Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-16
THE CANAL BILL.


purpose OF constructing the Nicaragua
canal.
When this bill reached the House 1t wal
referred TO a committee and ii has been
reported therefrom with a substitute
The substitute is a radical one. II pro
poses that the canal shall be built by
this government. without the aid or In
terventlon Of any corporation. Further
more. II makes no appropriation 10 ex-
tingulsh the claims OF the old Maritime
Company, yet Mr.. Morgan and other
wcll-known friends Of the canal are will
ing for the House substitute TO become
a law.
But the trouble IS that Speaker Reed
objects lie is "agin de bill" Why we
do not profess 10 know: nor do we care
10 add currency 10 the hints that have
appeared I'm some other papers.
The Speaker IS a smart politician.
ana he has divers ways of blocking the
path Of his opponents. Here he appears
in the person of Mr.. Cannon, the chair
man Of the Committee on Appropriations
who pathetcally protests that we are
/ spending vastly more than our income.
and that we have no money 10 give to
the canal project!
! Mr. Cannon's grief is great. RE has
/ just discovered that this country has a
pension roll Of about SlGOG0,00O per an
mum; that the expenses Of our army and
navy have been and will continue to be
very large and that other millions will
be required 10 preserve the peace and
maintain Republican spoilsmen i'm our
conquered territory.
TIE friends Of the canal bill in the
Hohse look upon Mr.. CannOn's course as
dodge. They know that Mr.. Cannon
knows that the extraordinary expenses
of the government will require a bond
issue. sooner or later. And 50. finding
themselves antagonized by Mr.. Cannon
and the Speaker. and being unable 10
get a vote upon their bill upon it's merits.
they have been trying TO make provision
for the canal by means of a rider at
tached TO one of the appropriation bills.
And there it is they have felt. to the
fullest. the weight Of Chairman Can
mons opposition.
Viewing the question upon its merits.
we must say it is more than doubtful
whether a great legislative subject such
as this canal question Is. should be
treated as a rider. ON the other hand,
what are members to do when they are in
the hands OF a mercilessly partisan boss
like Tom Reed? OF course Reed never
should have been elected Speaker; but
that unwise deed has been done. and the
problem now is How may the House as
sert itself and get a fair. and square
chance to discuss and vote upon the
canal bill?
The Dispatch long has wished to see
canal built across the isthmus Of Mica
ragua. Now that we are committed to
Imperialism We shall need il worse than
ever. Ships of the imperial navy must
be- sent TO our provinces in Asia. our
merchants viii also want to trade with
the peoples whom We have conquered.
and as il is expected that Mr.. Hanna
Will push through the next Congress a
law granting rich subsidies for American
bottoms, most of this shipping will be
under our own flag. It will be another
instance Of the "old flag and an appro-
priaton.'
Sometimes we wonder if Mr. Reed has /
no fear of creating a formidable opposi- |
ton to himself in his own party ranks. /
Not few Republican members are rest !
i've and wear his yoke with surliness. !
and then it IS believed the administra- /
ton is not over friendly TO him, lie was |
not much Of war man; nor much Of an /
either. While he is the UNI /
doubted political boss Of the House. he .
has plenty Of personal enemies there. and /
that fact will some day appear.
We could wen afford TO have the canal /
bin postponed a year or two if by so /
doing the Speakers power could be re-
luced to degree consonant with a fair
ana decent administration Of the office
he fills.