherwise. all of
the correspondence had not been made pub
lie. He said the democrats thought that
the Senate should be placed in possession
of all. correspondence bearing upon this
treaty and the HayHerran treaty, which
preceded it.
Resolution to Be Pushed.
The resolution Endorsed by the caucus to-
day will be drawn and offered in the Sem
ate next week. 1t will be vigorously push
ed by the democrats and will afford a sub
ject for further debate of the Panama ques-
ton. 1t is said that in the caucus this
afternoon there were many expressions
from senators to the effect that they be-
lieved the public had not been apprfsed of
the full situation anterior to the Panama
resolution. Some democratic senators ia
vor an investigation by the Senate through
a committee of charges which have been
made that this government was a party to
the Panama revolution and that persons
in this country worked up the rebellion.
The difficulty of such an investigation was
pointed out, however, and conSidera bic dis
cussion upon that question.
Not to Permit Vote.
The democrats decided not to permit
vote to be taken on the treaty until they
were assured that they had all of the in
formation which they desire. On the floor
of the Senate some democratic senators will
urge that the committee on foreign rela-
lions investigate, thoroughly the alleged
completely of this government in the reso-
luton and try to get the cablegrams which
it is alleged passed between Mr.. Bunau-
Varilla and his associates In Paris and
Panama. 1t wiHialso be suggested that the
committee on foreign relations report a
plan for the adjustment of differences be-
tween Panama sand Colombia looking to
smoothing the way for the construction of
Some discussion occurred over the
proposition said to have been preached
that this government should pay Colom-
bia $10,O0e,0o0 to enable that government
to mako. public improvements which
would enable it to benefit by the con-
struction Of the canal.
Possible for Democrats to Support
30 Jqas 5. Treaty.
There. was Iac'strong sentiment in the
caucus in favor of making it possible for
democratic senators to vote for the
treaty. .--. ~.
On one side were Senators who thought
that political capital can be made out of
the situation, and on the other were those
who apprehended danger to the party in
making the canal a party question.
The trend of discussion was In the direc-
ton of making it easy ultimately to vote
for the canal after the fact has been dis
covered that the proceedings heretofore
were regular and straight, and involved
this government in no blame
The judgment of several senator's present
was that while Stoday's caucus may re-
suit in prolonging debate and discussion
the effect in the end will be to insure rati-
fication of the Panama treaty.