The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-04-25

United States which has loaded upon
the shoulders OF the commission more
work than it can perform. Within re-
cent years 1t has been the custom Of
congress. and pr ticularly the present
congress, to busIe the calendar OF
the commission nth requests for in
formation, perez ptory demands for
investigations and the performance of
a great mass of business entirely I'M
dreamed of when the commission was
called into being"
OF course it is the delay In the rem
dering of the decision on the request
of the eastern railroads for permission
to advance freight rates five per cent
that has called particular attention to
the mass of work which the board has
before it. The decision waited for so
eagerly both by the shippers and by
the railroad people Of course is certain
to come, but the hour of its coming
is uncertain and meantime the uncer-
tainty of the nature of the decision
is said to be causing commercial trou-
bles. The president it is said is just
as anxious as anybody else for an
early decision, but of course he can
not urge the board to hurry for fear It.
might be construed that he is inter
fering with something which does not
concern him.
Objects to Treaty.
There we're outlined some time ago
by President Wilson or his secretary
of state three more or less def
mite foreign policies-one the repeal OF
the tolls exemption provision of the
Panama canal act, another the nego-
tiation of arbitration treaties with
foreign governments and another
treaty with Colombia containing
words of apology and promise OF
money payment for the action of this
government in recognizing the indie
pendence of Panama without due
time and consideration"
Everybody will remember, Of course,
that Panama, through which now runs
the isthmian canal, was until few
years ago, a part Of the country OF
Colombia. During the Roosevelt ad-
ministration Panama revolted and the
United States recognized its independ-
ence, and then at once began negotia'
tons with the new government for
the construction by Uncle Sam of the
great waterway.
Colombia ever since has been ag-
grieved and has not been at all back
ward in expressing its grievance to
this country. 1t has asked indemnity
for the act Of the United States, and
limited that an apology also would be
most acceptable. There is In treaty
form today, sanctioned, 1t is said. by
the administration of the United
States, a proposition to apologize to
Colombia and to pay It large sum
of money. This treaty has been signed
by our minister to Colombia, and Is
under consideration by the Colombian
government
Strong Opposition to Treaty.
There was trouble in the house OF
representatives when the repeal of the
Panama canal tolls was under discus
sion. but the scene then probably will
be as one of peace compared to that
in the senate when the attempt Is
made to secure the ratification of this
treaty with Colombia, containing, as 1t
does, an apology to the South Amer
lean government and proposition to
put into its Golfers big bag of gold.
There are men in the congress of
the United States who think the rec
ignition of the independence Of Pan
anna was too hasty and an act not
easily to be defended. but those who
say this seemingly are in the minor
ity, and II Mr.. Wilson shall succeed
in changing the minds of the ma
jority he can account himself victor in
a policy against which 1t is admitted
In Washington most Of the members
Of congress seem to stand In opposf.
ton.
Don't Want to Apologize.
1t will be hard work for the presi-
dent of the United States to secure
the ratification of the proposed treaty
with Colombia. 1t Is definitely. known
that many of the Democrats in the SEN
ate do not like the idea Of voting for
a treaty which admits virtually that
this country did wrong in taking the
means which 1t did to secure the build
ing Of the Panama canal. Colombia
was 80 evasive while Uncle Sam was
trying to induce her to give him the
canal strip that the general belief is
1t would have taken many years to
have secured permission to build the
canal. Now the waterway is COM
pleted, and most Of the senators, 1t is
said, recognize the fact that IL Pana-
mas independence had not been rec
ognized we would have no canal to-
| day.
The senate, of course, ratifies treat
les, the house having nothing to do
with them. The Republican senators
do not like the idea Of voting to apol-
ogize for something which was done
under a Republican administration.
and there are some Democrats who
are averse to apologizing for any act
OF the United States government
which seemingly has been approved
by the country. The result Of this
feeling probably will be hard fight
in the senate, IL any attempt is made