The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-16
CANAL Is SH[LVED
So Far as the Present Session
Is Concerned.
HEPBURN Is TURNED DOWN
House Sustains the Chair by
127 to 109.

Washington. Feb. 15.-The house today
settled the fate of the Nicaragua canal
bill in this congress by refusing to over
ride the decision of the chair in commit
tee Of the whole, when the chair held that
the canal bin offered as an amendment by
Mr. Hepburn was out Of order. The
friends Of the Nicaragua bill were very
confident yesterday and today that they
would triumph, but after four hours CT
debate the chair was sustained. 12I 10 l29.
Mr.. Bailey. the Democratic leader, made
an argument in favor Of the view that the
amendment was in order. Mr.. GrosvenOr
( (Rep.. Ohio bore TIE brunt Of the arsu-
ment today in behalf of this contention
Mr. Moody (Rep., Mass), Mr.. Dockery
Dem, MOI and Mr.. Fleming Dem,
La were pitted against him The debate
throughout the day was very spirited and
in the end majority Of the members re
fused to override the house rules. no
record is made OF the vote in comm1:ee
of the whole. Party lines were not adher-
to sustaining the chairs decision being
about equal on both sides OF the political
aisle About ten pages Of the bill was
disposed of today.
One OF the fiercest contests Of the ses-
sion was in progress when the house met
today. The friends and opponents Of The
Ian to attach the Nicaragua canaSHill TO
the sundry civil bill were working very
assiduously and every argument which
could influence members one way or the
other was being brought to bear. IRE
fate of the canal bill in this congress Was
in the balance Mr.. Sherman Of New York
who has been snowbound between New
York and Washington for two days, ar
rived this morning. He was designated DIS
chairman of the committee of ne whole
by the speaker when the sundry civil bill
was taken up, but in his alb ;ence Mr..
Hopkins of Illinois occupied the chair.
Ordinarily the member designated would
resume the chair upon his return from
such an absence, but owing 10 the fact
that Mr.. Hopkins heard two hours Of tho
debate yesterday upon the points OF cider
raised by the chairman of the appropria
tons committee against the canal amend
ment, il was decided that ne should prep
erly hear the remainder of the argument;
and make the ruling.
Some time was spent at the opening Of
the session with routine matters. Just
before the motion was made to go mo
committee of the whole, Mr. Hepburn Of
Iowa. who was conducting the fight on
behalf of the Nicaragua canal end
rba h.a
canal bill be made a special order Tor
Tuesday next. but objection WIS made.
The house then went into committee Of
the whole on the sundry civil ill. VITA
Mr.. Hopkins in the chair. the pending
question being the point OF ordsr raised
against the canal amendment.
Mr.. Bailey Dem, Texas took the floor.
He desired TO address himself, ne said. 10
the remarks OF Mr. Cannon about the
scandals which grew out Of the building
of the Pacific railroads. Although Mr..
Cannon had not said so in so many words,
Mr. Bailey said he assumed that he fear
ed, in connection with the Nicaragua
canal a repetition of the scandals which
had disgraced the promoters of the Pacific
railroads. Mr.. Cannon interrupted 10 say
that his criticism of the Pacific railway
legislation was that is was more loosely
enacted and therefore opened the way 10
the scandals which followed. Mr. Bailey,
in reply, declared that the Pacific rail-
road scandals had not arisen out of loose
legislation. There had been a deeper
cause. They had grown out of the u1f0r
tunate partnership between the govern
ment and certain individuals. The virtue
in the canal proposition before the house
was that il avoided this very dea1fCll.
BY its terms the canal would be con-
structed by the government. He desired
TO vote upon that proposition b7caUSs he
realized that sooner or later tne Rouse
would be compelled TO choose be.wse1 this
proposition and one - allow a pirate cor
poraticn with government cred.: ID build
this canal. If the canal was % Dc builc
by the government It must be bas ii upon
tie theory that the canal was necessary
for the support ot cur military AMI naval
defense. Otherwise. II the government
could build foreign waterways in foreign
territory, why could II not come back and
build railroads for the benefit OF internal
commerce?
Mr.. Dockery (Dem., Mo- made an arg
ment in favor OK sustaining the rules OF
the house, which, he contended. the pro-
posed amendment violated. No one with
any respect TOR his reputa tiol IS 4 parlia-
mentarian, he decla.ci. could hOii Tint
the amendmen. was n order he realissa
that the members we're eager g. set al
the puolic treasury upon this proposition.
but he warned his colleagues on the en-
ocrauc side that If they happened 70 5ver-
throw the rule they swept axay Ior ali
time the rYhts OF the mi - ~. lie had
no respect for the rules. as SIG They
degraded the individual member and
massed too much power IL the speake-.
but the members OF the m nori;y especial
II Cere not overrule tbs NE AJAX tad
ccu4e down from the Dan 1>-st.c fathers
But i this amendment VAS declared IN
order, he gave notice that ne would oS.cr
an amendment ID II % PRO NE "a he
issue u enough additional legal tender
notes 10 meet the entire cost u The c.z-
struction OF The canal. Mr.. Dockery de-
c-are1 himself IN favor o. bnldiny tie
Nlcara slla canal. because L would asc
the national defense and promote CON-
mercial expansion. which he preferred 70
territorial expansion Mr. cuigg Req.
y. y interrupted 70 call attention 10
the fact that me rights under vhicn ire
canal was 20 be constructed would expire
in eight months Mr.. DOckery said "
reply that he welcomed the interruption.
L disclosed the 'Eit.le ioker' IN the shape
% the claim % the Maritime Canal en-
paay. for whsch the senate bEll appsc2-t-
ated S5.1so.oc0- NJ Hepburn pointed out
thac 4 this bill passed 3 sepsrate prop
osi.ioa Il votld 90 70 conference. There