The age-herald., 1900-05-02
NICARAGUA CANAL
 BILL BEFORE HOUSE
After Delay of Fifty Years the Famous Measure
 is Being Finally Debated.

give England the same rights" persisted MT. Clark.
 q am afraid" responded Mir. Hepburn, ''that such action would be unfortunate for the provisions of my bill. But if the house of representatives, by an overwhelming vote, declares the policy of the American people to be for an American canal tram meled by entangling alliances, no one In the United States will dare say Nay (Applause). I do not think there is dis position by the administration to thwart the will of the American people"
 ''If 1t Is not the intention to press the y-Pauncefote treaty, why Is 1t not with drawn?" asked Mir Clark of Missouri
 "We must not stop now for fear of some- thing in the future," replied MT. Hepbuin.
 The Word "Fortify"
 of you will put that word fortify' back in the bill it will have the unanimous vote on this side," said Mr. Clark
 q do not think the changes che comr1t- tee consented to make in the interest of harmony as we~s supposed, make any radi- cal difference in the bil)," responded MT. Hepburn.
 Do you think the Clayton Bulwer treaty can be atrogated by an act of congress- asked MT. Deliver.
 'I doubt if 1t would be better were the abrogation to be arranged through the state department, but l entertain no doubt of our power to abrogate it by legislation inconsistent with it's continuance"
 MT. Shackeford who made the minority report in favor of an amendment section providing that the canal should not be built if the Hay-Pauncefote treaty was ratified said he earnestly in favor of a canal; but, great as its benefits to the American people would be, there was one question dearer to the American heart-the Monroe doctrine. No exigency should compel us to depart from that doctrine which would always be shield against foreign encroachment. If England was to have the benefits of the canal, why should it be built with American money?
 MT. Ransdell of Louisiana made a gen. eral argument in favor of the immediate construction of canal and was followed by MT. Fletcher of Minnesota in opposition. The commission appointed by the last con- gress, he said had made an exhaustive in veStigation. He did not believe the find- ings of the commission should be fore stalled. He and his constituents Sfavored the canal, but premature action was un- desirable. At the next session when the commsison's report was before congress action should be taken for the building of an American canal.
 Burton A sainst the M ethod MT. Burton of Ohio, who was one of the leaders of the opposition said: "I yield to no one in my desire for the early connec- tion of the two oceans by an isthmian ca
 
 the best method of accomplishing it. It ignores solemn treaties. It commits us to one route when the advantage of all routes should be considered and com- pared" He pointed out the advantages of the two routes; notably, the Panama was shorter, while the Nicaragua had a less sailing distance from the Atlantic coast of | North America and the gulf coast to the Pacific coast If we were definitely com- mitted to the Nicaraguan route, Nicaragua and Costa Rica would fix an extortionate price for right of way and non-concessions. He laid especial stress upon the arguments that the canal should be neutral, and said that not only had our government always advocated neutral channels, but had done | so particularly with reference to the isth- milan canal. As a solution of the whole matter, he suggested the making of pro- vis1onal treaties with the governments | through which the different routes for ca- nals may go, obtaining options on rights of way and concessions and the postpone