Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-19
REPRESENTATIVES, HEPBURN AND
.- CANNON HAVE A CLASH
PACIFIC CABLE BILL UP
CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION TO THE
SCHEME DEVELOPS.
Mr.. Dockery Fears Someone Will
Make Some Money Out of It-Mr.
CorIiss Argues fn Favor
of q Government
Cable.

WASHINGTON Jan. S.-The committee
on interstate and foreign commerce had
the right-of-way in the house to-day, anu
succeeded in passing quite n NUMBER Oh
bills of minor importance, most OF which
authorized the construction Of lighthouses
fog signals. etc. Then the bill TO grant
the Pacific Cable Company a subsidy oil
100000 a year for twenty years for the
construction Of and operation of a cable.
was called up. and very spirited debate
which consumed the remainder of the day.
followed.
The opposition was headed by Mr.. Coriiss.
Republican, of Michigan. who advocated
the construction of a government cable.
No conclusion was reached at the hour OF
adjournment. and as the special order un-
der which the house was operating to-day
expired with the adjournment. ana as op-
lection was made to fixing another day for
its consideration, it goes over indefinitely
until the committee can get another day
or until special order is adopted.
During the consideration of the Dill 10
establish light and fog signal at Hog
island shoal. Narragansett bay. r. L. there
was sharp passage between Mr.. Hepburn,
chairman of the interstate commerce COM
mission, and Mr.. Cannon, chairman OF the
appropriations committee. The latter IN
dulged in some rather sharp criticism OF
the showing upon which the bill was pre-
sented Mr. Hepburn resented this and
scored the chairman of the appropriations
committee. He charged him with gratui-
tcusly insulting members of other COM
mittees who reported bills carrying ap-
preparations, and said the country held
him responsible for the cheese-paring policy
the government pursued which left the
country unprepared when the war with
Spain occurred. Even the hasty appropria-
ton of $1,000 900 just before the war was
declared he said. only partially repaired the
condition in which we found ourselves as
a result of this policy.
Mr.. Cannon in defense of his own course.
made reply which evoked cheers and
applause from both sides of the house. He
referred to his long service in the house
on the committee of appropriations. He.
had always looked conscientiously to the
best interests of the government. He had
erred frequently, perhaps, in the light of,
subsequent events. but he had always
acted honestly with the light he had at
the time He spoke Of the way congress
had been compelled to feel its way in,
building up the new navy. The result of
the war; he said, had magnificently and
eplendidly vindicated its course. He had
nothins tc apologize for in this respect nor
in any other. and he should continue to do
caustic comment of the gentleman from
Iowa.
The bill was then passed.
Mr.. Hepburn then called up the Hawaiian
cable bill.
Upon the objection of Mr.. Dockery, DEM
ocrat. of Missouri. the bill was considered
publican, OF Kentucky. in the chair. The
bill authorizes the postmaster general to
contract with the Pacific Cable Company.
of New York, at the rate Of $1o0. 900 per year
transmission n
government messages from San Francisco
to Honolulu and points on the Japanese
and Chinese coasts the company to depos-
it s25O.0Oo in government bonds with the
postmaster general within fifteen days
after the passage of the act as a guar
antee of the construction of the cable The
at not to exceed SIS word to China and
japan. and IS cents to Honolulu. press
rates not to exceed one-fourth of the cable
rates.
Mr.. Bennett, Republican, of New York.
In, support Of the bill reviewed the contest
over the Pacific cable. The committee,
cided that the strongest company should
construct this much-needed cable. The
Pacific Gable Company will be Incorporated
ital stock of $4,000. 900. The men who were
behind 1t controlled the Mexican cable and
other cable lines. They had built 14.Ooo
of the company were. he replied they were
the president of the Mexican Cable Com
pnny, Mr. Scrymser, EDWARD L. Bailey, J.
% Pierpont Morgan, ]. X. Tod and George
s. Baldwin. He did not know the names
of the stockholders.
In reply to questions, Mr.. Bennett said
that neither the postmaster general the
secretary Of the treasury, the president nor
the secretary of the navy had been con-
suited about this bill.
1T seems to be a legislative contract
with few wealthy New York gentlemen -
INTERRUPTED Mr.. Dockery. Democrat of Mis-
souri,, TO give them monopoly of the Pa
Mr.. Bennett gave notice that at the prop.
er time he intended to offer amendments to
provide that the cable should touch the
Ladrones and the Philippine islands.
Mr.. Bennett said the cost of the cable ia
Honolulu would be about s. 500 600 the an.
nual cost OF maintenance. $50 eco bur pro.
vision must be made out of the surplus
earnings for repairs and renewals the
average life OF a cable being about twenty
years. The cost beyond Honolulu would
be about y 900 per mile for construction.
Mr.. Hepburn did not think the govern
ment itself should embark on this enter
prise. There was only one project i'm which
he believed there should be government
ownership. the N!caraguan canal, That
was gigantic enterprise beyond the now.
er OF private enterprise. :
Mr. Corliss, Republican of Michigan. who
was member of the committee that re.
ported the bill. opposed 1t vigorously, He
charged that the subsidy granted by the