The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-13
lCoNDA MONTANA, TUESDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 1s. 1898

should remain in statu quo until the
report of the canal commission was
made. 1t was an open secret. he said.
that the commission would report by
the first of the year. The report would
deal with questions timely and vitality
important in connection with the bill.
IL would report officially upon the feas-
ibility OF the enterprise. the practica-
bility of routes and the estimated ex-
penditures. The work of the commits
sion had cost a quarter of n million.
Why not wait? Why go IL blind?
MIR. Morgan said that the country
had reached a conclusion on this ques-
ton and would not be satisfied. he
thought, to see this session pass with
out the enactment OF Legislation which
would secure the building of the canal.
Mr.. Morgan said Nicaragua and Costa
Rica recognized the universal opinion
OF mankind. that the canal acroes The
fsthmus must be built under the pro-
lection. control and management of
some maritime power. The terms of
the Menocal-Cardenac concessions prov
ed this. The two sovereign republics
became parties 20 stock i'm the capital
when organized. Nicaragua retaining
six per cent. of the paid up stock and
Costa R'ca 1i1s per cent. They had
waived their sovereign rights in favor
OF the congress of the United states.
They had waived them for the benefit
of their countries, In order to accomp-
lish that without which they were the
most minute, microscopic dots on the
map of the world. 1t was pledged in
that treaty with Nicaragua to protect
the canal. Our armies must go there
IL the rights of the canal We're invaded.
The rights of an exclusive charter
possessed under the treaty of 1867 were
in violation of the Clayton Bulwer
terms, so that the Clayton Bulwer
treaty had vanished into thin air by
Great Britain's act. The main difficulty
that confronted us arose out of The
fact that when Cleveland withdrew the
Frelinghuysen-Cabillo treaty he OK
pressly took the ground that IL estab-
lshed an entagling alliance anc rio-
lated the Clayton Bulwer treaty.
1T could not violate treaty that
was dead" said Mr.. Morgan. so that
Mr.. Cleveland by his first diplomatic
act, against the judgment of congress,
gave vitality to a treaty that was
dead"
A question was raised as to the Ian
guage of the bill guaranteeing the neu-
trality of the canal in case the United
States were at war with another coun-
try. Mr.. Morgan said that the Ian
guage OF the bill specifically excepted
such a case.
Mr.. Hoar differed from Mr.. Morgan.
II the United States were at war with
England and England should dispa ,ch
hostile fleet to San Francisco, could
that feet pass through without inter-
ruption, asked Mr.. Hoar. Did the
statement of the bill as to the right of
the United States to protect the canal
in time of war give US the right to say
the canal was not neutral? he asked.
Mr. Morgan said no nation would
misunderstood the language of the oil
but he was willing 70. accept any lam
guage that would make our right more
specific.
Mr.. Hoar suggested that the clause
relating to the neutrality of the canal
should be amended so as To read "eX-
cept as to nations at war with the
United States"
Mr.. Morgan said he would accept the
amendment. No senator should vote
against the bill on that account.
Mr.. Morgan said the president, in
whom congress had so wisely and con-
fidingly entrusted a fund of S5O,O0O,OOO
to be used at his discretion" could
certainly be trusted to hear and deter
mine the objections of Nicaragua or
Costa Rica or the stockholders of the
Maritime Canal company. Mr. Morgan
said his plea was for action. This bill
did not seek to build the canal. IL sim
ply placed the question in the hands OF
the president. In reply to questions.
Mr. Morgan said he did not believe IL
would be competent for the United
States. independent of any corporation.
to proceed TO the construction of the
canal under the treaty of 1867.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Morgan's
speech the senate at $40 p. IN. ad-
journed.