New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-12
SENATE LEADERS WIN.
Panama Canal Bill Goes to 4ppro-
priations Committee.
[Frora The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE almost inevitable
effort of the more youthful members OF the
Senate to overthrow the rule Of the older heads,
which SO often follows the election of con-
siderable number of new Senators, occurred to-
day when the Vice-President announced the
passage by the House Of the Panama Canal
emergency bill The immediate cause of the
passage at arms was the reference of the canal
bill. the younger members maintaining that it
should go to the Committee on Interoceantc
Canals while the leaders declared that the bill
should be referred to the Committee on Ap-
preparations.
Senators Hopkins and McCumber argued in
favor of reference to the Canal Committee OF
which the former is a member. and they were
aided by others among the younger Senator'S
while Senators Allison and Lodge. and finally
Senator Teller, insisted that this and all other
appropriations for the canal should. under the
rules of the Senate, be passed upon by the Com
mittee on Appropriations. OF course this will
have the effeCt Of materially curtailing the i'm
portance and responsibility Of the Canal Com
mittee but 1t will at the same time give the
leaders, most Of whom members of the Com
Inittee on Appropriations an opportunity to su-
pervise the work of the Canal Committee more
carefully than would be possible the floor of
the Senate.
The question Of reference was finally put to
a vote and the leaders won their point by an
overwhelming majority, the vote standing 40
TO 20 in favor OF referring the measure to the
Committee Appropriations, although the
lines drawn We're by no means PARTISAN
senator Knox, who is member or the Canal
Committee, voted with the minority II is not
likely that the younger element VIII again al
TEMPT to dispute the rule of the older regime.
The chief argument presented against the
reference of the measure to the Committee on
APPROXIMATIONS was that that committee could
not under the rules of the Senate, leglSlate 10
curtaiI the $4,000 salary now paid TO the So
called press agent OF the canal commission
and place similar restrictions on the eXpsndI-
ture Of the funds appropriated. but 1t was
pointed out to the members of the Canal Com
introduce and report TO the Senate immediately
any restrictive legislation which the situation
in their judgment demanded
There is no doubt, however, that the COMMIT
tee on Appropriations viii make a far more
careful study Of the situation in the Canal Com
lnittee and of the purposes to which the money
about 10 be appropriated viii be devoted than
did the House or its Committee On Interstate
Commerce.
fore the Committee on Appropriations to-Inor-
row morning explain the needs of the COM
mission and to answer questions regarding the
necessity OF continuing the employment OF the
three clerks whose salaries have been placed at
$40 GOO each, il is said by the Republican
leaders that unless excellent reasons can be
shown for the retention of these expensive en-
ployes their continued employment at their
present salaries viii cause severe criticism on
the floor OF the Senate, and perhaps endanger
the general appropriation for the construction
of the canal which Congress will have TO make
later