The times., 1898-12-13
Mr.. M0RGAN'S CANAL Bull
Three Hours Debate in the
Senate.
OPPOSED BY MR.. TURPIE
The Indianian Would Wait for the
Omcial Report OF the Commission
-Provisions of the BiiI-Opponents
Will Fight for Delay-The Mari
time Canal - This Governments
Position.

A debate of three hours yesterday in tn,
Senate on the Nicaragua Canal bin devel
oped the fact that the smooth sailing
measure by the members of the commit.
tee reporting 1t is not to be realized.
As soon as the bill was formally read
by the clerA Senator Morgan took the
fioor and occupied it during the remainder
of the afternoon. Opposition soon devel-
! oped, all of which was directed, however
not so much against any of the provisions
OF the bill as to securing delay in legis,a-
tfon looking to the construction of the
canal
Senator Turpie of Indiana suggested
that as the report of the commission ap-
pointed last June to make surveys and es-
Inmates of the cost of building n canal
| across the lsthmus had not yet been made
| that it was highly important that no leg
islative action such as was contemplated
in the bill should be taken. He urged
that the commission had cost the Gov
ernment something like s4.O00,OJ0. and that
as the result of its work was supposed to
throw much light upon this question its
report should be waited for.
This objection was promptly met by Sem
ator Morgan, who said that while the
commission, it was true. had not made
formal report. yet that its Individual
members had months ago stated the find
.,
essential points in their work, and that
the report was delayed simply to allow
the minor details to be got into shape.
EIe said that the testimony as to the
feasibility of the project and also as to
cost had been gathered by the committee
from the members of the commission. and
was available to the Senate In the re-
port submitted on the bill. and further
urged that there was nothing in the bill
which was not perfectly in accord with
the findings of the commission.
Senator Morgan was strongly of the
opinion that the country demanded action
at this session of Congress on this meas
ure and warned the Senate that II would
bring the indignat tion of the masses on It's
head If II did not pass this or some other
measure which will secure the building OF
this canal at once.
Senator Morgan then proceeded to eE-
plain the provisions of the bill, saying that
he was afraid that many members of the
Senate had an incorrect understanding Of
what the bill was intended to do. 1t rest
ed on two great foundations. he continued.
First, the concessions which Nicaragua
and Costa Rica had made and on which
they had invited the United States to leg
islate: and. second. the treaty between the
United States and Nicaragua. The pas
sage Of the bill did not necessarily mean
the construction of the canal, he declared.
but when Congress shall have passed this
bill it will then be time for either the
government of Nicaragua or Costo Rica,
or the persons composing the Maritime
Canal Company, under whose concessions,
the United States will operate. 10 come
forward and state TO the President of the
United States exactly on what grounds
they may object to the proposed inten, ion
on the part of this Government. The pro-
posed legislation In the form of this bill.
he maintained, was the only way IN which
operations could be begun; and IT was also
the only way of ascertaining what the at
titude of the governments concerned
would be in the matter. Senator Morgan
declared, however. that personally he had
every reason to believe that the govern
HltEiS u -NIcdrdBud anu COSTA flca, as
well as the members of the Maritime Ca
nal Company, were ready and willing to
cooperate with the United States and In
this connection he also expressed the be- |
lief that England was very favorable to |
the plan of having the United States con-
struct the canal.
The work would be carried on under |
the name of the Maritime Canal Com
pany, but under the terms of the bill |
III,
company sum not to exceed So 600 000 |
they are to cede all of their rights to |
this Government and retire all of their
outstanding stock and bonds, except that |
which is held by the government of Mic
aragua and Costa Rica, and the stocks
and bonds of the company are then to
be held only by the three governments
The bill provides that the canal may
be constructed under supervision of the
engineers department of the United
States. or the Maritime Canal Company
is authorized, with the approval of the
President of the United States, to con-
tract with responsible parties, who shall
be citizens of the United States, for the
completion. and equipment
Of the Nicaragua Canal within a period
Of six years from the passage of the act,
at a cost not to exceed s115, 900, ,O0O
Inc fTeSlCeill OIL IHe United states is
authorized to stop the work at any time
he may consider the interests of the Unit
I'd States in jeopardy the matter then to
De referred to Congress for its approval
Il is also provided that In time of war be-
-ween the United States and any foreign
bower, the canal shall be under the con-
rol of this country
Senator Morgan advocated that the
,lan proposed in this bill was the only
way the canal could be built unless the
policy of seizing a strip of land through
he isthmus was carried out and he said
lie was not heroic enough to wish to de-
'troy the sovereignty of those little re-
,ublics In that manner.
The Alabama senator was very much
n earnest in meeting the objections urg-
ID to the bill, and 1t became evident to
hose who are opposed to the measure ,
hat they would have to be sure of their
'round before venturing their opinions.
Further consideration of the bill will
'e had today, and unless an unexpected
opposition develops a vote may be se-
ured.
r Ynryy