The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-01-24
Wisconsin Senator Was Defend
ing the President
SENATORS ONLY ADVISERS
In Treaty Making the President Must
Have a Free Hand and He Must
Conduct Negotiations
Secretly.

washington. January 22-For more
than three hours today Mr.. Spooner oc-
cupied the time of the Senate in explana-
ton and defense of the course of tine
administration relative TO the Moroccan
conference at A1geciras. Spain. and In
connection with santo Domingo.
The speech was delivered to crowded
galleries and to wel-hlled Senate, and
received careful attention throughout. 1t
was in the main a response to the
speeches of Mr.. Bacon and ..-r Tillman.
and its purpose was to justify the Pres
idents acts In both the matters under
discussion There We're frequent inter-
ruptions by Mr.. Tillman and some sharp
exchange of repartee between him and
Mr. Spooner These amused the galleries
but once or twice Mr.. Spooner showed
that he was annoyed and once he made
serious protest against Mr.. Tillman's Inn
putation. His appearance in the case was
that of special advocate for the admins
tration. There were also Interruptions by
Messrs. Macon, Morgan and other sem
ators.
FollOWSu Many TTcCcoCnAS'
In the Moroccan matter Mr.. spooner
eontended that the President had merely
followed preeedents in appointing dele
gates and said that If he had failed TO
do so, he would have been guilty of
derelietion of duty, while In the case
of Santo Domingo, he asserted that the
President had made no effort to carry
the treaty between Santo Domingo and
the United States into effect in advance
of its ratification by the Senate
Mr.. Culberson followed Mr.. Spooner
with brief speech in which he said
that the President had taken complete
jurisdiction of the subject matter OF the
Dominican treaty. thus usdrping the pow
ers of the Senate. Mr.. Lodge gave mo-
tice OF a speech on the Dominican and
Moroccan questions tomorrow.
Mr.. McCumber and Mr.. Hepburn spoke
on the pure food bill.
Executive Matters Involved.
MIR. Spooner addressing the Senate on
the conduct by the President on our
foreign relations, said the ,-eaipitaton
of this discussion had seemed to him
quite unjustiflable because manv of the
questions spoken of involved executive
matters and should have been considered
behind closed doors. He confessed to some
embarrassment In discussing the Dominic
can question because there were phases
of it which could not be frankly con-
sidered In open discussion and speaking
generally he felt the plan of dealing with
foreign questions in executive session to
be the wise one.
The Senate, however, had nothing to do
except as advisers in the making of
treaties, and he repeated that he believed
In such publication except under pecu-
liar circumstances.
He then outlined the power of the Pres
ident to negotiate treaty, and said that
he could not becompelled to conduct such
negotiations under the tutaege of the
Senate nor for that matter of the entire
Congress.
How can the Senate advise as to any
advantage after thing is done?' Mr.. Till
man asked. and. replying, Mr.. Spooner
enlarged upon his theory that at no stage
of the negotiation of treaty was the
President required to take the Senate
into his confidence. The correspondence
in a pending negotiation might be pro-
ductive of mischief and he believed that
to be true In the case of Morocco for in
stance.
In reply to an inquiry from Mr.. Till
man. Mr.. Spooner said that the members
of the committee on foreign relations were
like other senator's. advisers to the Pres
ident
"A member of that committee in his
relation to the President is only a sena-
tor and is a servant of the Senate he
said. "A Senate committee" he went on.
has no relation to the President"
Tillman Explains Himself.
Explaining his reason for the question,
Mr. Tillman quoted a newspaper article
referring TO Messrs Lodge and Spooner
of the foreign relations committee as hav-
ing been called upon to pass upon foreign
questions. He wanted to know whether
''as a matter of common sense" Presi-
dent would not ordinarily desire to have
the advise of such members of the COM
mittee who were also leaders of the Sen
ate.
Referring to Mr.. T1llman's character
izatlon of his own observation as one of
common sense. Mr.. Spooner said that he
felt impelled to say that the character
of the remark was such as to justify that
Characterization.
For which," responded Mr.. Tillman,
II am duly grateful"
But" responded Mr.. Spooner. 81 say
so only from a sense of politeness."
Then" said Mr.. Tillman, 'the senator
convicts himself of insncerity."
The galleries enjoyed the exchange OF
pleasantries apd laughed so loud as to
render necessary rebuke from the vice
president.
Morgan Takes Exceptions.
Mr. Spooner outlined the "prerogatives'
OF the different branches OF Congress.
THE Senator used the word 'preroga-
tive too broadly" remarked Mr. Morgan.
''rhe President has no prerogative Ike
that of royalty"
Replying Mr.. Spooner said that in the
last analysis he conceded the Alabama
Senator TO be right. but" he added Mr.
Morgan has herd the word used here
thousand times as | have used IT.
A thousand times too often" responded
Mr.. Morgan.
Mr.. Spooner said that Mr. Bacon. tho
author of the resolution. calling upon the
President for Information had expressed
the departure from the doctrine of non
interference In foreign matters laid down
in Washington's farewell address As
for himself. Mr.. Spooner said he believes
that In appointing delegates to that con-
ference the President had acted entirely
within his constitutional capacity and In
the interest OF the country and Just obe-
dience OF the plain demands of the situa-