Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-07
SENATOR WANTLE'S VOTE.

The attention Of the Inter Mountain
has been called to recent criticisms or
the vote of Senator Mantle against the
Nicaragua canal bill, inasmuch as that
great engineering project was endorsed
by the political party of which the SEN
tor is state chairman and is most favor
ably thought Of throughout the west,
The criticisms, however, are based on a
misconception of the plans under which
the enterprise was to be undertaken.
Senator Mantle is not opposed to the
Nicaraguan enterprise, which means so
much to the development of the west and
south, and which car be made of infinite
Importance in case of war with a foreign
power. But he is opposed to the taking
of any step that will place the govern
uent in partnership with that rotten con-
cern-the Maritime Canal company. The
bill, as drafted, means an opportunity
for fraud and robbery that would put to
blush the scandals growing out of the
| Credit-Mobilier years ago, and It's loosely
| drawn provisions excited much opposi-
ton. 1t was attacked on all side, many
| Of it's chief opponents being avowedly in
favor Of the enterprise, provided it could
be conducted under proper auspices and
with safety to the government.
number of senators who had pointed
out its glaring defects voted for it in the
hope that it's vicious features would be
eliminated in the house, and hat a con-
ference committee would reconstruct the
measure in a desirable form. Senator
Mantle, however, took the position that if
it was a bad bill it was the duty Of the
senate to either amend it and convert it
into a good bill before it left that cham
Der, or defeat it. He accordingly voted
against it. He did not believe in trans
ferring a responsibility that rested on the
senate to the house of representatives.
1t appeared from all the statements
made upon the floor of the senate while
the measure was under discussion that
the old Maritime Canal company, which
seemed to be mixed up with the bill, did
not expand to exceed 500, coo, and that the
assets of that company in the way of
material are not worth $1,000. M yet
the bill provides that not to exceed
for the stock, bonds, certificates and ma
terial of this old, rotten concern, together
with the concessions which expire il
October next. Of course, it goes withou
saying that the entire 5000, 900 will b
:, absorbed should the bill become a law i
the form in which it passed the senate
In referring to the bill a few days sine
Senator Mantle expressed himself as fol
lows:
hope myself to see it come back fror
: the house in form amended so l can Civ
= it my vote, which l am extremely anxiou
to do. because, in cOmmOn with the grea
I mass of the American people, | favor tn
construction of the CANAL; but | want
to be constructed by the United State
government, with a concession that wi
be perpetual and not one that will expire
e as the present one does, in 80 years.
want If tn no punp1 and pnOtrnlla6 9hcS
$ lutely by the United States, and l ais
want it constructed in such a way tha
there will be NJ scandals to disgrace tn
y nation after it is done.
II To construct the canal on any othe
y basis than absolute and perpetual ownel
= ship by the United States is to open tt
door not only to steals of infinite magn.
s tude in the future, but to invite disas
e trous foreign complications as well. Tt
position taken by Senator Mantle
.e wholly justifable from any point of viev
His opinions were shared by Senate
q Teller, who also voted against the hi
as drawn, and who stoutly maintaine
~ that the senate could not honestly, COZ
scientiously and with dignity unload i
failures and transfer it's responsibility
to the other branch of congress.
The rebels at Manila who trusted
n God are now firm in the belief of Ma
k poleon that the god of battles is ON tt
d side Of the heaviest artillery. Prov