The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-16
RAILROADS WIN.
C. p. Huntington and His Part
ners Secure Defeat
OF the Bill For the COnStruc-
ti0n of The
NICARAGUA CANAL
The Measure is Dead as Re-
CARDS This Congress.
GrOsVenOr Says Proclaim to the
World That We Are Through.

Washington, Feb. 16.-The house has
settled the fate of the Nicaragua canal
bill in this congress by refusing to over
ride the decision of the chair in commit
tee of the whole when the chair heid
that the canal bill offered as an amend
ment by Mr.. Hepburn was out OF u, order.
The friends of the Nicaragua bill were
very confident that they would triumph
but after four hours of debate the chair
was sustained, 127-109.
Mr.. Bailey, the Democratic leader,
made an argument in favor of the view
that the amendment was in order. Mr.:
GroSVenOr (Rep., o. bore the brunt OF
the argument in behalf OF this conten-
ton. Messrs. Moody (Rep., Mass-),
Dockery -(Dem., MOI and Fleming
CDem., GAP were. pitted against him.
The debate throughout the day was
exceedingly spirited, and in the END a.
majority of the members refused to
override the house rules. No record IS
made of the vote in committee OF the
whole. Party lines were not adhefed
to, the division in favor and in OPP
position to sustaining the chairs decls-
ion being about equal on both SIDES OF
the political aisles. About ten pages
of the bill were disposed of yesterday
Mr. Bailey (Dem-, Tex.) said he de-
sired to address himself to the remarks
of Mr.. Cannon about the scandals Which
grew out of the building of the Pacific
railways Although Mr.. Cannon had
not said so in SO many words, Mr.. Bal
ley said he assumed that he feared, IN
connection with the Nicaraguan canal,
a repetition of the scandals Whlcn nad
disgrace the promoters of the Pacific
railways.
Mr. Cannon interrupted to say that
his criticism Of the Pacific legislation
was that it was loosely enacted ana
therefore opened the way to the scan
dalS which followed.
Mr. Bailey, in reply, declared that the
Pacific railway scandals had not arisen
out of loose legislation. There had been
a deeper cause. They had grown out
of the unfortunate partnership between
the government and certain individuals.
The virtue in the canal proposition be
fore the house was that it avoided this
very dead fall BY it's terms the canal
would be constructed by the govern
ment. He desired to vote upon tnat
proposition because he realized that
sooner or later the house would be COM
PEELED to choose between this PROPOSE
ton and one to allow a private cor
pOration with government credlt TO
build this canal. If the canal was to be
built by the government it must De
based upon the theory that the canal
was necessary for the support of our
military and naval defense. Otherwise,
if the government. could build foreign
waterways in foreign territory why
could it not come back nome ana pulio
railroads for the benefit of interstate
commerce.
Mr.. Dockery Dem., MOI made an ar
gument in favor of sustaining the rules
of the house, which he commended the
But if this amendment was declared
in order he gave notice that he would
offer an amendment to it to provide for
the issue of enough additional legal
tender notes to meet the entire cost OF
the construction of the canal
Mr. Dockery limited strongly at in
f1uences outside the hall, the same IN
duenceS substantially which were back
of the Hanna-Payne subsidy BILL THESE
influences, he said, insisted that five
millions should go to certain gentlemen
who were Interested in the Maritime
Canal company.
In conclusion, he warned the members
on his side of the house that they could
not afford, in the closing days OF the
session, to lend themselves to such an
enterprise.
Mr.. Grosvenor Rep.. o., vigorously
contended that the point OF order was
not well undertaken
Continuing, Mr.. GrOsVenor said that
this bill would not have been offered
as an amendment to this bill had not
committee announced that neither the
canal bill nor the ship subsidy bill
should receive consideration at this ses-
sion.
Mr.. Grosvenor said if this effort failed
he favored the passage of joint reso-
luton to inform the nations of the earth
that we had given up the project and
would welcome the building of the
canal upon the terms upon which the
Suez canal was built. At the con-
clusion of Mr.. Grosvenor's speech the
chairman OF the cOmnlttee OF the WnOle,
Mr.. Hopkins, announced that he was
ready to rule.
When order had been procured he
made a careful and elaborate ruling in
which he pointed out that the question
presented was purely parliamentary
one. He reviewed the arguments ad-
duced on both sides, cited presidents,
and concluded by sustaining the point
of order against the amendment.
Mr.. Hepburn Immediately arose and
entered an appeal from the decision of
the chair. Mr.. Dalzell CRep., Pa.), moved
to lay the appeal on the table, but this
motion was declared out of order in
committee of the whole.
On a rising vote the chair was sus-
tanned 152-11S.
Mr. Hepburn loudly demanded tellers.
The vote by tellers confirmed the rising
vote.
The chair was sustained 127 to 109,
and the amendment was ruled out.
The reading of the sundry civil bill
was then continued. The appropriation
for the deep waterways commission was
increased from 100000 to 100000 on mo-
ton of the appropriations committee.
After completing ten additional pages
of the bill the committee rose.