The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-03-16
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.

From our Regular Correspondent,
Washington, D. c., Mar. Q, 1905.
A great inauguration has rassed
into history, an Inauguration II
which artisan bias and political dis
appointments were forgotten orgave
place to rejoicing that a great people,
so, 900, 300 in number, should have
elected without rancor or bitterness
the man whom majority preferred
for President II d that he should
have been inaugurated under the
most favorable circumstances and
amid the hearty cheers of Demo
Gratis and Republicans, the splendcr
OF bis Inauguration contributed to
by the Governors of States North
and South, East and West. Even
the Heavens seemed to smile on
this elimination of the free choice
of liberty loving people, for Sc
we're storm which hovered close tc
Washington in the early pat of the
day, changed its course and left the
inauguration ceremonies an d the
brilliant pageant which followed to
be carried out under sunny skies.
M*#
The Senate. which is a continu-
ing body, met in special session at
noon on March 4, in accordance with
the call of the President issued sew
eral days before and N Monday
took up i'll earnest the work of con.
sidering the Dominican protocol
1t Immediately became evident that
there was strong opposition to the
protocol as drafted, OH both sides
OF the chamber, and discussion took
the form of debate as to whether it
could be 50 amended as to command
the support oftwo thirds of the Sem
ate. After some discussion the
treaty was referred to the committee
on Foreign Relations where it was
dissected and put together again in
a form which is far more acceptable
to prominent Senators than was the
original, and t h e indications are
that eventually it will be approved.
The convention in is new form
was reported to the Senate today
but it had been so changed in COM
mittee that its author would have
hard work to identify it
M*#
The facts in connection with this
protocol are peculiar and involve
unfortunate blunders on the part of
high official in the State Depart
meut who. probably unintentionally,
msled the President and startled
the Senate. The timely recovery
OF Secretary Hay fTom a somewhat
protracted although not dangerous
illness, saved h e administration
from an almost irretrievable blum
der. Secretary Hay, before his i'll
ness, approved the principle involved
III the Dominican arrangement but
when he was confined to his resi-.
dence no details had been worked
out. Then it was that his subordi-
nate went into action and undertook
to negotiate protocol and put it in
to effect without consulting the Sen
ate and misled the President into be-
lievlng that his course w.s sanction
ed by Secretary Hay The protocol
was duly signed, the Dominican gov
ernment made the text public and
1t was cabled to New York. When
the Senators learned what had been
done they demanded all explanation
at the White House, the President
rushed over to Secretary Hay. who
had nearly recovered and who ad-
vised him that the work done was
not only unauthorized by him but
was contrary to his judgment. The
President, with Mr.. Hays assist
ance, caused radical changes in the
protocol to be cabled to Santo Dom
lingo and there incorporated into tt
agreement, among them being pro.
vision for submitting the conven-
tion to the Senate. The negotiation
OF treaties at long range is always
difficult undertaking, however,
and the result has been that the
present protocol reached the Senate
in very crude shape.
XXX
No feeling of animosity to the
President has characterised the
work of the Senate in its operations
on the C0nuentinn aud thara ic th,,c