Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-26
Sly fnnuence,

clssl0n yesterday 10 the House OF Representa-
tiVts Mr.. Code. Of Virginia. offered an amend.
meut a1ptopriating 100000 for The establish
meet at The Is!hnus Of Panams of naval sta,
tions and depo's Of coal for the supply of steam.
ships CT War;.
MIR. MoMahon charged that bshind this
proposition was scheme fer the benei. of the
Chiriqui Land Improvement Company. which
Was the owner of 100000 scres If land Oh
the lshmus, which included the tw, barbors
that were to be mado conliDg stations How
mary private Pchemes might be involved 10 the
proposition he did not know, but he had o suspi.
Dion that 1t Vas not at oil lJr tho promotion OF
the honor and glory of the United States.
MIR. Blount argued against the proposition
Oh its merits.
Tho committee had just learned from The gen
tleman from Ohio Mr.. McMahop] that thu
proposition was being urged by land company
on the lsthmus, represented by COUNSEL in sevc
raj of the committee rooms OF the House.
Mr.. McMahon expressed bis surprise ct the
suggestion that saving of $3.50, geo cculd be
effected annually BY the establishment of these
coallng stations. 1fthat we're 30. why did not
| The cute Yankees connected With tho Chiriuui
Land Company establish those coal stations
| themselves, mice tho coal, aud SILL it to tho
Government?
MIR. Harris. Of Massachusetts,, member Of
tho Naval Committee, disolamcd With much
indignation tho idea that any representative OF
| o land company lad been before that commit
| tee, CT had Influenced it 10 any respect. The
| lntlnstlon was unfair to the committee. 1.-THE
| gentleman MIR. McMahoD wished to make
such charge. be should do 80 boldly and not
ty sly luslnustioD, affecting the integrity and
honor OF tho Com mitteo en- Naval Affairs. Il
| was believed by the President and Secretary oil!
| the Navy that, 10 view Of tho complications
that may srlso in the future, it was wisdom on
| the part OF tho United States to have coaliug
stations Oh tho Atlantic and Pacific sides of the
lsthmua. Wss the House unwilling to thrust
TO tho President and Secretary OF tho Navy tho
power TO iix thtss locations?
MIR. klog, chairman Il the laterloannic Ca
| nal Committee, denied that any representative
OF any land company had appeared bsiora or had
| iufuencod that committee.
| Mr.. Whitthorao criticised tho democracy OF
Mr. B!ount and MIR. McMahone, contrasting it
with that real Democracy which bad added en-
plrcs to the rallonal domain, whose prominent
idea was tho manifest DIS my of the North
American Republic, and whose motto was:
| mo pant up Utica contracts our powers
| But The whole boundles5 continent ia GUS"
1t was that which Inspired his Democracy; but
these gentlemen Messrs. BIouut and Nc Ma
hon Wero but the DeoDhYtes nOG picayuncs Of
| Democracy. [LauehEorl As to the iutimn-
tlon OF jobbery, all no had to say was. that
WHEN tn proposition oamo before tho Naval
Committee it was referred 10 Mr. Goodc as q
sub committee and Tho iutinaton that ANYBODY
appeared before him or before the coulmilico 10
tho interest OF land c!npany Was Il: c1asitablo
AID faIsc
Mr.. McMshon-I never iutimated it.
| Mr.. WhltthCrne-lf l were so uSohaii;ahle
and mean Us others are. | might throw out tho
lntimation that the money of French sohemcrs
Is bslrg used to defeat the great American IDA
and prcj @; bu. 90 not irdulee 10 su,h iati
nations. l believe thst the IIoulo AID the
country uro animated by the Same spirit as the
Commute en- Naval Affairs. which is that The
future, the greatness, ard tho hoEor of tho
country demand this work Of preparation to
meet possible emergencies.
| MIR. MoMabon thought tho remarks of his
distinguished friend little unfortunate, 10
view of the fact that the Secretary Of the Navy,
who recommended the establishment of these
c)a!ing stations. was now The American prcsi.
dent of the Panama Canal Company.
Mr.. Goodc-Oh, no; it was recommended by
tho present Secretary, Mr. Golf.
| MIR. Robason-And by Mr.. Tbompscn'5 pre-
decessor.
MIR. MoMahon said that no had never spoken
with MIR. Thompson on tho subject. He had
never charged or irtmated that tho members
| of tho Naval Committee or Of the Interooaauic
Canal COMMITTED had BEEN itHuar c,d by i'm L.
proper motives.
Mr.. Goode-I did not understand any such
nsiuuation 10 DO made against ma personally,
or | would have met it promptly at tie time.
| Mr.. McMahon-Ex lo,ly; and | would hsve
had moro respect for you if you had met i.
promptly. But it vas not made and was not
intended | do say, however, that it ia remark.
able that the two committees who had tho bill
specially in charge tthe Naval and Insorcceauc
| Conmittees.) and who made o thorough i1ves-
tigation of the sut .cs, did not discover that
the Chiriq1i Lind Improvement Company Was
behind it all.
Mr.. Harris-Thc Naval Committee dso)v.
cred nothing Of the kind.
Mr.. McMshon-Ihat is what en- oompIsin
ing Of.
Mr.. Harris-Wbat has that 10 do with The
| suSlec.? l wish you to make your charge. il
you have one TO make.
MIR. McMaho1-lt was executive Influence
| that wanted this Put 10 tho bill.
Mr.. Harris-rneo it is tho Executives that is
connected with the Chriqa improvement
| Company? Please pu! it somewhere.
MIR. Nc Hahon-ls there any Executive but
| one in this couotry
Dem ,c'at-riIden. Laughter.
MIR. McMahon-l repeat that executive 10
hlcncs was slyIy cast around tho sub com uitteo
OF the Committee Oh Appropriations. A gen.
tloman camc before u. did not call him
land iobber
Mr. Hi:c jck-Wi tho gentleman Indicate
| What wtro the sly ilfuerc.s exercised by the
Executive owe. the subcommittee Of the Com
nittoo 90 Appropriations?
Mr.. Goode-AI the information before the
Naval Committee IVES derived from executive
documents. NJ representative OF any private
JOB whatever has ever. 10 any manner. so far %
| know, approached that committee.
MIR. McMahon-I have 90 doubt OF i.
MIR. Frye (tsuntiugly) ouly went to
tho sutc I'm mitlen of thu (Iam mitteo nm Annro