The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-27
MERELY A DECOY. 4
Though Retired Ammen
Can Still Fight.
HOT SHOT FROM THE ADMIRAL
The American Minister of Marine Used
to Draw Money From the Pockets
of French Peasants.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

NEW YORK, Jan. 26.-With reference to
the proposed inv estigatoD by Congress of
the American end of the Panama canal
scandal, morning paper prints the fol-
lowing from Washington correspondent:
No American has been more prominent in
urging the construction of the canal across
Central America than Rear Admiral Daniel
Ammen. Admiral Ammen is mentioned in
an interview with ex-Secretary of the Navy
r. W. Thompson, some days ago, as one of
those who appeared before the House Com
mitiee of Foreign Relations January Ii.
1889. when that committee refused to in
woke the Monroe doctrine against the
French encroachment on Panama. The ad-
miral is now retired. He was asked if he
would not like to throw some light on the
suspected corruption in America In connec-
ton with the Panama canal.
The admiral answered: "All | know IS
merely matter of suspicion, ] care to say
nothing concerning that: but would like
to say a few words concerning Colonel
Thompson's views on this subject. The
interview of Colonel Thompson published
January % is gratifying in the statement
that 800 cars built in Indiana. and drcdgers.
locomotives and other machinery were paid
for cut of the S12 00O. 000 sent 10 this coun-
try which Charles de Lesseps was reported
as saying had been turned to very good ac-
count. 1t was. in fact uselully spent. but
no account was rendered. Let US hope, in
justice to Colonel Thompson, as the head
of The American Panama canal syndicate,
and his associates. that Charles de Lesseps
will correct his statement.
Colonel Thompson errs in supDosing l
appeared before the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee of the House to argue the validity of
the Monroe doctrine as against the Panama
canal.
Looking over the question of bribery, in
which Colonel Thompson sees no possible
NJ olive other than TO repress MonrOe doc
trine resolutions, / would suggest another
possibility which escaped his acumen. At
that time the Maritime Canal Company of
Nicaragua was holding very liberal con-
cessiOD, far more SO than that held by De
Lesseps at Panama. and was endeavorlng
to obtain simply an act of incorporation
from Congress without any guarantees,
and was unable TO do so. Now, 1t occurs to
me that DauZats. the chief engineer at
Panama at that time. when asked by re-
porter in relation to the Nicaragua canal
as a possible obstruction, replied that De
Lesseps would know low to repress that;
he had too many friends in the United
States to allow that to proceed. 1t is a curl
Gus fact, as stated before, that the Maritime
Canal Company Of Nicaragua, then holding
a very admirable concession on the route
pronounced upon by the Government Com
mission az commercially practicable and
superior to any other route known, could
never obtain a single act of Incorporation,
even when shorn of any guarantee
81 recall this fact to the memory Of Colonel
Thompson, who doubtless has forgotten ali
about it after such lapse of time. | recall
the fact, too in the minority report adverse
to granting the act of Incorporation, very
laudatory mention Uas made of the SueZ
canal. and as De Lesseps was at work at
Panama we might count upon the canal
a strange reason for denying the act of in
corporation to build the Nicaragua canal,
for which they held concession.
General Grant was ostentatiously Of
fered the presidency of the American
branch OF the Panama canal by telegram
from Paris, and he declined the offer and
stated in reply that desIous as he was TO
connect his name with canal across this
continent he nevertheless was unwilling to
do so in a project which he felt sure would
end in the loss Of all the capital invested
AT later date another telegram from Paris
OstentatiOusly announced the American
presidency of the Panama Canal Company
at salary of SIS 900. A reporter inter-
viewed the American Minister of Marine in
the person of Colonel Thompson. and was
Informed that he received so tempting an
offer it was impossible to decline 1t. The
reporter was malicious enough TO add that
the American Minister of Marine had little
idea of his own value as q stool-pige0n 10
entrap French peasants and small renters"