Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-02-06
The PRESIDENT
AND The SENATE
Debate on Whether Executive
Can Refuse Senate State
Documents.
CLEVELAND MADE a RULE
He Declined Such Request From the
Upper Body, and He Won His
Point, az Shown by Senator
Hale in Argument.

Washington, Jan. 30.-Much time has
been devoted by the senate TO debate
rather than to set speeches on the at
titude OF the United States toward the
Panama revolution. There was a va
Ration, however, in that the discus
sion also had reference to the right OF
the president to withhold information
called for by the senate.
The immediate foundation Of the
controversy was the democratic eau
u resolution calling on the president
to state whether he has yet supplied all
the papers In the archives bearing up
on the Panama affair.
| h debate was opened by senator
Culberson, and was participated in by
Senator German and Bacon On the
democratic side Of the chamber, and
by Senators Cullom, Spooner and
Lodge on the republican side. The
democrats contended for the right of
the senate to demand information In
the possession of the executive depart
ment bearing on treaties before the
senate, while the republican speakers
spoke in defense Of the discretion of
the president to withhold information.
Morgan Withdraws Resolution.
When Senator Morgan's resolution
calling for Minister ~BuchanaD's letter
concerning amendments to the canal
treaty was laid before the nate Sen
ltor Morgan withdrew il, saying that
he had been Informed that 1t was the
Intention OF the president to send the
document to the senate in executive
| session.
The resolution OF Senator Culbe.son.
} introduced at the instance OF the DEM
ocratic caucus, requesting the president
TO inform the senate whether all the
! correspondence relating to the con
II = If, -, - ~ EaNl,os,, m nal ha- IaA,,
sent to the senate, was taken up.
Senator Cullom objected to the reso-
luton as too broad as to date, and or
| his suggestion Senator Culberson
amended II so as to limit the request
for correspondence since June 20, 1902,
| the date of the approval of the Spoon
sr act
Senator Cu!berson then suggested
that the resolution he further amended
so as to relieve the president from the
necessity OF sending information to
supply which would, in his opinion, be
Incompatible with the public interest.
enator Culberson declined to accept
this amendment.
Senator Cullom said 1t was his opin-
ion that the president has a right to
cefuse to comply with the resolution. He
had no doubt, however, that the presi-
lent would send every scrap of infor-
nation.
The Cleveland Case.
Senator Hale referred to the contro-
versy which occurred during Mr.. Cleve-
land's administration over the point as
20 whether papers bearing on preSiden-
tial nominations should be sent to the
senate. The president had refused to
! comply with the wishes Of the senate,
and ultimately he won his point.
| Senator Ttllman contended that there
IS a difference between nominations
and treaties, but Senator Cullom con
tended the president, as the mead Of one
branch OF the government, has rights
which pertain to his Office exclusively.
lie feared, he said, that the resolution
| Sas for mere effect"
"Our friends on the other side of the
| 'namber," he went on, seek after a
week or two of ~caucusing to get some
.~dvantage. They hope to catch the
resident in an untruth, but they won't
ucceed, for there never was in the
White House q president who is less
| liable to be found in such a predica-
| nent."
| Senators Cuiberson and German dis
| :laimed any intention Of rejecting upon
he presidents veracity. All they want
I'd was the fullest possible light on the
| mbject."
| Senator Aldrich suggested that the
| resolution should he so amended as not
to include papers covering present ne
| gotiations which may be on for the
l satisfaction of Colombia, and Senator
| German replied hat he had not heard
before that there was such negotiations
IN progress. He was delighted to hear
that such was the case.
| Hoped for Success.
He hoped for the honor Of the coun-
try that the negotiations would be
I pressed to a successful elimination.
Instead Of desiring to hamper the ex-
! ecutive in such a work 1t was his desire
to encourage it, for he feared the meth
DDS Of the president has done much &c
! jeopardize. il not TO destroy, the work
that had been done south of the United
1 States in past years. I'VE fear" he
I said, that in your anxiety to reach the
srient you are risking other inter
| estS."
I Senator Spooner replied to Senator
/ German. The resolution, he said. was
understood to be the fruit of the "col-
lective civilization of the democratic
| side of the senate" He did not adopt
| the suggestion Of Senator Cullom thai
there was an Interior motive in it's In.
| PRODUCTION, for he knew how absolutely
! guileleSs the senator from Maryland
and the senator From Texas are ir
matters political" Yet he could not re.
strain the thought hat possibly there
was a purpose OF using the matter or
the stump. While the resolution calls
for information for the executive SEES.
sions, it is not being considered in legis.
lative sessions. There are possibly
he added, references in the papers tc
another great power, which, il given Il
the public. would be offensive"
Senate Cannot Command.
The president is not, Senator Spoonel
argued, the servant Of the senate. anC
the senate could not command, and al
though the senate is q part of tn,
treaty making power, the president /.
still the head of the coordinate branch
Of the government, and could exercis,
authority in his w sphere of duty.
In conclusion Senator Spooner said