The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-17
Chs Messfngrr.
Ass. ROOSEVELT AND THE Sen.
ATE

ta1n6d n SUNDAY - lSSuC IA oS
count OF Saturdays proceedings.
This letter by the President and the
subsequent action OF h Senate have
laid the foundation for what VIII
probably be a stubborn night betWeen
the coordinate treaty making powers
The President has thrown down the
g~auntle. to the Senate and that BODY
las az promptly accepted the gage OF
battle. The former went so Tar as 10
make a positive and direct threat
against the other. He declared that
IL the Senate, in he exercise OF It's
~undoubted right to amend the treaties
bv substituting the word treaty Tor
agreement" he would not proceed
further in securing ratification OF the
treaties by the other contracting pow
ers. In substance the President SAID
to the Senate: You have the righ,
and the power to amend these arol-
ftration treaties in my manner you
choose. If o see fit to make the
proposed change l will drop further
negotiations for their ratification.
Notwithstanding this position OF the
President the senate by a vote OF fifty
to nine accepted the proposed amend
ment, and as amended, ratified seven
Of the treaties. This was no captlous
proceeding on the part of the Senate,
Au+ x-a. from the firm conviction of
the fifty senators who voted for the
amendment that the treaties as origi-
nally drawn would entirely destroy the
~prerogative of tina body as a co-ordi-
nate branch of the government in the
matter OF making treaties in regard
to arbitrating matters in dispute be-
tween the United States and those
governments with whom such treaties
had been negotiated n would give
the President power to act in all these
without the advice and con-
sent of the Senate.
The most significant circumstance
connected with this action Of the Sen
ate on Saturday was the personnel OF
the republicans who opposed the Pres
ident's contention. Senator Spooner
led the debate on the republican side
in favor Of the amendment, and among
the fifty senators who voted for it were
such staunch republicans and PERSONAL
friends of MI. Roosevelt as Messrs'|
Foster, of Washington; Bard, of Cal
~ifornia; Hansbrough, of North Da-
kota; Gallinger, of New Hampshire;|
Burrows, of Michigan; CullOm, or H.
linois; Dick, of Ohio; Foraker, of
Ohio; Hale, of Maine; Lodge of Massa-
ohusetts; Long, of kansas; Spooner, Of
Wisconsin, with many other proml-
nent senators of that party. The min
senators voting with the president
were: Nessrs. Dolliver, Fairbanks,
Hopkins, McCumber, Nelson, Platt of
Connecticut, Stewart, Warren and Wet
more.
This vote show that the Rough
Rider" president has run up against
a tough proposition. He has against
him some Of the men who have here
tofore been his staunchest supporters,
and ne has not with him a single
democratic senator as he hasthad here
tofore in his contentious with the Sem
ate, for the reason that the latter n
slider the amendment as eliminating all
possible arbitration OF the question Oh
fraudulent bonds issued by the states
of the south during reconstruction
days, which was feared by them could
be brought under the treaties as origi-|
nally drafted by the state department.
and the representatives of the foreign,
governments.
What the outcome will be no one al
predict. That it will cause much po-
there can be no doubt. There are other.
treaties of similar character Still pend
ing before the Senate, only seven hav-|
ing been ratified Saturday, on which the
same fight will, no doubt, be made. MI.
Roosevelt is not a man to readily give
up a point which he has made up his
mind to carry, and the Senate is very
jealous of any e~ncroachment on It's
p~rerogatives by the executive depart.
ment.
1T is said the senator's were made
more determined to insist upon their
rights in this matter because of the
situation in Santo Domingo and of the
recent action of the President, through
the state department, in forming an
agreement with hat republic by
which without the advice or consent
of the Senate he had virtually estab-
lished q p~rotectorate over the island
by the United States.
Wonder what effect the war between