Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-03
THE SENATE.

The Senate began the last session Of the
F1fty-eighth Congress at II o'clock today
in the presence of as many spectators as
could be crowded into the galleries I'm
med1ately after converting Mr. Allisou's
resolution authorizing an investigation
into the collections Of internal revenue and
customs and currency conditions by the
committee on finance during the recess of
Congress was taken up and adopted with
out discussion.
Mr.. kittredge then called up his resolu-
ton for the continuance in force of the
Spooner law relating to the isthmian ca
nal. and in presenting the necessity for the
adoption of 1t explained the failure of the
conference on the Panama canal govern
ment bill, saying that the House confer
ees had absolutely refused to accept the
Senate provisions or any compromise, and
had declared fatty that if the House bill
was not accepted there could be no canal
legislation in the present session of Con-
gress not even for the extension of the
present law, as proposed by the preceding
resolution. Nevertheless, he thought the
resolution should be adopted, in order that
the House might at least have an opportu-
nifty to act .t .u.-J
Most Remarkable Attitude.
Mr.. German, another of the conferees
characterized the attitude of the House
COHIeTPtS DIS HoSC TeHdTkdDle. lie Telter-
ated what Mr.. Kittredge had said as to the
position of the House, and detailed the
proceedings of the conference. He called
attention to the fact that the President
had asked only for the reduction of the
size of the commission.
In the face of this fact the House had
taken the position that unless the entire
commission was to be abolished nothing
should be done.
He added, Adverse as ] am to critic;se
a coordinate branch, regretting. as I do,
the mistaken policy of resent1ng and re-
sisting everything suggested by the Sem
ate 1t is my judgment that 1t is ab5o-
of the public business that the Senate
should adhere to its position, and protect
itself as 1t may under parliamentary law
In order to protect the independence of
the two houses. To agree to the de-
mand of the House would, he said, he
shameful in the extreme
Differences Were Slight.
Mr. Spooner said the attitude of the
House made it perfectly apparent that It
was the desire of that body to leave the
canal question where it now rests. He
added that the difference between the two
houses was extremely narrow; that the
construction of the canal could not uhder
any circumstances be nterfered with. as
the President had free hand in that mat
ter. and that only the government of the
zone could be affected. AS for himself he
preferred a commission, but he thought
the President should be absolutely unre-
stricted in the selection of its members.
MIR. Overman asked whether under the
present law the President could build sea-
level canal, and Mr.. Spooner answered in
the negative adding that the act had con-
templated a lock canal, and that no Presi-
dent or commission could change that plan
without consulting Congress.
Authority of the President.
Coming to the control of the canal zone,
Mr. Spooner expressed the opinion that the
President would have authority under the
treaty with Panama for the use of the
canal zone to administer the law there and
preserve order-to do everything, indeed,
except to maintain the courts Still, he
thought there should be no hesitation in
making certain the power to govern. The
contention of the House involves an en-
tirely new proposition. he said, and he
hoped the Senate would terminate the mat
ter by adopting the kittredge resolution.
Unanimously Adopted.
The subject was also discussed by Messrs
Lodge, Morgan, Foraker and Teller and
agreed to on a roll calico yeas. no nays.
1t is follows:
THAT the provisions of section two of an
act to provide for the temporary govern
ment of the canal zone at Panama, the
protection of the canal works and for other
purposes approved April 2S, 1904. be and
are hereby continued in force until the ex-
piratiCn of the session of the Fifty ninth
Congress. beginning the first Monday in
December, 1905. unIess other provision be
sooner made by Congress"
Conference Report on Indian Bill.
The final conference report on the Indian
IA tj0u hill was agreed tn
Mr.. Gallinger presented partial confer
ence report on the river and .harbor bill
Improvement Of the Delaware.
Mr.. Ga,linger said that the chief item Of
difference between the conferees was on
the increase of the appropriation for Inn
proving the Delaware river. and Mr.. PEN
rose gave notice that II on the second con-: