Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-15
VOTE NAY Be CALLED TODAY
Nicaragua Canal Bill Still Playing stal
Part in the Senate.
TO MODIFY THE cLAY1oN.BULwER TREATY
nil Providing ReEistrntion Taken
Up at Instance of EIkins and
Opposed by Canery, Who
Says 1t IL Not Necessary.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE Nicaraguan
canal bill held Its place as the principal
subject before the senate again today.
Speeches were made by Messrs. Harris.
Money Stewart and Morgan. Mr.. Money
urged postponement Of the question in order
to permit an opportunity for negotiations
with Great Britain for a modification Of the
Clayton Bulwer treaty and Mr.. Morgan an.
tcgonized the proposal. .-..
A proposition was made to take a vote to-
morrow.
Other questions before the senate were: The
governments pension policy and the bill re-
garding the registry Of foreign built vessels
wrecked on the American coast
The pension discussion was precipitated
by Mr.. Vest. The registry bill went over
tn tomorrow.
The senate opened with a protest
UPON the part OF Mr.. CALM
ger, chairman of the committee
on pensions, against the practice of SEN
ators OF introducing pension bills in cases
pending in the pension office. He said the
committee would not consider such bills
and 1t was useless. to present them.
Pension Abuses Again.
Senator Vest of Missouri again called
attention to private pension bills and en-
tered protest against their passage with
out due consideration, as he said the senate
was falling into the habit OF doing. He
called attention to the fact that notwith-
standing Illinois had furnished $4,000 more
soldiers than Indiana the pension roll for
Indiana exceeded that OF Illinois by $780,
900. He accounted for this fact on the
ground that Indiana is pivotal state po-
litically. saying that 1t was notorious that
- rtastN - ,h.~ an
ex-union soldier, had granted pensions to
almost every applicant in political districts
which are close. He did not contend that
the republican party was alone to blame,
but knew that men Of all parties were in
clined to use the machinery Of the pension
Office to further their political interests.
He was cognizant Of an instance in which
In his own state a democratic candidate
for congress had received several repub-
lcan votes because he had secured pensions
for the voters. He had endorsed Mr. Cleve-
lands veto Of pension bills, and while he
did not want to revive the old questions he
would express the opinion that the govern
ment in this matter had fallen In most
unjust expenditure by Its ill-advised legis-
lation on pensions. He characterized the
government as an accident insurance COM
pany.
MIR. Gaflinger suggested that Mr.. Vest.
instead Of scolding the senate on private
bills, should propose amendments to the
pension laws which would correct the
abuses he complained Of. - "s
Continuing, Mr. Gallinger said the COM
mittee was considering the advisabllity Of
publishing the list Of pensioners, yet there
were objections to the plan and he feared
that II undertaken its only effect would be
10 take two or three millions Of dollars out
the treasury to no good purpose. s.. 81.
Iwrsckedt Foreign Vessels Bill. -
Tho bill providing regulations for the
registration Of foreign -buirt vessels wrecked
on the United States coast and repaired in
the United States was taken up at the in
stance OF Mr.. Elkins. Mr.. Caffery addressed
the senate in opposition to it, saying that
under IT'S provisions vessels would be
wrecked In order to secure American regis
try. He attacked the navigation and tariff
laws OF the United States. saying they had
practically driven our merchant marine
from the seas. He contended that the bill
was prohibitive in its nature. There was
no necessity for this under the present con-
ditions.
I'VE may hold the Philippines and Porto
Rico, but II we adopt the contractive policy
Of this measure our balloon will soon col
lapse and our expansion policy come to an
end" he said.
At the close OF Mr.. Caffery's remarks the
registry bill went over until tomorrow and
the Nicaragua canal bill was taken up. the
pending question being Mr.. Turpie's motion
to postpone until January 20.
Mr.. Harris then spoke upon the general
features Of the bill. He said that as a boy
he was attached TO a surveying party In
the Isthmus In 1859 and ever since that
time he had been the jealous advocate OF
the proposition that q canal should be built
across the isthmus. Yet he did not consider
It practicable for q private corporation tc
construct the canal, but he urged govern.
mental ownership. The committee In charge
Of the bill had determined to enter the
consideration OF the matter, with the un.
derstanding that the company was to bt
got rid Of
Mr.. Harris said he considered the Panaml
canal as entirely impracticable. He sup.
ported Mr.. Berry's amendment. relieving
the bill of It's bond provisions, saying Il
would greatly improve the measure.
Moneys Excuse for PostpOnement.
The Bulwer- Clayton measure formed thu
basis Of Q brief speech by Mr.. Money. H,
advocated delay in order to afford oppor.
tunity for negotiations looking to the abro.
&RtlOn Oh inc treaty. MT. money Salu W.
should at least notify Great Britain that W,
desire a modification OF the treaty as
first step.
In this connection Mr.. Money referred Il
the entente cordiale existing between thu
two countries. saying he wanted to see tn,
two countries brought closer together thar
now. hence the propriety of dealing fairl,
and courteously with Great Britain in thii
important matter
Mr.. Bacon gave notice Of an amendment
to a bill providing that work should not b,
begun on the canal under the bill until tn,
government OF Nicaragua should consent tt
modification OF the treaty granting title L
the United States in perpetuity TO the cana
right -of-w way and also eliminating article
Iii and liv OF the concession from tha
document.
Mr.. Stewart advocated the bill as mos
important step In the progress OF the com
merce Of the world and urged senators 4
accept 1t as It stands.
Replying to Mr.. Money Mr.. Morgan sail
he had never claimed the Clayton Bulwe
treaty was not In full force. denying the as
sertion imputed to him that the treaty ha
evaporated into thin air. He had said tn
treaty had been abrogated by the acts o
Great Britain, and would still hold tina
opinion but for President Cleveland's rec
osnition Of the treaty. a recognition whic