The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-30

Scheme to Push Panama Project
Upon the Attcntion Of Congress.
Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Resolutions
will be offered to give John c. Price, OF
Skagway, a seat in the house Of represen-
tatives as delegate from Alaska Price has
just arrived here, after a two weeks jour-
ney from the north A convention was
held III Juneau last October. with fifty-six
delegates from various parts Of Alaska, to
draw up a memorial requesting legislation.
Price was selected to come to Washington
to represent the residents of Alaska before
congress Until the territory should be given
delegate.
1t Is doubtful, however, II congress will
heed Prices request for a seat, as the pre-
cedent might prove troublesome just now.
when Hawaii expects the establishment Of
q territorial government and Porto Rico
must be provided for.
what Alaska Desires.
The memorial which Mr.. Price bears asks
for two additional judges. a delegate, pro-
bate judges, having also jurisdiction in
certain criminal and civil cases; commits
sioners having the jurisdiction of justices
of the peace, and magistrates with like
powers for Incorporated cities and towns.
the education of the white children Of the
district, civil code and a code of civil
procedure, amendments to the criminal
codes, general municipal Incorporation
laws, extension to the district Of the home
stead, timber and stone and coal land
laws; notifications Of the mineral laws, to
stop the wholesale appropriation by a few
individuals of public mineral lands.
Want Their own LeGislature.
1.-THE president in his messagerecommend-
ed a territorial government for u.s." said
Mr.. Price today, 'but we do not want
legislature or council appointed by author
ity in washington, as he recommends. We
want to elect our own legislature, as 9TH
er territories DC. At present we shall be
entirely satisfied IL congress will give us
adequate laws, without touching upon the
question of territorial government"
Price Will Stay All Winter.
Mr. Price will remain here all winter to
pi csent matters in which Alaska is inter-
ested before the senate and house, wheth-
er or not he Is given a seat as delegate.
Friends of the Nicaragua canal discern
in the so-called Characterization" of the
Panama canal enterprise a twofold pur-
pose. The French syndicate hopes to un-
load the impractical enterprise upon the
United States at figure twenty times less
than the amount of French capital sup
posed to have been squandered on the 18TH
mus by De Lcsseps. The other alleged
purpose Is to defeat any attempt that may
be made by this congress to legislate in
favor of the construction Of the Nicaragua
canal by the government.
Big Lobby Looked For.
It is confidently expected a powerful lob
by will soon appear here to work for the
"Americanized" Panama canal. The first
effort will probably be to prevent the
Walker commission from making report
this year or to discredit the report of the
commission. The old bugbear Of the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty is already being revived
as an argument against the Nicaragua
route with regard to the comparative engi-
neering difficulties of the two routes. 1t
Is not known who will lead the fight In
congress in favor of the Panama scheme.
but It is stated on good authority that one
of the Iowa delegation has expressed
preference for the Panama route and is
willing to look after the house end of the
case. Senator Morgan Is to be depended
on to lead the fight for the Nicaragua route
in the senate. The Walker commission
has made preliminary report in favor
of the Nicaragua route, but the report has
been withheld from publication, and the
commission has been enlarged so that ev-
erybody is at sea on what the final report
will be. Some of the members Of the COM
mission are said to be still In Paris MAX
ing an investigation of the De Lesseps
enterprise, and 1t is said the president will
not ask the commission to formulate full
report until this investigation shall have
been completed. In that event the whole
question will be held in allegiance for many
months unless the friends Of the Nicara-
qua route have sufficient strength to force
the issue to the front.
Guarding Against Plague.
The report of the prevalence of tho
plague at Honolulu has increased the Wig
ilance of the Federal quarantine authori-
ties and orders will be sent out at once
to officials in all Pacific coast ports to SUBJ
ject vessels arriving from the Orient and
Hawaii to the most rigid examination. so
as to remove all danger of infection. Sem
ator Perkins called upon Surgeon General
Wyman today and urged the necessity Of
establishing some sort OF Federal quaran-
tine upon travel from British Columbia.
It is feared the contagious disease may be
introduced and carried into the United
States by passengers from injected vessels