The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-13

washington. Jan. 12-The house
committee on rules today gave an au-
dience to a number of representative
and senators. principally from the Pa
cifc coast who are interested in the
Nicaragua canal bill. Among those
present We're Representatives Herr
mann and Ellis of Oregon, DOOlittle of
Washington, Loud, Bowers, Barham
and Hilborn of California. JOY of Mis-
souri,, MahOn of Pennsylvania and
Senators Mcbride and Perkins of Ore
gon and California respectively.
Mr.. DoOlittIe. who is a member OF
the house commerce committee which
framed the measure, read it at length
and explained various sections. re
was interrupted from time to time by
the members of the rules committee.
who questioned him closely respecting
the probability of the scheme. the
engineering difficulties to be encoun-
tered, the cost of the waterway and
the effects Of the governments guaran-
tee of the bonds. Some doubt was eX-
pressed Is TO the feasibility of the
canal Mr.. Doolittle thereupon ex-
planned to the committee how thor
oughly the engineer officers of the
Maritime Canal company has survey ed
the route. and how fully their work
was supplemented by that OF the
special engineer commission which
went to Nicaragua for the same pur-
pose in July, 1885. He showed that
the United States engineer commission
was satisfied that the canal could be
built but that the only difference Of
time company was as to the sum nee
essary to complete it.
Speaker Reed explained at one point
in the proceedings that he had always
been satisfied of the practicab lity OF
the enterprise: that he was partial TO
any legislation that would benefit the
Pacific slope, in which he was always
interested. and that he did not doubt
its great benefit TO the people residing
on both the Atlantic and Pacific slopes;
but he desired specific information re
specting the atmospheric and physical
condition TO be encountered, and he in
CURED particularly as to the possibility
of clOudbursts and earthquakes. To
these queries Mr.. DOOlittle replied
quoting from the report made by the
engineer officers as well as from the
reports of the Maritime company.
Mr.. Hermann, speaking as citizen
Of the Pacific slope pointed out the
canals advantages in developing that
region, and claimed that its beneficial
results would be apparent Immediately
upon its completion. He explained
now greatly commerce mad been Dene-
fitted by the opening OF the Suez canal
and he spoke at length of the advan-
tages that are derived from settled
country. given an enormous impetus
to the iron ere industry and resulted
in the upbuilding OF commerce twice
that of the Suez canal. The country
developed by this canal was an empire
in extent which could rot, however.
had its present state of perfection
without the cheap rates afforded by the
canal.
1t was suggested by the members OF
the rules committee that the bill should
be so amended as to require d further
survey to determine the feasibility Of
the canal and its cost before the gov
eminent should be committed to the
enterprise.
If the rules committee permit the
bill to come up Tor discussion it VIII,
ii is claimed, pass by a large majority
as it is understood to have the sup
port of all the Republican members
except a score or so and about so of
the Democrats in addition.