The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-16
DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.
Speeches by GrOsvenOr, DOckery and
Others-The Adverse Ruling.

Speeches by GrOsvenOr, DOckery and
Others-The Adverse Ruling.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-rhe House to-
day settled the fate of the Nicaragua canal
bill in this Congress by refusing to override
the decision of the chair in committee of the
whole when the. chair held that the canal
bill offered as an amendment by Mr.. Hep
burn was out of order The friends of the
Nicaragua bill were very confident yesterday
and to-day that they would triumph, but
after four hours of debate the chair was
sustained--127 to 100. Mr.. Bailey, the Demo-
cratic leader, made an argument in favor
of the view that the amendment was in or
der. Mr.. Grosvenor (Rep., o. bore the
brunt of the argument to-day in behalf of
this contention. Messrs. Moody (Rep,
Mass), Dockery Dem, Mo- and Fleming
Dem., Ga) were pitted against him. The
debate throughout the day was exceedingly
spirited, and in the end majority of the
members refused to overrue the House
rules. No record is made of the vote in
committee of the whole. Party lines were
not adhered to, the division in favor and in
opposition to sustaining the chairs decision
being about equal on both sides of the poit-
ical aisles. About ten pages of the bill were
disposed of to-day.
During the debate MIR. Bailey said he de-
Mr.. Cannon yesterday about the scandals
which grew out of the building of the Pa
cifc railroads. Although Mr.. Cannon had
not said so in so many words. Mr.. Bailey
said he assumed that he feared in connec-
ton with the Nicaraguan canal a repetition
of the scandals which had disgraced the
promoters of the Pacific railroads
Mr.. Cannon interrupted to say that his
criticism of the Pacific legislation was that
it was loosely enacted and therefore opened
the way to the scandals which followed
Mr. Bailey in reply declared that the Pa
cidc Railroad scandals had not arisen out
of loose legislation. There had been deep
er cause They had grown out of the un-
fortunate partnership between the govern
ment and certain individuals. The virtue in
the canal proposition before the House was
that it avoided this very deadfal BY it's
terms the canal would be constructed by the
government. He desired to vote on that
proposition because he realized that sooner
or later the House would be compelled to
choose between this proposition and one to
allow a private corporation with government
credit to build this canal. If the canal was
to be built by the government it must be
based upon the theory that the canal was
necessary for the support of our military
and naval defense. Otherwise if the govern
AAiSitl NoOlu tultu 4oIe4Su waterways IN
foreign territory why could It not come back
home and build railroads for the benefit Of
interstate commerce.
MR.. DOCKERY'S PROTEST..
Mr. Dockery made an argument in favor
of sustaining the rules of the House, which
he contended the proposed amendment vio-
lated. No one with any respect for his repu-
tation as parliamentarian, he declared
could hold that the amendment was in
order. He realized that the members were
eager TO get at the public treasury upon
this proposition, but he warned his col
leagues on the Democratic side that If they
helped to overthrow the rule they swept
away for all time the rights Of the minority
He had no respect for the rules as such.
They degraded the individual members and
massed too much power in the speaker, but
the members OF the minority especially
dare not override this rule that had come
down from the Democratic fsthers. But II
this amendment was declared in order he
gave notice that he would offer an amend
ment TO It TO provide for the issue Of enough
additional legal-tender notes TO meet the
sntire cost Of the construction of the canal.
Mr Dockery declared himself in favor OF
building the Nicaragua canal because It