The herald., 1897-02-11
IN THE SENATE
The Cunai Bill Withdrawn-Ag BIZ
Passed

WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator
Morgan, the champion of the Nicaragua
canal bill, announced in the senate to-
day his abandonment of that measure
for the present session of congress, and
thereupon it was displaced by the bank
ruptcy bill. The senator made this
move after a protracted contest cover
ing several weeks, which had disclosed
the fact that obstructive opposition could
not be overcome. He gave notitN that
he would renew his advocacy of the bill
at an early day of the coming extra
session. Mr.. Morgan bitterly criticized
the British opposition to the canal, and
addressing himself directly to Mr., Sher-
man, declared that if the next secretary
of state permitted himself to be fed on
the anodynes of flattery of Great Britain
the people would not support him. Mr..
Morgan asserted also that Mr.. Sherman
would not succeed in negotiating a
treaty relating to the canal, as the gen
| ius of Talleyrand or Matternich could
not stand against the "thmblerigging'
of those republics
The bankruptcy bill succeeded to the
advantageous position of unfinished
! business, but the debate went over until
tomorrow.
The agricultural bill was taken up late
III lllt Qdy anu IdSStu Will So,-JO, DOu 1t
led to a lively debate in which Secretary
Morton was sharply criticized by SEN
ators Vest, Chandler, Tillman and 9TH
eIS.
The house bill was passed extending
the time for complying with the require
ments of the act forfeting railroad lands,
Mcbride of Oregon (Republican) eX-
planning that the bill applied to lanGf
along the Northern Pacific route
,f
the bill limiting the effect OF federal
laws on liquor traffic so as to give each
state absolute control OF the subject
| Mr.. Plat, Republican of Connecticut.
/ thought ii was a measure requiring an
! explanation, ard Mr.. Tllman proceeded
| to explain in detail. He said the bill
| was designed TO give each state the right
to control the liquor traffic in its own
/ way without interference from the fed
! eral judiciary or any other source A
! recent decision of the United States su-
| preme court in the South Carolina dis
! pcnsary case had practically annulled
| that part of the Wilson law permitting
| state regulation Of the liquor traffic.
| The amendments were made to meet the
| objections of the various courts, so as
TO allow the state to exercise police con
troll Of foreign made liquor in the states
as well as of home made liquors.
Mills opposed the bin as a step back
ward, allowing, as it does. said he inter-
| ference with interstate commerce. He
considered il a very dangerous prece-
dent.
Mr.. Vest also opposed it on the same
ground. The bill was he said intended
| to maintain the South Carolina monopoly
under the dispensary law.
Il openly confess that to be the OBJ.
| ject,' said Mr.. Tillman, Three -fourths
! of our people have expressed their sup
| port of the principle"
| The discussion was cut off at 1880 n
m, the time fixed for the senators tC
proceed to the. house of representatives
| and participate in the count Of the elec.
| toral vote.
When the senate re-conVened, the Mic.
aragua canal bill came up as the regular
| order of business and Mr. Morgan re
! neWed his advocacy of the measure
| Mr.. Morgan declared that British in
tluence was continually at work to pre-
| vent American control of the canal II,
| had positive and detailed information
| supporting this declaration 1T is o
such character" said Mr.. Morgan
that | am compelled to present thi
| information to the senate in eXecutiV,
session 1t win disclose that up to thi
hour British intervention has been con
| spring to prevent the consummatio o
this canal project under American con
| troll
"Culess all the manhood of the United
states mas been aiken out Of us by con