The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-14
He Inveighs Against the Nicaragua
Canal and Calls the Maritime
Company Fraud.
SENATOR MORGAN'S REPLY
MINISTER MERRY'S PROTEST TO
THE NICARAGUAN PRESIDENT.
Letter from w. r.. Grace on Behalf of
the Syndicate That Is Trying to
Circumvent the Old Company.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S-To-days session
of the Senate was largely consumed in dis
cusson of the Nicaragua canal BILL Mr.
Turpie made the principal speech in opposi-
ton to the bill. attacking it on the ground
that it is in the interest of the Maritime
Company, which he characterized as a fraud
and bankrupt. He moved a postponement
of the matter until after the holiday recess.
Mr.. Morgan defended the bill and the Mari
time Company, and opposed the motion to
postpone. Messrs Berry and Rawlins both
offered amendments materially affecting the
BILL Previous to the proceedings upon the
canal bill Mr.. Morrill, made an address in
support of the bill authorizing the purchase
of site for a Supreme Court building and
this and several other bills were passed.
At the opening of the session Chaplain
Miburn, in his prayer, made allusion to the
death of Mrs. Bright, wife of the sergeant
alarms of the Senate.
The Senate passed a bill increasing the
pension of Elazier Smith, of New Hamp-
shire, who is over one hundred years old,
and one of the three survivors of the war
of 1912, to $50 month.
Mr.. Berry then gave notice of an amend
ment he will offer to the Nicaragua canal
bill, providing for the direct appropriation
of money for the construction of the canal
and limiting the cost to $l15,0000O0 The
amendment provides for construction of the
canal by the Maritime Canal Company, and
gives the government lien on the property.
to be foreclosed under circumstances fully
enumerated. Mr.. Berry stated the object
Of the amendment to be to eliminate the
bend feature of the bill. Another was TO
deprive the Maritime Canal Company of
any shares of the stock as in the present
bill, leaving the United States. Nicaragua
ard Costa Rica the only stockholders.
Mr.. Rawlins also gave notice of an amend
ment to the Nicaragua bill providing that
the act should not so into effect until the
United States should secure by treaty the
right to fortify and garrison the canal, to
send armed vessels and munitions of war
through it in time of war, and to close It
against any other nation with whom the
United States may be at war.
A bill was passed amending Section 4I66
of the Revised Statutes relating TO pensions,
providing that in cases in which pensioners
desert their wives or children one-half the
pension shall be paid TO them.
MIR. TURPIES SPEECH
Mr. Turpie then addressed the Senate on
the Nicaragua canal bill, saying that no one
could excel him in zeal in advocating the
isthmian canal but while he saw the vast
advantage of the proposed waterway he
also was fully aware of the difficulties in
the way of putting the plan for a canal into
execution. While not opposed to the canal
as such, he was opposed to the scheme OF
the Maritime Canal Company, and he de-
| nounced that company as the most venom
Gus and effective opponent of real canal
| enterprise. He did not believe it possible
h bud 1NVr
struct the canal, and he held that the Mari
time Company should get out of the way
of the genuine canal enterprise. He de-
Veloped this line of attack at length, de-
nouncing it as a scheme of confscaton the
object of the Maritime Company being, he
declared, not to cut a canal but to cut q
channel of communication at the least posi-
bic cost betw cen the treasury of the United
States and the empty Golfers OF that beg,
carly corporation" Mr.. Turpie asserted
that the government could not lawfully
guarantee the Maritime Companys bonds
as proposed. The case was not parallel to
the Pacific Railroad Companies as in those
cases the bonds were made directly payable
to the companies. AS to the possibility of
foreign jealousy operating to prevent the
construction Of the canal by this govern
ment, Mr.. Turpie declared that there was
no civilized nation that would not be pleased
to see the canal constructed The Mari
time Company had been guilty of innumer-
able frauds, but even IL it had not he would
not support the pending bill because of the
failure to provide for the ownership of the
canal by the United States All obstacles
would disappear before q movement on the
part of the United States to construct the
canal The opposition of Nicaragua and
other countries was made to the Maritime
'vapid, empty and thoroughly groundless
pretensfons the government of Nicaragua
had evidently become tired"
Mr.. Turpie renewed his plea for a post
ponement of the question until the Mica
ragua canal commission should report. He
said he had favored the appointment of this
~ r19T1D cd N 10 M
mission could report in favor of the Mari
time Company, as he did not believe the
present commission had. Information was
wanted on the three points of feasibility,
time and expense and the Senate had a
right to this information before acting upon
the bill. Mr.. Turpie closed for the day with
q motion for postponement of further con-
sideration of the bill until JAM 10, by which
time the report of the commission would be
Mr.. Morgan antagonized the motion, plead
ing for the continuation of the debate, say
ing there were many points connected WIN
the enterprise upon which light could not
possibly be thrown by the Walker report;
He denied that the Maritime Company nad
ever applied to the United States Tor assist
ance but on the other hand, the applica-
ton had been made to them because they
owned the only concession. he S 1ecla rem IN
answer to a suggestion from Mr. Iurpe
that it would never be possible 10 gel an
agreement binding the United states, Mica
ragua and Costa Rlca, because OF C 00sstd
Rica's suspicion of Nicaragua. Costa Rica
knew perfectly well that Nicaragua was so
desirious of nothing so much as the down
fall OF Costa Rica. he spoke OF COSTA hlca ;
'tbargain counter in the matter of grant
ing concessions and when Mr.. Turpie inter-
rIinted him with the statement that this
was not an expression OF amity towards
Nicara qua he retorted that Mr.. Turpie was
growing sentimental on the subject. He de-
cIared that Mr.. Grace's purpose in getting
a new contract was not to build canal,
huf 10 own ito hold up the government.
He denounced this concession as a rdscally
contract" Mr. Grace had called on MN
twice in one day without being invited and
had urged the abandonment OF government
aid In reply to q question from him, Mr..
Grace had said he expected TO get MS money
to build the canal from London. ThiS TACT
showed where we were drifting ana was
there a senator who would he willing to see
The canal placed under the control Of for
The Senate at 5 o clock went into exeeu-
tive session, and at 5:15 D, m. adjourned
Two Bills Passed by the House.
WASHINGTON. Dee. 13-The House to-
dav passed the District of Columbia appro-
priatfon bill without single amendment.
The bill carries $6359.959, which is $l76,600
less than was carried by the last bill and
81 sri S57. less than the estimates. The House
also passed the Senate bin which was un-
der consideration yesterday TO amend the
laws relating to seamen. All the amend
ments were rejected.
on motion of MIR. Hay (Dern., Va.) a reso-
luton was adopted calling on the secretary
of war for information as TO what towns IN
Porto Rico. Cuba and the Philippines are
required TO be gaTrsoned, how many troops
viii be necessary for that purpose and how
MANY soldiers will be needed for the United
states proper. Another resolution was
adopted calling on the secretary of state
So len. IN 10 atlfRA1