Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-21
TO PUSH CANAL BILL
llissl N7fs9h
Hepburn Believes the waterway
Should be Built at Once.
PANAMA MEN WILL OPPOSE IT.
hose Who Want tho Route to Go Tha
Way Are Throwing Obstacles
in Path-Ehe Quarantine
Should be Extended.

Washington, Nov. rs Representa-
tive w. H. Hepburn, of Iowa, has just
returned to Washington. Mr.. Hep
burn was chairman in the last house OF,
the committe on Interstate and for,
eign commerce-the committee that has
CHARGE of Nicaragua canal, quarantinei
and railway anti-scalping and pooling;
legislation. He said yesterday: Il shall
introduce Nicaraguan canal bill on
the first day of the session, and will
push it to action. The opponents of the,
canal gained something in the way of
postponement when they succeeded in
interpolating in the last river and har-
Dor bill a provision for a new commits
sion to investigate all the proposed
routes across the isthmus. The Near
ragua route has been recently investi-
gated by careful commission, which
had made most elaborate surveys and
had submitted a most satisfactory re-
port, but by contending that the Pam
ANA route had been neglected the post
ponement of the whole matter was Sc
cured. --~r-ri5i 3 =.
1.-THE newspapers inform us that the
committee will not be able TO report at
this session. The friends of Panama
will, of course, throw all possible OBJ
stacles in the way of the United States
building the Nicaragua canal, as the
construction of one canal will preclude
the building of Others The Panama
people say that $100,000,000 will be re-
quired to finish their canal. 1t is GER
tain. that they can never raise any
considerable part CT this sum if it is
known that the United States. govern
. >,,;l 10
canal.
"Other companies, such as the Mari
time Canal company, the. .Cragin-Eyte
syndicate and another whose name I
forget but which obtained steam
boat and railway line across the 18TH
mus in the SOS, also claim interests.
The Cragin people. claim that they hold
right to concession that took effect
on October 10, when the Maritime com.
pany's rights expired. Just what value
this alleged concession has l am not
now prepared to say. For my
part, do not think the United States
need bother about any of these conces-
sions.
ST have no doubt that Costa RIGA
and Nicaragua will be glad to give the
United States any territory and any
rights it may need to prosecute and
complete the canal. The canal question
is of overwhelming importance in the
development of both countries and they
are anxious to have it built. There is
no doubt that the house would have
acted at its last session if it could have
come to a vote, and there is no doubt
that both branches of congress
favor the enterprise. How much the
opposition can delay matters cannot
say"
the quarantine laws?" q
81 am, but there is a great diversity
of opinion in the committee on this
point. The southern members generals
ly are willing that the government
should pay the money for national
system, but they want to select the
men to spend it. The large cities also
object. Some of them collect large
sums of money for their inspection Of
vessels and spend it in salaries much
larger than the United States govern:
ment pays. New York, for instance
collects from $50 900 to 100000 annually
and pays its health officer. $4,000, q
year. In my judgment all this work
should be done by the United States
government alone, but as long as the
states, fearing invasion of their rights
by the government, unite with the
! large cities, it is not likely that any
efficient law will be enacted"
what do you think of the Philip
pine situation?'
81 Il think that congress should take
no action at present, and that the pres
Tident should continue to control the
islands by military law"
How about currency legislation?'
"In Iowa we fought the last cam
-aign on the gold standard, and the re
+ suit was a majority greater by 1900
than the state ever gave, in ALL its pre-
! yiods history. Yes, I am in favor of ac
ton"
Il :'What railway legislation do 70,
recommend"
81 s'The house has three times passed
Z the anti-scalping law and the senat.
has killed it. Now, think that W,
had better. wait for while and Sc,
Z whether the senate will pass any sucl
legislation. If it will, the house will
speedily follow suit, am sure.'
Newton is complaining Of the in
X crease of cigarette smoking among the
4 young. boys of that place.