The times., 1898-12-14
THE CANAL At ANY COST
Senator Morgan Favors 1t Ii
1t Means Another War.
SENATOR TURPIE'S VIEWS
Thinks Consideration of the Bill
should Re DeIa:cd-Wants to eSce
Report of the Commissfon-De-
nounces Maritime Canal Company
-Anendmcnts offered Yesterday.


the Senate yesterday. and its postpone
ment until after the holidays was sought
by its opponents on the plea that the re-
port of the Nicaragua commission
would not be officially filed until then.
The admirable generalship of Senator
Morgan. however, saved the bill from
this fate and II Is still the unfinished
business of the Senate for consideration
today.
Senator Turpie delivered himself
against the bill in two hours speech,
in which he charged the Maritime Canal
Company as being the most venomous
and determined enemy which the project
had, while at the same time they were
protesting to be its friends.
At the conclusion of Senator Turpie's
speech Senator Morgan replied. coming
to the rescue of the members OF the
Maritime Canal Company and challeng-
ing the Indiana Senator to bring any evil
dence to substantiate the charges he had
made that the members of the Maritime
Canal Company were dishonest men or
had tried to defraud the Government
He read the names of the American di-
rectors in the company, declaring that
they were men well known 10 most Sen
ators, and who needed no vindication
from him. and said that the Nicaraguan
and Costa Rican directors were the min
listers of these countries to the United
States Senator Morgan said very signi-
ficantly that il might even be after the
fourth of March before the report OF the
commission was made AT this time
Senator Turpie's term expires and as
IL Tna will he
unable to succeed himself.
Senator Berry offered sSe pils
amendment to the bill, which he said he
would talk on after it had been plintei.
He. however explained that the OBJECT
of the amendment was to eliminate the
bonds authorized in the original ILL TO he
issued by the Maritime Canal Company
ard guaranteed by the United States.
In lieu of this he proposed to make
direct appropriation for the necessary
funds to build the canal out of any money
in the Treasury of the United States.
Another change of Importance VIII ch was
Incorporated in his amendment was that
instead of So 500 600 of the stock being
turned over TO the Maritime Canal Com
pany with instructions. as provided for in
the original bill. he provides for 81 10000
heing divided between Costa Rca and
Nicaragua, and the balance. s92 200 900. To
be held by this Government.
Senator. Rawiins, of Utah. also ohered
an additional section to the bill. which
will also be discussed today. This amend
ment provides that the bill shall not 90
into effect until this Government shalt
nave secured by convention with the gov
ernr.ents of Costa Rica and Nicaragua
and such other governments as are
necessary the right to fOrtify ard gar
rison United States troops along the
IN
same. and in time of war between the
United States and other countries TO
have complete control of the canal.
at o'clock the bill came formally be
fore the Senate. and at the request Of
Senator Morgan a communication was
read from Minister Merry, transmitting
the remonstrance of The United States to
the President Of Nicaragua against any
change being made in the status of the
concessions regarding the canal, and also
a statement from W. r. Grace, chair
man of the executive committee CT the
syndicate which has recently obtained an
option on the right of way across the
isthmus in opposition to the Maritime
Company.
At the conclusion of the reading of this
correspondence. Senator Turpie took the
floor. He began by saying that no one
could excel him in zeal in advocating the
while he saw the vast advantages of the
great waterway, he also saw the objec-
tions, and was fully aware of the diff
culties in the way of putting any plan
for its construction into execution.
In this connection, he said, he was par
ticularly opposed to the scheme presented
in the pending bill, which he denounced
rs Il scheme to put the money of the
United States into the Golfers of the Mari
time Canal Company. He noted the many
failures which had resulted In attempting
TO construct a canal, and said that they
should admonish us to greater caution.
AT the present time he continued.
-'thc greatest enemy and most vicious
opponent of the canal in the United
States is the Maritime Canal Company
They have monopolized the concessions
FOR this enterprise for the past ten years.
and IL has been ten years crowded with
dishonor. If We could but eliminate this
company from any connection with this
matter, it would be an act of magnificent
promise for the final success of the
project"
He called the Maritime Company a
bankrupt and worthless corporation. and
continued in his bitter arraignment of it
throughout his remarks. He did not
however. bring any specific charge
against il. His plan was to allow the
concession OF this company to lapse
which he said it would do on the 10Th Of
next October
At that time, he said, the United States
would be in a position to deal with the
governments of Nicaragua and Costa
Rica directly. Incidentally, he referred
to the bad faith shown by these govern
ments toward any company to which
they had granted a concession. and said
that the only way to deal with them was
with strong hand, making them realize
that whatever agreement they made with
the United States they must keep.
At the conclusion OF his speech, Senator
Turpic moved that the further consdera-
lion of the bill be postponed until Jan
uary ?. saying that at that time the re-
port of Admiral Walker. of the Nicara-
qua Commission would be ready, which
would be help in debating the bill
Senator Bacon succeeded in having him
amend his motion for postponement until
the 10th OF January.
Previous to this motion. however
Senator Morgan had obtained the floor,
and 1t was through his courtesy that the
motion was made. He said he would
prefer not to reply to the speech of SEN
ator Turpie until he saw it in print,
but as the pending question was on the
motion TO postpone, he held the floor
until o'clock, and then yielded only
for an executive session.
Senator Morgan said that there was a
Very earnest desire on the part of the
country to see this canal built, and in
operation; that the country would not
criticise the Government even il IL cost
S2Oo,05o,U0 il ii was necessary to expend
that amount. and he further declared
that he had been informed by conserva-
tive senators that I'VE must build the
canal, even If it costs this country a
foreign war"
Senator Morgan called Senator Turpie,s
attention TO the fact that the PROMISED