The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-25
WHITES WORDS FOR
THE |STHMUS CANAL,
A Master Argument in Favor
of the Measure.
Fallacy Of Senator Turpie's
Argument Proven.
MEANING OF COMMERCE.
The Bill VIII Pass tho Senate To-day.
Benefits to Be Derived by
the Coast From the
MEANING OF COMMERCE.


WASHINGTON. Jan. 24.-One of the
strongest speeches yet made in favor OF
the pending Nicsragusn canal bill was
that delivered BY Senator Stephen NJ.
White today. 1t attracted wide attsn-
ton. Senator White had bsea selected
by Chairman Morgan to answer criti.
cisms OF Senator Turpie who had
devoted several days to bitter criticism
OF the bill.
Mr., White fret investigated the legis-
lative power OF congress over the cub
jecs He attacked the position taken by
several senators and quoted libsrally
from sdjudications OF the United States
supreme court in support Of hiI views.
He ridiculed the claim that commsrcs
carried on between the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts OF the United States by
means OF water was not commerce
among states. He showed that il this
view was correct Alaska, in the event
OF its being state. could never enjoy
the advantages OF this federal provision.
Ii congress- has the power to construct
roads, etc., under the authority con-
ferred, to regulate domestic commerce,
Mr.. White did not perceive how the
word regulate could be Of any~leeE force
when applied to foreign commerce.
THE WORDS OF MARSHALL.
While admitting that powers OF gem
eral government are limited, he quoted
from Chief Justice Msrahall: LET the
end be legitimate, let it be within the
scope OF legislation and all means which
are appropriate and which are plainly
adapted to that end, which ara not pro.
hibited, but consist with the letter and
spirit OF legislation are constitutional.
He referred to numerous cases showing
that as respects foreign jurisdiction,
federal government is supreme.
Several senators who opposed the bill
questioned Senator White closely but he
was fully prepared and readily answered
various interrogatories propoundei. He
then proceeded to answer in detail the
argu ment of Senator Turpie and was in
terrupted several times by that gentle.
man. Mr.. White called attention TO the
positive statements of Turpie upon en-
gneering questions and said that he did
not profess to be an engineer or to have
technical knowledge upon such subjects
and he was not prepared to dogmatically
assert that the conclusions reached by
unimpeached men, ointment in their
profession, should be disregarded.
MYTHICAL EXPERTS.
H. alludsd to concealment OF the
names OF opposing experts. Hs charged
that Senator Turpie's attack upon the
bill was not supported by the facts of
the case. He pointed out that the con.
tract which had been made with tn o
construction company and which in
volved 5000, 900 900 was required to be
delivered up aud cancelled before a ain
gle bond was guaranteed by the govsrn-
ment. and he said that Turpis's decar.
alton to the contrary had nothing to
mai ntain il.
Ia support Of his views Mr.. White
read the explicit language of the bill.
Senator Turpie said that he had been
hlOd W ouklHo6Tu tuhb bh0
teredo destroyed creosoted piles in ak
months. Mr.. White produced a tsle'
gram from the surveyor OF the port of
San Francisco (English). who has had
more experience in this direction, and
Mr.. English stated that piles properly
creosoted would last for 25 years. Addi-
tional authority upon this subject was
given by Mr.. White. He secuted the
idea advanced by Turpie that the teredo
relished creosoted piles. He said that
the senator from Indiana had advanced
the novel proposition that the favorite
dish OF the Greytown toredo was pile a
la CT eosote. He read from the testimony
taken by the committee, and proved
that the rock filled dam which Turpie
was q flimsy structure. was
designed to be made OF rock, tested at
every.point OF it's construction by flow-
ing water. He denied that climatic
were such as to render earth
en- mbsnkments useless. He said that if
the erosive action OF rains was such as
to bring about the disasters prophesied,
the whole country would be barren and
OF desert and naked rocks.
RICH AND FERTILE COUNTRY.
He auked how the growth OF coffee
and other plants and productions of pro-
fuse growth could be accpunted for if
disturbed soil must always be washed
away. Mr.. White said that the govern