The record-union., 1894-02-17
NICARAGUA CANAL.
The Question Disposed of By the
Transmississippi Congress-
RESOLUTIONS PASSED FAVORINC
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.
The Congress Passes a Resolution Re-
commencing the Opening of the
MintS to the Free Coinage of Silver
at Ratio of Sixteen to One-Other
Matters Acted Upon.
Special to the REooRD-UN1ox.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 16.-The Nicara-
qua Canal was the subject under con-
sideration at the session of the Trans
mississippi Congress this morning. A
memorial to the National Congress, urg-
ing the completion of the canal under
terms of the Morgan bill, or any other
bill which would insure the speedy con-
struction of the canal, was presented yes
terday.
An amendment was offered to-day to
strike out that part of the memorial re-
ferring to the Morgan bill or any other
measure which might involve Govern
ment aid to the enterprise. There was a
long discussion on the subject but no
definite action was taken.
In the afternoon the contention on the
| Nicaragua Canal question was resumed.
The discussion was more animated even
than when the matter was first under
consideration, and the debate at times
was almost acrimonious. The matter be-
fore the congress was an amendment by
Delegate Thompson of California to the
The original resolution memorialiZed
Congress to enact legislation in the inter-
ests of the prompt construction of the
Nicaragua Canal under such conditions
as provided for in the Morgan bill or any
other bill which will secure to the world
it's immediate construction and unre-
stricted use under control and super
vision Of the United States Government.
Thompson'S amendment struck out all
fn 70 n
vided for the insertion of the following
provided, that such canal be constructed,
owned and operated directly by the Gov
eminent of the United States without in
tervention of any private corporation"
Thompson's resolution finally pre-
vailed by vote of 81 to 1913, and the
resolution passed as amended.
The adoption of Thompson's amend
ment was greeted with prolonged ap-
plause.
The silver resolution was next called
up as the special order. The resolution
as reported by the committee was as fol-
lows: THAT we recommend the reopen
ing of the mints to the coinage of silver
on the same terms that they are now open
TO the coinage of gold, and at the ratio of
10 to IL
Delegate Braunhart of California offered
a substitute, recommending the coinage
of the seigpiorage now i'll the treasury as
proposed in the Bland bill.
The substitute was defeated by an over
Whelming vote, and the original free
coinage resolution prevailed, in the midst
of storm of applause.
Among many other resolutions then
reported were the following: Memorializ-
ing Congress to furnish adequate coast
defenses on Puget Sound, and 10 station
one or more modern war vessels there;
memOrialIZIng Congress TO adequately
fortify and protect the harbor of San
Diego, IN view of the great Strategetic
location in time of war, and It's CONNER
ciai importance at all times; memorable
ing Congress to take such action as will
secure TO the people mineral lands lying
within the limits of land grants previ-
ously made 10 railroads; memorialiZing
Congress to enact appropriate forestry
laws for the care of forestry reservations,
for the increase of such reservations and
for the establishment of a complete for
estry system; memOrlaliZing Congress to
establish and maintain at a central point
in the great artesian basin at South Da-
kota an experiment artesian irrigation
station; memorialiZing Congress to inn
mediately admit to statehood the Terri
tories of New Mexico Utah and Arizona.
A slight opposition was manifested to-
ward the admission of Utah, one Califor-
ola delegate moving to strike the word
Utah from the resolution. The Utah del
egation promptly declared that they
would offer a dissent; that they were
willing to submit the question to the in
telligence of the congress, Cries of ''V ote
it down" were heard all over the hall,
and when the vote was taken there was
not single voice in favor of the amend
ment.
The Hawaiian matter was called up
and again threw the congress into an
other spirited debate, there being consid
erable opposition to the strong resolu-
tions reported by the committee. An at
tempt was made to substitute a resolu-
ton recommending protectOrate over
the islands as a solution OF the problem.
This was quickly voted down. The con-
vention then, amidst uproarious ap-
piause, passed the three resolutions fol-
lowing, one after another:
''ReSOIUed, That the great interests of
this country on the Pacific Coast, both in
time of peace and war, require that the
Hawaiian Islands shall not be liable to
be subjected TO the domination or infiu-
ence of any foreign power.
"ReSOtCed, That any attempt to force on
the Hawaiian community the restoration
of the arbitrary monarchical Government
of the late Queen is repugnant to the
sense of justice and republican principles
of the American people.
"ResoIUed, That the opportunity to fur
ther American interests, and to insure TO
said islands free, permanent and hu-
name government, afforded by their ap-
plication for annexation, presents a set
tlement of the Hawaiian question by the
peaceful acquisition and spread OF Amer
lean institutions which it would be both
foolish and wrong TO decline"
The convention then passed resolutions
calling for the creation Of a Government
Secretary of Mines and Mining; demand
ing that all Indian reservations be opened
for settlement as soon as possible; de-
manding the foreclosure OF Government
mortgages on the Union and Central Pa
citic Railroads at the earliest time possi-
ble and that the Government operate the
same for the benefit of the public; de-
manding liberal appropriations for the
Improvement of the Upper Willamette
River, and for the completion of i'm
provements at Coos Bay and the Suislaw
Harbors; declaring that United States
Senators should be elected by a direct
vote of the people.
Captain NJ. @. Butterfeld of Portland,
Oregon, was then elected Secretary, SUBJ
ject TO the action of the Executive Com
mittee.
At the evening session resolution was
introduced declaring il the sense of the
congress that the right of the elective
franchise should be extended to female as
well as male lnnaDltantS OF the RepuOllc.
Mrs. Mary l.. Craig Of Redlands, Cal,
proceeded to address the congress on
woman suffrage.
The woman suffrage resolution caused
a disturbance that was as turbulent and
uproarlouS as 1t was unexpected. The
convention worked itself into an almost
hopeless tangle. The Chairman of the
Committee on Resolutions, which had re-
ported the resolution back with the rec
ommendat1on that it lay on the table. ex-
planned that the committee had decided
that the question was one of national inn