Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-04-06
OBSTQUCTING DEMOCRATS.
How the Opposition Strove to En-
barrass the Administration in
the Santo Domingo Matter.

The senate's special session ended
end the Santo Domingo treaty was not
ratified This is triumph for the dem
ocrats, but it carries with it no personal
advantage for the individual democratic
senators, and it gives no prestige TO the
democratic party, says the St Louis
Globe-Democrat. Senator Morgan, of
Alabama. who has the long-distance rec
ord for talking was the head and front
of the opposition. He consumed several
days of the session with his charges,
which were largely untrue or eXagger-
ated, and with his arguments, which
were principally irrelevant or inconse-
quential. Thus the time of the session
was taken up with talk which had delay
for its leading purpose, for Morgan was
supported in the filibustering lire by
other democrats. Through their dila-
tory tactics, supplemented by an in
vestigation regarding same federal ap-
pointments, the session was prolonged
to about twice the average length Of
those special meetings of the senate at
the beginning of the presidential terms,
annd leading purpose of the session
was defeated.
Yet neither the president nor the re-
publican party is harmed in any materi-
al way by the failure of the treaty. That
compact was not recommtted. 1t re-
mains on the calendar, and will be taken
up Immediately after congress meets,
whether in extra or regular session. 1t
iS rDnrndpn nf that tho rppubli i
can leaders in the senate made no espe-
cial effort to push the treaty. They
were impeded at the outset by two cir
cumstances. Many republican seats in
the senate were vacant. A large majori-
ty of the democrats, it was believed,
would be sure to vote against the treaty.
Its rejection, therefore, would be rea-
sonably certain If il came TO test This
was the condition which confronted the
republicans. Senator's Cullom, Spooner,
Lodge and other republican leaders laid
this situation before the president. He
grasped the conditions Immediately and
counseled postponement. Thus the
treaty goes over to the fall or winter
session. If congress is called for Sep
tember or October as some persons who
| stand close to the president think it will
be. the treaty will then be taken up If
not, the matter will be disposed of
quickly at the regular session, begin
ming in December
Very little embarrassment has beer
| inflicted on the president or the party
| by the democrats triumph. When con-
gress comes into session the next time
it is likely that every republican seat
in the senate will be filled. The half a
dozen or more republican absentees in
Europe and at American health resorts
will be on hand. 1t is probable that La
| Toilette will have abandoned the gov
ernorship by that time and take his SEN
ate seat. Missouri will be represented
There is chance that the Delaware
deadlock will be broken and the republi.
can vacant seat from that state will be
| filled. Even with their full quota the re-
publicans will still lack several votes OF
the necessary two-thirds to carry the
| treaty, but it is safe to say that they viii.
| get enough votes from the democrats tC
supply this gap. The opposition to the
treaty among the democrats will be
weaker next fall and winter than it is
now. In several points where the treaty
needed amandment it has been amend.
ed. When the democratic obstructives
hear from their constituents during the
recess they will learn that their course
is unpopular. In its present shape the
treaty gives us the power in the Santc
Domingo case which we need to SUP.
plement and defend the Monroe princi
pie. 1t will furnish no precedent to ham
! per us in the future. The delay will be
something of a humiliation for the
country, but the responsibility for it viii
belong TO the democrats, and another
reason, to be used against them in the
campaign of 1908, will be furnished why
the democratic party is unfit to be trust
ed by the American people.