Arizona republican., 1899-03-19
His Comments on Nicaragua
 Canal Objected to.
SENATOR FRYE GIVES FACTS
Declares inc Illinois Representative Must Have Been MiSIed Into inc Statement That SeraIe Bill Au- fhOrized Payment for Worthless
 COnCeSSiOn-preSid 10 Author ize Investigation Panama Route.

members of the senate now in the city
 take exception to the statement of
 Representative Cannon published Sat
 urday concerning the defeat of the
 recommendation 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 proposed had been enacted
 the United States would have paid
 $5,O00, 900 for 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 construction, to have acquired by treaty of Nicaragua and Costa Rico the territory whereon to construct canal, and the right to construct it. Such legislation would have delayed and em- barrased construction of the isthmian canal"
 Referring to this statement last night, 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 MT. Cannon to the effect that the United States would have paid $5, ,O0O, 900 for worthless con- cession if either the senate canal bill or any measure proposed had been enacted is incorrect. The senate canal bill provided for the appointment by the President of appraisers to value any property purchased and the amount to be paid for any such prop erty was limited to $5,000,000 If it were assumed that the appraisers would pay $5,O0OO 900 for some worth less thing, and the President would have approved such action, then Mir Cannon's statement might be correct But neither MT. 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 a word was said about the payment of S5,000,000 for any purpose. That amendment authorized the President for and in behalf of the United States to acquire such portion of territory now belonging to Costa Rico and Mic aragua, or such rights, easements or privileges therein or connected there with as may be necessary to eXcaVate, construct, control and defend canal and so on. There is nothing in that provision requiring the payment ot S5, GOO, 900 or 5 cents.
 Nor is there anything in that pro vision requiring any treaty to be ne gotiated with Nicaragua and Costa Rica to secure territory. The Presl- dent was authorized to acquire it, If he could, and the money was appro- priated to pay for it. I do not inter bret that amendment as authorizing the President to acquire the concession or property of any corporation, as l do not believe such concessions are worth anything. But if it did autho- { rize him to do so it is not true that the United States would have paid $5,000,- 900 for worthless concession unless | we are to assume that the President of the United States would be a party to it. I do not think anybody will as sume that Now, the only other pro- posed measure was the house bill, or | the one reported to the house by MT. | Hepburn. That bill did not autho- riZe the payment of a cent for any con- cession held by any corporation. Hence I do not see what could have misled Mr Cannon into making such a statement, unless it was the fact that not being member of any of the the committees having this matter in charge he was misled.
 II see that in another part of his statement he says that the United States cannot afford to enter upon this great work until it has acquired by a treaty a zone of territory whereon to construct the canal Holding that view, I do not see how he could ob- ject, as he does in another part of his statement to measures which he says 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 to construct it. The fact is that a good deal was left i'll 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 lis approval, and he was not required