The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-30
SENATOR FRYE's REMINIsCENCES

SENATOR FRYE's "REMINISCENCES
NJ. De Lesseps Before the Congressional
CommitJee-His Suspicious Conduct.
WASHINGTON, Dec 29.-Following the al
legations Of wrong doing on tho part of
Count De Lesseps growing out of the Pan
anna canal scandal comes the assertion that
suspicion of his entire honesty was excited
as far back as 1879 In the minds of men,
bers of Congress- and while the fact that
suspiclon did exist cannot be verified. some
interesting information that until now did
not have ats significance may be obtained
from q review of the history of the
canal project in the Congress of the
United States. On Dec. 19, 1879, the
House of Representatives, adopted
resolution empowering q select committee
ito examine into the subject of the
struction of an interoceanic ship canal
across the American isthmus. OF the
eleven mem bers who served on the COM
mittee some are dead. while others have re-
tired into obscnrity, leaving only one re-
naming in ConRress-SenatOr Frye. of
Maine. When asked. to-day, concerning
his impression of the trustwortbiness OF
matter. as gained from tbs testimony of De
Lesseps and others before the select com-
mittee, Senator Frye said his impressions
OF the inquiry were very lndistinct. but he
that time that De Lesseps was not the hon.
orable man he had always been represented
to be.
II had no snspicion that he was not en-
tirely what he was represented to be-"
said the Senator, until he changed the
plan OF the canal to one requiring the use
of locks. after he had secured his subscrip-
tions on the representation that 1t would
be constructed on tho simple plan of sea.
level canal. / believe Lieutenant Kim
on tho isthmus. first placed suspicion in my
mind. Count De Lesseps had been called
on for . report showing progress. and Lieu
tentant Kimball told me that be had not
represented the true condition of the work
of construction. The members of the COM
mittee were not, / am sure. suspicious of
De Lesseps at the time. They were. like
myself, anxious to discover the best route
for shIp-canal connecting the Atlantic
and the Pacific oceans. The inquiry de-
velOped in my mind only one conclusion.
and that was that the Nicaragua canal
project was the better-in fact, the only
committee were impressed with the Eads
ship canal plan."
But whatever may have been the opin-
ions of the individual members of the oom-
mittee in reference to the respective pro-
jects considered, the inquiry resulted In
nothing more than the presentation to the
House of series of resolutions reaffirm-
ing the Monroe doctrine and making
no recommendation concerning the
Ws1t Of sh. ths hssa,Ss adasn n
result Of doubt as to the honesty of the
promoters of the Panama project has not
appeared TO this day. and. judging from
Senator Frye's belief. the members of the
tfaox ,nf ioin nj rsyh
is reported that some other members OF
Congress were satisfied that De Lesseps
purposely misled the committee. Agitation
OF tho American status of the canal project
may result in an investigation that will
bring out more fully the workings of the
promoters in this country. and with the
growing propensity of the House of Rep
rssentatiycs for Investigations. 1t Is not
improbable that some inquiry may follow.
The only direct bearing on the Panama
canal scheme contained In the resolutions
submitted to the House by the select CON-
! mittee on inquiry. and these resolu tions it
may be mentioned. were never adopted.
was contained In the following languages:
That it is the interest and right of the United
States to have possession, direction. control and
government of any canal, railroad or other arti-
the isthmus connecting the American continents
for the transfer OF vessels and cargOes from the
caribbean sea to the Pacific ocean. whether the
same be built or constructed at Panama, Mica
ragua or elsewhere: and, in view or the magni-
tude OF this interest IL Is the duty of the United
States to insist that IL built, and by whomsoever
| the same may be commenced, prosecuted or
| completed. and whatever the nationality OF its
corporators, the source OF their capital, that
the interest of the United states and their right
| 10 possess and control the said canal. or other
| artificial communication. would be asserted and
maintained whenever, In their opinion, il shall
| become necessary.
The attention of the Nlcaraguan minister
| in Washington. Senior Don Horatio Guz-
| man. was to-day called to Panama dis
patch stating that the boundary dispute
| between Costa Rica and Nicaragua was
assuming threatening dimensions and that
hostilities between the two republics might
begin at any moment. He said: That is
| all wrong. and i wish you would give 1t
the fullest contradiction. The question of
the validity of the treaty establishing the
| boundaries between the two countries was
submitted to the arbitration Of Mr.. Cleve-
land. and he decided in favor of the treaty.
That settled the dispute. When the ques-
| tion of running the boundary lines came
mp later some little difficulties have arisen
| from time to time in dstails but nothing
| of character TO thresten war or any thing
| like 1t. Both countries-all Central Amer
lea. in fact-are interested IN the Nicara-
qua canal. and these rcports might do us
great injnry IL not contradicted. There il
no truth IN them. l certainly should know
If there WAS. There has been little wordy