Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-16
CANAL BILL DONE FOR,
Its Fate in This Congress Settled
BY the House.
| RULED OUT AS AMENDMENT,
Decision 10 This Effect Sustained
127 to iO9.
MIR. rENERY MAKES DENIAL.
Says His Vote for Spanish Treaty
Ratification Was without Regard
to Louisiana Sugar Intcrcst-New-
port News Appropriation.


! NlcdfdBud canal Dill IN thlS Congress- ny
refusing TO override the decision Of the
Chair, in Committee Of the Whole, when
| the Chair held that the canal bill offered
as an amendment 10 the sundry civil bill
! by Dir. Hepburn was out of order. The
friends Of the Nicaragua bill were very
confident yesterday and to-day that they
would triumph. but after four hours Of
debate the Chair was sustained-l27 TO
lc9.
Mr. Bailey, the Democratic leader. made
an argument in favor of the view that
| the amendment was in order. He desired
70 vote upon that proposition, because he
| realized that sooner or later the House
would be compelled to choose between this
| proposition and one to allow a private
| corporation, with government credit, 10
build the canal. If the canal was to be
| built by the government, 1t must be based
| upon the theory that the canal was ne
| cessary for the support Of our military
| and naval defence. Otherwise, if the
| government could build foreign water
ways in foreign territory. why could it
| not come back home and build railroads
| for the benefit Of interstate commerce?
| NOTE ISSUE TO MEET COST.
Mr. Dockery Democrat. of Missouri,
| gave notice that il this amendment was
| declared i'm order 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 cOnstruc-
tion OF the CANAL. Mr. DOckery declared
| himself i'm favor Of building the Nicaragua
| canal because il would aid the national
| defence and promote commercial cNpdn-
4 -, tsh Ia. fraf4rr.I a territorial
| pansion.
| Mr. Dockery limited strongly at influences
| outside the hall the same influences, sub
| stantally, which were back of the Hanna
| Payne subsidy bill. These influences he
| said. insisted that five millions should
| 20 TO certain gentlemen who were in
| terested I'm the Maritime Canal Company.
| In conclusion. he warned the members
on his side Of the House that they could
I not afford i'm the closing days Of the
| session. 10 lend themselves to such an
| enterprise.
Mr. Moody Republican,, of Massachu-
| setts. made technical argument IN
| support Of the point of order. citing nu-
merous precedents He. too. favored the
| construction of the canaL but he protested
| against being forced into a corner. and
| compelled. I'm violation Of the rules, to ac-
| cept proposition i'm the closing hours OF
/ this Congress the effect Of which no
| man could foretell.
| GROSVENOR FOR THE BILL
Mr.. Grosvenor Republican,, of Ohio.
| vigorously contended that the point Of
| order was not well taken. lie could not
| understand. he said. why members should
| get excited because the representatives OF
! the people were making an honest effort
10 do that which all political parties had
sworn during the last five years they
| would 30.
Continuing. Mr.. Grosvenor said that
this bill would not have been offered as
| an amendment had not the chairman Of
| the Appropriations Committee announced
| that neither the canal bill nor the ship
! subsidy bill would receive consideration
| AT this session. He cOntended that the
| work Of constructing the canal was now
I'm progress within the meaning of the
rule. If this amendment was not placed
upon the pending bill. he declared that
| the grandchild of no member present
would live long enough to see the canal
built.
Mr.. Cannon denied emphatically that
| the failure to break down this rule meant
| the abandonment of the construction of
| the canal by the United States. But. Mr.
| Grosvenor reiterated it. and said that II
this effort failed he favored the passage
of a Joint resolution 10 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
THE CHAIRMAN's RULING.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Grosyenor's
speech. the chairman Of the Committee
Of the Whole. Mr.. Hopkins, announced
| that ne was ready to rule When order
! had been procured. he made careful
and elaborate ruling. i'm which ne pointed
| out that the question presented was pure
! w q parliamentary one. He reviewed the
arguments adduced on both sides, cited
! prcccdents and concluded by sustaining
| The polnt Of order against the amendment
! MIR Hepburn Immediately rose and en-
/ tered an appeal from the decision Of the
/ Chair AIr Hepburn said he was willing
/ 10 allow the appeal to be decided withouC
! further debate. but Mr.. Fleming Demo
| cram of Georgia. insisted upon being
heard i'm favor of sustaining the decision
| of the Chair. The rule in question, he
argued. was the shield and protection Of
| the minority.
| tained-152 to 1lS-Mr. Hepburn loudly de-
mandng telleTs.
The vote by telers confirmed the rising
| vote. The Chair was sustained-l27 TO
/ 1Og-and the amendment was ruled out.
HEPBURN BILL NEXT TUESDAY.
WASHINGTON. February l5.-After the
I defeat of the amendment adding the Hep
burn Nicaragua canal bill 10 the sundry
| civil bill General GrOsvenOr. Of OHIO,
presented a resolution fixing February
2Oth and 2lst for the consideration of the
Hepburn bill with vote February 2lst'
at =. NJ
PARTY LINES DISREGARDED.
No record is made Of the vote in Com
mittee Of the Whole. Party lines were
not adhered to. the division in favor ana
in opposition to sustaining the ChaiI
decision being about equal on both SUES
of the political aisle. .
The reading Of the sundry clvil OIL "aS
then continued. The Appropriation lo'
deep waterways was increased from SJV'-
Cco to se1 Geo on motion OF the Appropra-
tious Committee. ana aiter ,oilp'c''ne
ten additional pages OF the p!h 'he 0oii-
mittee rose.
NEWPORT NEWS BUILDING
r,ho Conference report on the Newport
News public-buildng appropriation IN
c,."sin,, the amount from $4,000 TO Sl0t,-
OC0 was adopted ,,1
senate Proceedings.
I'm the Senate to-day Mr.. McEnery. OF
omisjana. az question OF personal privi-
Zoo made emphatic denial of the state
ment that his resolution, adopted by the
senate yesterday was introduced IN the
interest of the sugar-growers OF Lou
isiana. During the debate on his resolu-