The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-09
Speaker Henderson Anxious 10 Put at
Its Head a Resourceful and Ag-
gressive Debater.
HEPBURN'S CANAL MEASURE
TO BE AMENDED AND PUSHED To A
VOTE In THE HOUSE.
Col. Brights Friends Fighting for His
Retention I'm Once-Charges
Against General Merriam.
indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-The House to-
day, by strict party vote. adopted a rule
for consideration of the financial bill. 1t
will be debated all next week and vote
taken on the following Monday.
Speaker Henderson is looking about for
"scrapper'' 20 head the proposed commit
tee on insular affairs Representative Taw-
ney introduced the resolution creating the
committee and by rights he should be It's
chairman. The speaker prefers Representa-
tive Hepburn for the chairmanship. how
ever. The Iowa member is resourceful and
aggressive as a debater and can handle
himself quite as well as any man I'm Con-
gress. He is chairman OF the committee on
interstate and foreign commerce. and does
not want 10 give il UP. He cannot well
have both chairmanships. but he may be
prevailed on to take second place on the in
sular committee so as to back up Mr.. Taw-
ney in the hot discussions likely 10 take
place over questions relating TO our i'm
sular wards. Senator Fairbanks would not
object to taking the chairmanship OF the
Senate insular committee, but il is prob
able the honor will so TO some member OF
the present committee on foreign relations.
After a quiet canvas among members.
Representative Hepburn has become satis-
fed he can get the Nicaragua canal bill
through. The bill which he introduced is
the same one he proposed in the last Con-
gress. with the sovereignty clause stricken
out. He finds that Nhe constitutions OF
, Nicaragua and Costa Rica prohibit the
alienation Of territory. and that 1t might be
impossible for this government to secure a
right of way originally designed by di-
rect purchase or for consideration satis-
factory to the isthmian republics. He pro-
poses. therefore. 10 secure right Of way by
direct negotiation with these governments
on terms which will give the United States
the right to construct and defend a water
way, without assuming entire responsible
ity of ownership. in a technical sense. The
Hepburn bill takes no notice whatever OF
persons corporations pretending TO have
concessions or grants from Nicaragua or
Costa Rica. II is his conviction that ali
such persons who might imagine them
selves damaged should seek redress from
the government governments which give
them concessions or rights which could not
be delivered. From first to last these coun-
tries have granted twenty-one concessions
all practical purposes the concessions might
as well have been for the construction OF
a railroad to the moon. They were purely
speculative and were given 10 persons or
combinations Of persons who could not
hope to build a canal themselves MIR. Hep
burn expects opposition from the Trans
continental Railway, the Maritime Canal
Company and other grantees OF concessions
from Nicaragua and Costa Rica, from the
Pan-American Canal Company and from
academic statesmen who live in horror OF
possible complications on account OF the
Bulwer-Clayton treaty. He says there Is
no earthly use I'm delaying action to await
a report from another canal commission.
He says Congress has all the Information
necessary and is in position to act INTEL
ligently. He adds that he has very reliable
information to the effect that Nicaragua
and Costa Rica will be only too glad 10
grant the United States the right OF way
asked. The construction OF a canal by this
government would mean tremendous devei-
opment OF the resources OF these two coun-
tries and would forever s,op the building OF
Panama canal, something they dread.
Senator Allison defers calling the caucus
of Republican senators to discuss re-
organization plans until they get in a
better humor. Several OF them are
bent on retaining Colonel Bright as
sergeant-at-arms, and are threatening 10
bolt any caucus that votes to put him
out. The protestants are being brought
into line. however. and it is thought that
before the end OF another week the ma
jority will be reconciled to Colonel Bright's
removal. The embarrassment in the way
of an Indiana Republican getting Colonel
Bright's job lies I'm the fact that Alonzo
Stewart has the pledges OF thirty-three Re-
publican senator's. or considerably more
than half. Stewart has been in the field
for the appointment for more than a year.