Evening star., 1899-03-13
MR.. CANNON CONTRADlCTED
Senator Frye Takes Exception to Recent
Statements
no Idea of Paying 45,OOO,OOO for
Worthless Nicaragua Canal
Route Concession.

Some of the members of the Senate now
in the city take exception to the statement
of Representative Cannon published Satur-
day concerning the defeat of the recon-
mendation of the President in regard to the
Nicaragua canal. The statement to which
the senators take particular exception is
the following one: "If the Senate bill or
any measure proposed had been enacted the
United States would have paid So 900 900
for a worthless concession, and would have
been committed by law to the construction
of a canal along the Nicaragua route, and
under such conditions it would have been
compelled, before we threw spadeful of
earth, or in any way began actual con-
struc;ion. to have acquired by treaty of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica the territory
whereon to construct a canal. and the right
to construct it. Such legislation would
have delayed and embarrassed construction
OF an 1sthmian canal.
Senator Frye's Rejoinder.
Referring to this statement Senator
Frye, chairman of the committee 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
S5,0O0,00O for worthless concession if
either the Senate canal bill or any measure
proposed had been enacted is Incorrect
The Senate canal bill provided for the ap-
pointment by the President of appraisers
to value any property purchased and the
amount to be paid for any such property
was limited to $1,000 COO. If it were as
sumed that the appraisers would pay
So.oO0o0 for some worthless thing, and the
President would have approved such ac-
ton. then Mr.. Cannons statement might
be correct. But neither Mr.. Cannon nor
any one else assumes that such a thing
would have been possible.
Now. to the canal amendment in
serted in the river and harbor bill, not
word was said about the payment of So
OO.oD for any purpose. That amendment
authorized the President for and in be-
half of the United States to acquire such
portion of territory now belonging to Costa
Rica and Nicaragua, or such rights, ease
nents, or privileges therein connected
herewith as may be necessary to CXcavate,
construct, control and defend a canal and
so on. There is nothing in that provision
requiring the payment of $j,T0.0tO or
cents. Nor Is there anything in that pro-
vision requiring any treaty to be nego-
tiated with Nicaragua and Costa Rica to
secure territory. The President was au-
thorized to acquire 1t, if he could. and the
money was appropriated to pay for it, /
do not and did not interpret that amend
ment as authorizing the President to ac-
quire the concession or property of any cor
poration, as 1 do not believe such conces-
authorize him to do so it is not true that
the United States would have paid 5000 600
for worthless concession unless we are
TO assume that the President of the United
States would be party to it. / do not
think anybody will assume that. Now the
only other proposed measure was the House
hill. or the one reported to the House by
Mr.. Hepburn. That bill did not authorize
the payment of a cent for any concession
held by any corporation. Hence 1 do not
see what could have misled Mr.. Cannon in-
to making such a statement unless it was
t1e fact that not being a member of any
OF the committees having this matter in
charge, he was nlSled.
The Required Zone of Territory.
Il see that in another part of his state
ment he says that the United States can
not AFFORD to enter upon this great work
until 1t has acquired by n treaty zone of
territory whereon to construct the canal
Holding that view I do not see how he
could object, as he does In another part of
his statement. to measures which he saws
would have compelled the United States
before any work could be done on the
canal to have acquired by treaty from
Nicaragua and Costa Rica the territory
Whereon to construct canal and the right
10 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 approval
and he was not required to pay out any
thing but was merely authorized to do il
Neither did the Senate amendment to the
river and harbor bill commit the Prasi-
dent TO the Nicaragua route. The Spconer
amendment which was adopted specially
provides that If the President was unable
to make satisfactory arrangements over
the Nicaragua route that he could negotiate
Tor control of. or right to construct some
other canal connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific ocean,
Asked what action he thought the Prcsi-
dent would take under the provision finally
ADOPTED by Congress. Senator Frye replied
think that he VII add two members to
the Walker commission, and that he Will
direct them to proceed at once to Panama
ana inspect the canal there and report on
that route. BY the time that is done the
Walker commission will have been able to
complete Its report in regard to the Mica
ragua route. In my opinion that report
will give everything needed in the way of
Information as to the Nicaragua route and
there will be no necessity for acquiring any
more information concerning that route"