Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-02-14
SENATORSUPIN ARMS
Santo Domingo Protocol Is
 Called In Question.
CAN EXECUTIVE BIND>COVERNMEAI?
Congress May Repudiate Arrange Ment to Take Over and Admlnts- ter Little Republics Finan-
 cial Affairs.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14. -- Senator Bacon ot Georgia offered in the senate a resolution directing the committee on foreign relations to investigate and re- port whether the agreement between the United States and Santo Domingo under the award to the Santo Domingo Improvement company. having been made without the advice and consent of the senate, is binding upon the gov ernment. It was referred to the con- mittee on foreign relations. The reso- lution reads:
 Whereas, There has been signed by W. F. Powell. charge daffaires, on be- half of the United States and by Juo Foo Sanchez, ministro de relaciones ey- terloreS. on behalf of the republic of Santo Domingo protocol of an agree ment between the United States of America and the Dominican republic;
 Whereas, It has been publicly al- leged and generally understood to be true that in pursuance of the protocol and of the award by the arbitrators made in pursuance thereof one or more custom houses ot the Dominican repub- lie have been taken possession of by officers of the United States: therefore be it
 Resolved, By the senate that the committee on foreign relations be and 1t is hereby authorized and directed to make investigation and report to the senate as follows:
 First. whether the said protocol of an agreement if authorizing the award as aforesaid is a valid and binding agreement or convention between the United States of America and the Do- minican republic without having been made by and with the advice and con- sent of the senate. as prescribed by the constitution of the United States.
 Second. whether it Is competent un. der the constitution of the United States for any agreement, convention or protocol not made by and with the advice and consent of the senate. but solely through and by the executive de- partment or an officer thereof, with foreign government and to constitute a constitutional agreement by and un- der which the United States govern ment shall be authorized and empow- cred to take possession of the custom houses of such foreign government and to hold the said custom houses by the authority and power of the United States through it's officers, employees or agents, either civil, military or na- val"
 In reply to inquiries at the state de- partment MT. Hay made in substance the following statement:
 'The president regards the matter of the general arbitration treaties as con cluded by the action of the senate on Saturday. He recognizes the right of the senate to reject treaty either by direct vote in that sense or indirectly by changes which are incompatible with its spirit and purpose. He consid. CTS that with the senate amendment the treaties not only cease to be step forward in the cause of general arbi- tration. but are really step backward. and therefore he is unable to present them in this altered form to the coun- tries with which we have been in nego- tiation."
 IL is probable that there will be no more arbitration treaties submitted to the senate.
 Mir. Oscar Straus. an authority on the subject, commenting on the dead lock between the president and the sen. ate on the arbitration treaties. ex- pressed his general conviction on the right. both moral and constitutional, or MT. Roosevelt's position.