New-York tribune., 1905-12-16
DEBATE On THE CANAL.
OUTBREAK By TILLM4N.
The South Carolina Senator Taken
IN Hand by Mr. Spooner.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

washington Dec. i5-Senator Tilman in the
Senate to-day undertook to castigate the admin
,stration and the Isthmian Canal Commission
bu. his structures were interspersed with
statements founded erroneous impressions
snd rumors that the strength of those OF
his criticisms which We're based fact was
almost entirely lost through the constant ef-
tsctual rebuttal of Republican Senators
Mr. Tilman prefaced his remarks with a gen
erai Characterization of the course of the pres
ont administration as imperialism" and "kai-
serisrn.' and then launched into unqualified and
unguarded criticism of the course of the Presi-
dent in connection with Santo Domingo, a course
which he described as "trickery."
This brought Senator Spooner to his feet Mr..
spooner declared that "trickery" was an undig-
nifed and improper word for any member of the
Senate TO apply to the President of the United
states and then proceeded to excoriate the Sen
ator from South Carolina until he reduced the
latter to an almost abject state Of subjection.
The Senator from Wisconsin vigorously de-
Tended the course OF the President with regard
70 Santo Domingo. He said that he was willing
to admit that the Senate should not have ad-
journed last Spring without ratifyfng or reject
ing tbs Dominican convention but when the
Senate did that the President had pursued the
only course open to him. and had conducted the
affair with dignity and propriety.
Having been utterly routed in his efforts to
cast an improper reflection on the President in
connection with Santo Domingo, Mr. Tillnan
turned TO the conduct of the Isthmian Canal
Commission and INDUCED in general criticism
of its work and methods. reading at great length
from newspapers of various dates.
In the course of his remarks. Mr- Tillman de-
olared it to be his belief that Chairman Shonts
had assumed his present office with the under
standing that he would resign from the presl-
dency of the Glover Leaf railway, but he had
failed so to resign He also said that he had
been informed that W. Leon Peppernan. chief
of office on the Canal Commission. asso-
ciated with that railway. While he speak
ing the Senator from South Carolina received
information which made it necessary for him to
retract mis- charge against Mr.. Pepperman, who
is not and never has been associated with the
railway named, but he persisted in his alega-
ton that Mr.. ShOnts still retained the presl-
dency of the Glover Leaf" While several Re-
publican Senators declared their belief that this
was not the case no one appeared to be pre-
pared to state as q fact that Mr.. Shonts had
severed his connection with that road ~
Before adjournment the Senate advised
that the House had rejected the Teller resolu-
ton passed by the Senate. whereby 1t was
sought to place the Panama bond issue on the
same footing as other bonds used by banks
q basis for circulation, on the ground that this
was a revenue measure and must under the
Constitution. originate in the House Without
the enactment Of the legislation provided for
both In this resolution and the appropriation bill
IS passed Dy lne HOUSE, the appropriation DlIi
Itself would prove imperative, and it is expected
that arrangement will be made by Sen
ator Aldrich. chairman of the Finance Commit
tee and Speaker Cannon tomorrow whereby the
desired end can be attained. Many members of
the Senate are disposed TO admit the contention
Of the House that the action Of the Senate in
passing the Teller resolution was unconstitu-
uonal.
Senator Allison, who is in charge of the
Panama Appropriation bin, obtained unanimous
consent to vote on that measure before adjourn
ment tomorrow This, OF course, means the
enactment Of the measure before the holiday
recess, even though it may be necessary to send
the measure to conference.
The Payne resolution providing for the holiday
recess fixes the date of adjournment on Decem-
ber 81 and of reconvening on January T.