Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-12-14
NICARAGUA CANAL
Morgan Makes His Plea for 1t
in the Upper House.
SENATOR MITCHELL STANDS IN

The Alabama Senator Says That Action
Must be Taken at the Present ses-
sion or the Canal Would be Aban-
doned to Its Fate.
WASHINGTON, December 12-Harris,
President pro tenn, called the Senate to
order to-day in the absence of Vice
President Stevenson, who had not re-
turned from Asheville, N. G. Call pre-
scented a resolution setting forth that the
independence of the Island of Cuba is
an object of great Importance to the
United States and requesting the Presi-
dent to commence negotiations with
Spain for the recognition of the indie
pendence of the island and for the guar
antee by the United States of the pay
ment OF such a sum of money as shall
be agreed upon between the United
States and Spain. The resolution went
over till tomorrow. Call also presented
a resolution declaring the further prose-
cution of the war between China and
Japan will not be advantageous to the
people OF civilization, and that interests
of the world require that all govern
ments should unite in negotiating with
Japan and China for termination OF
the war. Without discussion the reso-
luton was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations.
Allen next called up his resolution in
tended to eXpunge a portion OF the Con-
gressional Record and to send resolu-
ton introduced by him last July to the
Attorney General. The latter resolution
called for information concerning the
Pullman strike. This resolution was
adopted but was reconsidered on motion
of Pugh. Allen bitterly assailed this
action, and also attacked the Attorney
General, to whom he attributed the ac-
ton of the Alabama Senator. Pugh
vigorously defended the attitude taken
by Olney and declared the position of
the Senator from Nebraska was unrea-
sonable and untenable.
At 2 O'Clock the whole matter went
over and the Senate on motion of Nor
gan took up the NiCaraguan Canal bill.
The bill was read at length, and Morgan
began his remarks by making state
m ent of the national and international
aspect of the subject, upon which the
calculations, he insisted, showed that
the canal could be constructed at a cost
that would Weld remunerative profit,
so that it was necessity; that it would
be of the greatest importance to the
United States that it could be operated,
and that there was nothing to render
impossible the concessions made by the
Central American government to the
citizens of the United States. Finishing
this general statement, the Senator de-
voted some time to the discussion of the
characteristics of the country through
which it is proposed to build the canal
and its advantageous route compared
with that of the Panama Canal route,
and asserted that no such improvement
could be given to commerce as the con-
struction of this necessary complement
to the Suez Canal. The route is feasible,
the engineering work easy, and there
will be no extraordinary work required
at any place on the whole route. Nor
gan quoted from the report Of Chief
Engineer MenOCal, who estimates that
the canal could be built for SS5, OOO, 900,
and said he thought the expenditure of
the $4,000,000 already spent had demon
strated that the actual cost would be
even lower than that estimated by Mr..
Menocal. The two Houses of Congress
practically agree that the cost of the ca
nal would be about $40 100000. Morgan
concluded:
1.-THE manner of raising the money is
a matter that should not be allowed to
affect it's construction. The canal must
be built under the fostering care of some
government. We must act now or aban-
don the canal to its fate"
At the conclusion of Morgan's speech
Mitchell of Oregon briefly expressed his
hearty approval of the scheme to build
the canal, and said he thought there was
no great difference among the people re-
garding the propriety of the work of con-
structiOn.