The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-15
WILL PUSH THE CANAL.
Mr.. Hepburn Will Introduce a Bill
on the First Day.

New York, Nov. ia special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
Representative Hepburn of Iowa, has
just returned to Washington Mr. Hep
burn was chairman in the last house
of the committee on interState and Tor
efPn cOTnmerce@the committee that has
charge of the Nicaragua canal, quaran-
tine and railway anti-scalping and
pooling legislation. He said in an in
terVieW:
Il shall introduce a Nicara guam canal
bill on the first day of the session and
will push it to action. The opponents of
the canal gained something III the way
of pOstpOnement when they succeeded
in interpOlatng in the last river anu
harbOr bill a provision for new COM
mission to investigate all the proposed
routes across the isthmus. The Mica
ragua route had been recently investi-
gated by a careful commission, which
had made most elaborate surveys and
had submitted a most satisfactory re-
port but by cOntending that the Pana-
ma route had been neglected the post
ponement of the whole matter was Sc
cured.
THE newspapers inform us that the
committee will not be able to report at
this session. The friends of Panama
will. of course, throw all possible OBJ
StacleS in the way of the United states
building the Nicaragua canal, as the
construction of one canal viii preclude
the building of others. The Panama
committee says that $lOOOOc,OOO Will be
required to finish their canal. 1t is GER
siderable part of this sum if it is known
that the United States government in
tends to build the Nicaragua canal.
"Other companies, such as the Mari
time Canal company the Cragin-E Erie
syndicate and another whose name l
forget, but which operated a steam
boat and railway line across the 18TH
mus in the hftieS also claim interests.
The Cragin people claim that they hold
a right to a concession that took effect
on October TO- when the Maritime COM
Inc h linz
this alleged concession has 1 am not
prepared to say. For my part, do not
think the United States need bother
| about any of these concessions.
Il have no doubt that Costa Rica and
| Nicaragua will be glad to give the I'm
! tied States any territory and any rights
| it may need to prosecute and complete
the canal. The canal question IS OF
/ overwhelming Importance in the deVel-
| opment of both countries and they are
| anxious to have it built. There is no
| doubt that the house would have acted
at the last session if it could have come
| to a vote and there is no doubt that
/ both branches of congress favor the en-
| teTprise. How much the opposition can
/ delay matters I can not say
! Are you in favor OF the proposed
! new demand of commerce.
That matter was gone into at the
| last session a number OF men were
/ heard on it, and I hope they will renew
| their efforts at the coming session; but
! am not prepared to say how the mat
| ter is regarded by the committee
Are you in favor of an extension of
| the quarantine laws2'
| I am but there is a great diversity
/ of opinion in the committee on this
/ point The southern members gener-
| ally are willing that the government
| should pay the money for national
| system but they want to select the
| men to spend it. The large cities alse
! object. Some of them collect large
sums of money for their inspection Of
vessels and spend it in salaries much
| larger than the United States govern