Evening star., 1898-12-10
Senator Morgan Will Open the Dis
cussion Monday.
NO COUNTER PROJECF In OPPOSITION
Demand in the West for inter-
oceanic Waterway.
WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT


by Star reporter today in regard to the
course the friends of the canal would take
during the period when the bill will be be-
fore the Senate, and what the opposition
would probably adopt as their policy in
order TO attempt the defeat of the meas
ure.
Senator Morgan replied that the opposi-
ton appeared to be bent solely on prevent
ing the building of canal to connect the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans and did not
appear to have any suggestions to improve
the plan for accomplishing that work which
was before Congress. He said the trans
continental railroad interests appeared to
want to have ell freight and passengers
going from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast
Of the western continent patronize land
transportation or go around Cape Horn
and said the people of the Pacific coast are
chafing under the disadvantage which this
course is imposing on them to such an eX-
tent that Congress should beware lest their
dissatisfaction should become so great that
some day there might be boundary line
drawn between the western and eastern
states.
Senator Morgan remarked that if there
are objections of diplomatic character
against the canal project they should be
properly presented to the President of the
United States after the canal bill is passed
and if they could not then be satisfactorily
arranged the President could stop the issue
of bonds for the building of the canal pend
ing further negotiations. Vague sugges-
tions of such difficulties, he said, should not
stand IN the way of congressional action.
Senator Morgan is known as the most
distinguished advocate of the canal project.
For many years he has employed his great
ability as lawyer and advocate for the
advancement of the canal project, and has
more than once had bills framed by him
passed by the Senate with large ma iorities.
he has never faltered in his advocacy of
TINS great undertaking, which he regards
as absolutely necessary to the future wei
tare and greatness of the American repub-
hc- He has never been more thoroughly
equipped for leadership in this project than
he will be Monday, when he will begin the
legislative fight in the Senate.
Opposition without Plan.
L do not know" said Senator Morgan to
a Star reporter today, what course the
opposition will take in regard to the Mica
ragua canal bill 1t looks as though they
have little prospect of success, although
they have made a combination here to de-
feat any legislation and by all possible
means to prevent the building of the canal.
None of them is looking out for any bet
ter plan than that which has been brought
forward by the Senate committee. This
matter has been presented to Congress in
five committee reports, covering a period
ton OF very many able and experienced
legislators, and now to reject this plan, be-
cause the opposition say they have some
other proposition which they have not for
mulated, would be very unfortunate
The fact is, none of these gentlemen
who oppose this canal have brought for
WARD any measure Of any kind to build
the canal or to secure that result, and |
suppose their object is one Of obstruction,
that their antagonism Is for the purpose of
project
canal and not to build 1t on a better plan
than that proposed. If any of them had
presented bill outlining a plan on which
they think the canal should be built ii
would be a different matter We would
then have some counter project that we
could understand.
The Panama Canal.
The Panama men are here trying to con-
vince the government by insidious arsu-
ments and importantly that the Panama
canal is the one that ought to be built but
they furnish no counter proposition. They
tell US they do not want US to build a
canal and they want us to abandon our
project, that has received the recognition of
every President from Grant down and ac-
cept from them an assurance that at some
time or other they expect to build a canal
across the Culebra mountain. If they had a
proposition to make we would understand
something about the value of their preten-
with any proposition except Mr.. Grace and
his party of London sDeculat tors, and he
proposes to wipe out all that has been done
through decree of the government of
Nicaragua, made in its dying agonieS when
forming part of another government, which
was to destroy its independent existence,
and he expects US to take his assurance
that at some time or other private body
or gentlemen will organize in London and
elsewhere and build the canal and control
II This happens to be the very thing that
the American people do not want for if
there Is any one doctrine established in this
country IN regard to the canal that is irreV-
ocable it is that thisscanal must be under
the control of the United States govern
nent. L do not mean ownership and SOW
creign authority, but that control that
comes from ownership of stock in the canal
and from the necessary influence that the
government of the United States must ex-
ert over canal so important to her as that
which Will connect our Atlantic and Pacific
coast lines by way of the isthmus and save
at least 10000 miles In the journey
Every Objection Met.
Il have no disposition to discuss the
merits of this question, which the people of
the United States have settled for them
selves. 1t is not necessary that l should
do so. l am merely looking over the vari-
Gus efforts that are being made to prevent
the people from realizing what they know
Is necessary for the integrity of the coun-
try and for the defense of all sections of
the United States. l have anticipated that
when it should become obvious that the
people would demand this canal, and that
1t would. therefore, be necessary for Con-
gress to carry out their wishes and build it.
all kinds of combinations would be en-
tered into for the purpose of obstructing
it, l am not disappointed in that. But
when reports have been made meeting
every objection that can be urged against
this canal, 1 think, fully, fairly and
satisfactorily, l do not care about going
over the ground now. These reports in the
Senate were first made by Mr.. Sherman, as
chairman of the committee on foreign reia-
tions, and come down to date in both houses
of Congress
In the bill 1 reported at the last session
of Congress on the Goth of June the private
ownership of stock in this canal is entirely
eliminated, and the stockholders under that
bill will be three In number-the United
States. Costa Rica and Nicaragua II we
cannot manage this canal in a proper way
the government of the United States cannot
manage anything. There Is no other Way I
know of by which these three governments
can get into greater harmony of action or
more certainty of action than is provided
in this act of Incorporation
Il never hatter myself that anything will
occur with which Congress has to deal I'M