The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-13
SENATOR FRYE'S EXPLANATION
UNCLE Sam WOULD NOT HAVE
sQUANDERED MILLIONS.
There Was No Intention to Purchase
Worthless Concessions, and the
Matter Was Left to the
Presidents Discretion.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, March 12.-Some of
the members of the Senate now in the
city take exception to the statement of
Representative Cannon published Sat
urday concerning the defeat of the
recommendations of the President in
regard to the Nicaragua canal. The
statement to which the Senators make
particular objection is the following
one:
If the Senate bill or any measure pro
posed had been enacted the United States
would have paid 100000 for a worthless
concession and would have been com
mitted by law to the construction of a
canal along the Nicaragua route, and I'M
der such conditions it would have been
compelled, before a spadeful OF earth was
turned or actual construction begun, TO
have acquired by treaty from Nicaragua
and Costa Rica the territory whereon to
construct a canal and the right TO con-
struct it. Such legislation would nave
delayed and embarrassed construction OF
an iSthmian canal
Referring to this statement tonight,
Senator Frye, chairman Of the commit
tee in the Senate which inserted the
Nicaragua canal amendment in the
river and harbor bill, said
The statement of Mr. Cannon to the eff
feet that the United States would have
paid s. 900 900 for worthless concession II
either the Senate canal bill or any meas
ure proposed had been enacted IS moor
rect The Senate canal bill provided for
the appointment by the President of APP
praisers to value any property purchased
property was limited to 1000, 900. If it
were assumed that the appraisers would
pay S. 900 900 for some worthless thing
and the President would have approved
such action, then Mr.. Cannons statement
might be correct. But Mr.. Cannon, nor
any one else, assumes that such a thing
would have been possible. Now, as TO
the canal amendment inserted in the
river and harbor BILL not word was SAID
about the payment of $5,00O,0oO Tor any
purpose. That amendment authorized
the President for and in behalf or the
United States to acquire such portion OF
territory now belonging to Costa R1ca
and Nicaragua or such rights, easements,
or privileges therein, or connected there
with as NAV be necessary to eXcaVate,
construct control and defend a canal, ana
so on. There is nothing in that provision
recurring the payment OF $2iOVpV IN oh fbaf
provision requiring that any treaty be
negotiated with Nicaragua and Costa
Rica to secure territory. The President
and the money was appropriated to pay
for it, 1 do not and did not, interpret
that amendment as authorizing the Presl-
dent to acquire the concession OF property
of anv corporation, as l do not believe
such. concessions are worth anything.
But if it did authorize him to do so, 1t is
have paid So 900 900 for worthless conces-
sion unless we are to assume that the
President of the United States would be
marty to it. l do not think anybody will
sss1jme that. Now, the only other pro-
Dosed measure was the House bill, or the
one reported to the House by Mr.. Hep
burn. That bill did not authorize the
payment of cent for any concession held
by any corporation. Hence, do not see
what could have misled Mr.. Cannon
into making such statement unless it
1 So hot ra@T hxaf llOsar-
of any of the committee having this mat
ter in charge, he was misled,
| | see that in another part of his state
ment he says that the United States
cannot afford to enter upon this great
work until it has acquired by treaty a
zone of territory whereon to construct
the canal Holding that view, l do not
see how he could object, as he does in
another part of his statement, to
measures which he says would have COM
PEELED the United States. before any work
quired by treaty from Nicaragua and
Costa Rica the territory wherein to con-
struct a canal and the right to construct
it, The fact is that good deal was left
in the Senate bill and in the Senate
amendments to the river and harbor bill,
as far as this subject is concerned, to
the discretion of the President. Nothing
could be done excepting with his APP
proval, and he was not required to pay
out anything, but was merely authorized
to do it. Neither did the Senate amend
ment to the river and harbor bill commit
the President to the Nicaragua route.
The Spooner amendment, which was
adopted, specifically provides that if the
President was unable to make satisfac-
tory arrangements over the Nicaragua
route he could negotiate for control of or
right to construct some other canal con-
Meeting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. .
Asked what action he thought the
President would take under the pro-
vision finally made by Congress, Sena-
tor Frye replied:
I think that he will add two members to
the Walker commission, and that he will
direct them to proceed at once to Pan
anna and inspect the canal there and re-
port on that route. BY the time that is
done the Walker commission will have
been able to complete its report in regard
TO the Nicaragua route. In my opinion
that report will give everything needed
| in the way of information as to the Mic