Evening star., 1898-12-20
CANAL BILL IN THE SENATE
Mr.. Berry Explains the Provisions of His
Amendments.
Opposition to n Proposed Comm issiou
to Go to Cuba-Nr. PIatt Con-
cludes His Remarks.

/ Vest resolution in relation 70 the power of
| the United States to acquire territory
| Other legislation was considered. and the
| last hours of the Senate were taken up by
| a debate on the Nicaragua canal bin.
| Speaking on the Vest resolution and In
| reply to question by Mr.. Hoar Mr. Platt
| said that the consent of all those governed
| was not always necessary. He referred to
| the fact that there was no suffrage in the
| District or Columbia. and again called at
tention to the fact that citizens of Massa-
| chusetts, who could not read and write
were prohibited from voting Yet these
people in Massachusetts were governed
most effectively.
| Replying Mr. Hoar defended the educa-
| tional system of Massachusetts, saying
| that while there was an educational uualifi-
| cation in Massachusetts the method of ac-
| qulrlng the qualification necessary TO voting
| was placed within the grasp of every one
| he did not believe there was a native adult
| In the state, not weak-minded, who could
| not read and write. Returning to the ques-
| tlon OF expansion he asked whether Mr.
| Platt meant TO assert seriously the claim
| that the state provisions regarding suf-
| LraSe could not be so construed as to justi-
| ~ the violation of the principle involved rs
| 1t applied to the 10UUu0oO of people in the
| Philippines.
| Replying. Mr.. Platt said he did not mean
| 10 deny the principles of the Declaration of
| independence, and he added that he wished
| the Massachusetts senator could be as lib
/ eral with reference to that document as
| some others. There were, however. many
qualihcations for voting. For instance
| when he first became a voter he had to
| pay S134 for real estate, in order to receive
| the privilege of voting.
| In conclusion, MIR. Platt said he cnuId nor
! understand the sentiments or motives of
| those VINO wished to circumscribe the pow
| ers or the nation. Why he asked. should
| We belittle those powers or strive by sub
| tIety and sophistry to hamper me progress
| and growth of the country? Rather than
| pursue this course why should senators not
| wish the nation God speed In its mission of
| extending our free institutions as far as
| possible? As for himself he knew our peo-
| pie to be iberty-Ioving and Il right doing
| people, and he had no mlsgiyings that any
| administration of the United States would
| 1all IN Its duty toward the people of any
| acquired territory. He had faith in the
| government and faith in its future and
had no disposition to condescend to carping
| crltlclsm or craven .~ar. He had not lost
| confidence in the doctrine that right makes
| might, and with q nation guided by that
| principle, as he believed this nation to be
there could be no doubt that it would dare
! to do its duty bravely toward any people
which might fall within the limits of its
tHrisoletlon. i 1t had been only little more
than century since the liberty bell had
proclaimed the signing of me Constitution
ana IL was not for us now to declare that
| we cannot proclaim liberty to any land one
| loot from our own original shores "Oh
Tor the faith of our fathers" he exclaimed
| miscellaneous Matters
| Mr.. Hale from the conference committee
| on the urgent deficiency appropriation hin
presented the conference report on the bill
and it was agreed to.
The bill granting right of way through
the san Francisco mountain forest reser-
walton In Arizona to the Saginaw Southar7
| railroad, which passed the House on SAT
urday' was then passed by the Senate.
| Proposed Cuban Commission.
Mr. Gallinger from the committee on
contingent expenses, then attempted to re-
| port the resolution introduced by Mr.. Proc
| tor, providing for the appointment Of a
select committee of the Senate to visit
Cuba and report upon the conditions pre-
| Valllng there. The effort on Mr.. CALM
| gers part developed stern resistance from
| MT Hale, and was the occasion of a short
explanation from Mr.. Proctor Mr. Hale
| objected to the report, whereupon MIR
Proctor took the floor, saying that while
the Maine senator's course was legitimate
under the rules of the Senate. it was un-
usual and therefore unexpected He said
that there was no motive to secure a iun-
keting trip behind the Offering of the reso-
luton No committee need go there with
the expectation of having a good time and
little work. There We're great Questions
coming to the front in Cuba, of which We
have an inking in the differences already
developed among the military authorities
as to the number of soldiers necessary to
preserve order in the island. When the
general of the army puts the number at
2o,to0 and the War Department at 5000
making difference of $1,Up,tHo per year
in the cost of maintenance, it is worth
while said Mr.. Proctor. to consider the
adVlSability OF securing the best informa-
tion possible from the island itself He
also said the $i.o0Oo00 in the deficiency bill
was for expenditures among the Cubans
Replying, Mr.. Hale insisted upon his
n alEl~i ~isNtg |, Il. i
it upon any desire to deprive the Vermont
senator or other senators from. going on
what Mr.. Proctor had called a '.junketing
trip" but his objection was based upon
the belief that to send such a committee
as was proposed to Cuba would be in bad
taste, and productive of evil. For this
reason he did not want any senators to go
to Cuba on such mission as was pro-
posed. We would soon have $1,000 men in
Cuba policing that island and dealing with
the questions there. Furthermore we
have a commission now at Havana To
send Senate committee there now would
be accepted as meddlesome act, and it
was one which the commission on the
ground would doubtless resent.
MIR. Berry on the Canal.
The Senate then took up the Nicaragua
canal bill. and Mr. Berry (ArkD spoke upon
his amendments to the measure. He an
nounced preliminarily that on general prin-
ciDles he was favorable to the construc-
ton of canal across the isthmus and
that he had been so for many years be
cause he had felt that such an enterprise
would promote the interests of the south
ern states. but always contended for its
construction by the government of the
United States. He had been hopeful on
this account that 1t might be possible to
eliminate the Maritime Canal Company
from the question entirely. He had voted
against granting that company charter
in 1887. Still, said he, Mr.. Morgan insists
that this accomplishment is out of the
question at present. If this be true the
question now was whether the work OF
constructing the canal should proceed un-
der the name of the Maritime company or
be suspended entirely.
In this connection he also took into con-
sideration the additional fact that another
company had secured a concession from
Nicaragua to take effect Immediately upon
the eXpira ton of the Maritime company's
grant, hence it seemed difficult to get away
from corporation interests but he hoped
before the final vote all corporate in
terestS would be eliminated, and in view
of this fact he had considered Ii de-
sirable. If not incumbent upon the Sen
ate. to make the pending bill as perfect
as it could be made. and it was to this