The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-02-26
Especial Washington letter.

|
IS ~ Missouri. where | have the hon
or 10 reside, Salt River town
shin. once thin!y bat now thickly popu-
lated and ut this writing the seat or
the largest dynamite mill in the world,
used to be entitled to only one delegate
in Democratic county conventions. On
a certain occasion Il hot fight was on IN
a convention. In the midst Of it lncie
Henry Ashburn. ii man OF great Sood
sense and much shy humor. the sole
delegate from Salt River CONFUSED the
audience by solemnly arising anu say
ing, Mr.. Chairman, the Salt River de-
egation is divided and desires to retire
for consultations That is precisely
what the Republicans will have to do
before long at the rate they are going
now. The president and the senate are
at loggerheads about the arbitration
treaties. The senate and house are at
loggerheads over the statehood bill. I'm
less the senate passes good Dill regu-
lating railroad freight rates the presi-
dent and congress will be at logger
heads over that. and there will be con-
fusion worse COMPOUNDED. The break
has come On Saturday, Feb. II, the
senate turned the president down on
the arbitration treaties question by the
astounding vote of so to 9. Those vot-
ing for the presidential contention were
Dolliver, Fairbanks, Hopkins. McCum-
Der, Nelson, Platt of Connecticut, Stew
art. Warren and Wetmore.
Those voting against his contention
were Alice, Allison, Ankeny, Bacon,
Bailey, Bard, Bate, Berry, Blackburn,
Burnham, Burrows, Carmack, Clark Of
Wyoming, Clay. Culberson, Cullom,
Daniel, Dick, Dillingham;, Dryden, For
aker, Foster of Louisiana, Foster of
Washington. Fulton, Gallinger, Gam
Bile, German, Hale, Hansbrough, Hey
burn, Kean, Kittredge, Latimer, Lodge,
Long, McComas, McCreary, McLaurin,
Money, Morgan, Newlands, Overman,
Patterson, Perkins, Scott, Smoot, Spoon
er, Stone, Taliaferro and Teller.
|. 1t will be observed that in the list
of those opposing the president are
many of the ablest Republican sena-
tors, some of whom, like Spooner and
Foraker, are notable not only Tor ca
pacity, but as having been hot cham
pions of the president for the nomina-
ton and hitherto his thick and thin
champions. Even the name of Senator
Henry Cabot Lodge, defender in chief
or the presidential faith. was counted
against his position. It will not do to
say that the matter in controversy-the
substitution of the word treaty" for
the word agreement small and In
consequential, about which the presi-
dent cares nothing. He does care much
so much. in fact, that he wrote long
and most vigorous letter on the subject
to Hon. Shelby Nj. Culloln, chairman of
the senate foreign affairs committee.
urging the Importance Of his own view
with all his power. That it is the be-
ginning Of an open breach between him
and the senate is generally concluded.
This is all the more remarkable when
it is remembered that when that vote
was taken he had still twenty one days
OF his present term to serve and four
yeas of the one to which he was re.
Gently elected by an overwhelming
majority. The Washington Post. in
dependent, but very friendly to the
president, commenting Oh it, says, The
situation in the senate over the arbi-
tration treaties has been strained for
several weeks. VIII the senate back
down from it's advanced position
Hardly, for there is one question On
which it usually stands firm as a rock
and that is senatorial prerogative
which senator's say is involved. Will
the president back down? Perish the
thought. What then? War TO the
knife betWixt the Republican president
and the Republican senate.