The herald., 1897-01-21
PROCEEDINGS IN
SENATE AND HOUSE
Mr.. Turpie BeIabors the
Canal Bill
He WANTS JUST one more Day
To Complete His Inventory Of
Its Demerits
Mr.. PETTIGREW ALSO KICKS
AT Failures 10 Wiring the British Lions
Thinks the v, nezueIa Agreement Disgrace.
Thinks the v nezueIa Agreement Disgrace.
full Surrender
Ihe Appropriation Bills Paeged-The
House Devotes the Day to
Virginia Contested
Election Case
Associated Press Special Wire


WASHINGTON, Jan. 20-The Senate
TODAY proceeded with the consideration
of the Nicaraguan canal BILL Mr.. Tu1pie
continuing his speech in opposition. He
has not yet concluded and tomorrow
will be the third day Of his speech. His
remarks today were bitterly antagon-
ist1c to the Nicaragua Canal company
the senator characterizing its methods
as those of Peter Funk. Mr. Morgan will
ask to have a time fixed for final vote
as soon as Mr.. Turpie closes
The legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill, carrying approx
mately $23, 100000, was passed during the
day.
Mr.. Pettigrew Of South Dakota severe
ly criticised the legislative authorities
for concluding the Venezuelan boundary
agreement, which, he said, was a COM
plete surrender of Venezuela to Great
Britain. His resolution calling on the
secretary Of state for information was
referred to the foreign relations COM
mittee.
Unanimous consent was secured for
taking up the bill for an International
monetary conference on Tuesday next
Pettigrew addressed the senate in sup
port of his resolution, introduced Mon
day. calling ON the secretary of state for
report ON the work on the Venezuelan
commission and copy of the agree
ment entered into between the United
States and Great Britain. Pettigrew
spoke of the tedious diplomatic struggle
III tvnr, A. I. -
the president sent to congress- message
that startled t'Ne world Acting on this
congress provided Venezuelan COM
mission, but up to the present time con-
gress and the public We're In ignorance
as to what had been done, although 1t
was we'll understood that an agreement
had been made between the executive
authorities and authorities of Great
Britain, that a treaty had been made.
This treaty or agreement was, Mr..
Pettigrew asserted a surrender Of the
entire contention of the United States.
Instead of securing arbtra tion of the
territory claimed by Venezuela, it es-
tablished fifty year limit. which in ef-
feet gave to Great Britain all the terri
tory within the Schomburg line. 1t was
a complete abandonment of Venezuela
and surrender of all the United States
had claimed Venezuela is a weak ma
ton and had reason 10 expect that the
strength of the United States would be
interposed in her behalf. But this ar
rangement gave to Great Britain all
that Venezuela had protested against
1t was time, Mr.. Pettigrew declared,
that the public was taken into the conf
dence of the administration on this sub
ject, as the original position on the Ven
ezuelan question was about the only
thing done by the president which COM
mendIed itself to the people.
At this point Mr.. Sherman interposed.
saying he felt it to be his duty to move
that the senate doors be- closed, as this
was a question: concerning a treaty.
which should be properly considered in
executive session.
Mr.. Pettigrew insisted that he could
speak concerning the presidents mes
sage on the subject, and he proceeded on
that line.
On the question of agreeing to the RES
olution. Mr.. Sherman asked that it first
go to the committee on foreign rela tions.
and upon Pettigrew's assent this dispo-
Sition was made.
Mr.. Quay presented the report Of the
conference committee on the army ap-
propria tion bill. stating that the confer
ence had agreed on all differences ex-
cept that as to the hospital at Hot
Springs, Ark. The report was accepted
and a further conference asked on tho
Hot Springs provision.
AT o'clock Mr.. Turpie resumed his
speech In opposition to the Nicaragua
canal bill. lie said the so-called rights
of the Nicaragua Canal company were
not worth acquiring. 1t had no title to
the land traversed by the canal They
had merely IN easement or license To do
certain work. The personal property Of
the company was old. rotten and WORTH
less, according to the report of the
United States commission which inves-
tigated it. The railroad built as prelimL
mary to the canal was overgrown with
tropical vines and cane. And yet this
railroad, under water. built on rotten
ties, was used as security to the United
States for the vast outlay. Daily, said
Mr.. Turpie, the newspapers told of loot
ing of some private fortune by spurious
and frauds. The pending pro-
iect was of the same character. except
that the Nicaragua Canal company
openly admitted that the security they
offered was of straw, utterly worthless
and belonged to the class of goods ham.
died by that distinguished individual,
Peter Funk.
The senator asserted that the project
failed to take into account a condition of
the grant to the Nicaragua Canal COM
pany, which bound the company to con-
meet Lakes Managua and Nicaragua by
a canal twenty-one miles long. This
would be binding on the Unit
ed States II it became assignee to the
canal company No estimate OF the cost