The Portland daily press., 1898-12-14
NlCARAGUAN CANAL BILL.
Senator Turpie Speaks in Opposition
to Measure.
ATTACKS IT BECAUSE In INTER.
EsTs OF MARITIME co.
This He Characterizes as a Fraud and
Bankrupt--Mr. Morgan Defends Bill
and Company--uateriaI Amend-
ment offered to Bill.

Bankrupt--NIr. Morgan Defends Bill
and Company--MateriaI Amend
ment offered to Bill.
Washington, December 13.-Today' S
session of the Senate was largely con-
i'sumed in the discussion of the Nicaragua
/ canal bill. Mr.. 1urpie made the princi-
| pal speech in opposition to the bill at
| taoking it on the ground that it was in
the interest of the Maritime company.
which he characterized as a fraud and
bankrupt.
He moved a postponenent of the mat
ter until after the holiday recess. MIR.
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 on the canal
bill Mr.. Morrill, made an address in sup
port of bill authorizing the purchase
Of site for a supreme court building and
this and several other bills were passed.
Washington, December 13.--The Sem
ate today upon request of Alr. Gallinger,
chairman of the committee on pensions,
passed a bill increasing the pension OF
Eleazer Smith of New Hampshire to $50
per month. Mr.. Gallinger said that Mr.
Smith was over 100 years old and one Of
the survivors of the war of 1872.
Mr.. Berry gave notice of an amendment
he will offer to the Nicaragua bill provid-
| ing for the direct appropriation of the
money for the construction of the canal
and limiting the cost to $ll5, coo, 600. The
amendment provides for the construction
of the canal by the Maritime Canal COM
upon the property to be foreclosed under
circumstances fully enumerated. Mr..
| Berry stated the object of the amendment
| to be to eliminate the bond feature of the
| bill. Another was to deprive the Mari
time Canal company of any shares OF the
stock as in the present bill leaving the
United States, Nicaragua and Costa
Rica the only stockholders. He said he
understood Mr.. Morgan to be willing to
| have the hill amended SO as to abolish the
bond provision of the bill.
L.
jameatsment to the Nicaragua bill provid-
| ing that the act should not go into effect
until the United States should secure by
| treaty the right to forJify and ga rison
| the -.canal and to send armed vessels and
munitions of war through it in time of
war and to close is against any other ma
ton with whom the United States may
| be at war.
| Mr. Morrill, in accordance with his pre-
/ yious notice addressed the Senate on his
| bill author zing the purchase of a site
east of the capitol grounds in Washing
ton for q building for the United States
suIreme court. Mr.. morrill, urged the
nropriety Of erecting building in keep
ling with the dignity of the court.
| t the conclusion OF Mr. Morrill's
speech he Senate passed the supreme
court building bill.
| number of measures were passed,
among them bill for the relief OF the
| homestead settlers in Florida who were
/ driven from their homes by the storm of
| 1926, and a bill amending section 4766 of
the Revised Statutes, relating to pensions.
| providing that in cases where pensioners
desert their wives aud children one half
OF the pension shall be paid to them.
Mr.. Tnrpie addressed the Senate upon
the Nicaragua bill which was taken up
at 3 O'Clock. He was not opposed to the
4 canal as much as ne was opposed to the
scheme Of the Maritime Canal company,
and ne denounced that company as the
most yenomous and effective opponent of
| a real canal enterprise. lie did not be-
lieve it possible for that company with
its bad odor to construct the canal and
he held that the Maritime company
should get out of the way OF the genuine
canal enterprise.
He developed this line of attack at
some length, denouncing it as scheme
of oonuscation. The OBJECT of the Mari
| time company he declared, was not to cut
| o canal, tut to "cut a channel OF commu-
nication at the least posi- le cost between
the treasury of the Lnited States and the
empty Golfers OF thai beggarly corpora
| tion.''
MrTurpie asserted that the government
could not lawfully guarantee the Mari
time coinpany's bonds as proposed Inc
case was not parallel to the Pacific rail.
road companies and in those cases the
bonds were made payable directly TO the
companies. As to the possibility OF for
elgn jealousy operating to prevent the
construction of the canal by this govern l.
ment MIR. Turpie declared that there was
no civilized nation that would noG ~ be
pleased to see the canal constructed Lne
Maritime company had been guilty OF In"
Vulnerable frauds, but even Ii they had
not he would not support the pending Dill
because of the failure to provide Tor the
ownership of the canal by the United
States. All obstacles would disappear
before a movement ON the part OF the
United States to CONSTRUCT the canal.
Toe opposition of Nicaragua and other
count les WAS made to the Maritime COM
pany and to i5 only. With those "Vapid,
empty and thoroughly groundless pre-
tensions the government of Nicaragua
had evidently become tired.
Mr.. Turpie renewed his plea for the
postpnnement of the question until the
Nicaragua canal commission should re-
port He said that he had favored the ap-
pointment of this commission because he
knew that no commission could report in
favor of the Maritime company as he did
not believe the commission had. lnfor-
nation was wanted upon the three points
of feasibility, time and expense and the
Senate had the right to this information
before acting upon the bill;
MIR, Turpie closed the day with mo.
61,,-..,.