The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-06
AMONG THE
LAW MAKERS
As to the Nicaragua
Canal.
PHASES OF OPPOSITION
A General Resume of the important
Closing Work of the Congress
sionaI Session.

tiser) ie Ao'er-
WASHINGTON, May 24-Tbe refus.,
Oh the Senate to take up the Nicarapu,
canal bill last Monday was NOT roattor
ior surprise to those who had kent in
close touch with the politica, si,r.t;o,,
nor does 1t signify the ultimate defeat
oi the measure by this Congress. The
truth of the matter is the Admin;str.-
ton is thoroughly committed tn the nroi
ect OF the construction of a waterway
across the Darien Isthmus, but until the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty is disposed of n
feels that it would be indelicata ara "A.
courteous TO enact into law n measnre
Which is plainly in contrayention of the
clayton Bulwer treaty which the Presi
ueht hoids is still in force. AS the SEN
ate mas not been able to come to any con-
-luSlon on the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
ana an that convention has been shelved un
,i III tiie snort session next winter the Re
publican leaders of the Senate datar
mined long ago that the Nicaragu can,I
bill must wait ."''i
When the House of Representatives. in
OH and passed it after a few hours de-
oate, without changing more than three
hoIqs' the rnoss enthusiastic supporters
~ ~ .he canal We're SO carried away that
tney tnousnt their dreams of years had
peen realized. Only handful of sturdy
spirits nad the courage to breast the
,.s M I'm wave OF sentiment that
ed Mr.. Payne, chairman of the Commit
zee on Ways and Means and leader of the
nH,aJorlty; Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the
committee on Appropriations; Mr. Hit
chairman of the COMMITTEES on Foreien
relations, and Mr.. Burton, Chairman of
the committee on Rivers and Harbors
VINO VINO .iea the night against the bill Their
opposltlon was hopeless from the start
but they stood out stoutly II was nrat
y Gleariy understood that the Senate
would hold up the bill. and that may
nave had something to do with swelIiny
tne majority in favor of the bill
Inere has always been devoted band
ot Republicans and Democrats who have
stood ready at any and all times to vote
Tor any measure looking to the building
OF an 1nteroceanic canal. When Mr. Hen.
Durh; chairman of the Interstate and
forelgn Commerce Committee showed q
determination to get his bill before tho
House. the Pacific Coast delegation rush .
eu TO MS aid, and some of the Democrat
publican ranks and thought they might
embarrass the President in his negotia-
tlons with Great Britain to amend the
-Bulwer treaty pledged DubIicIv
the solid support of their Side of ths
House Of course, the bill passed with
a rush, but it does not look as If the de-
sire sire IN some quarters to make party pol
itics out of the one sided contest would
De gratified. 1t will serve, however to
help number of the members of the
House, who are seeking recollection TO
pride to their individual efforts in aid
of the Nicaragua canal
In spite of his preliminary repulse in
the Senate, Senator Morgan, who as
chairman of the Committee on Iuteroce-
anic Canals has charge of the House
bill, the Alabama Senator declares he
will not give up the fight, but will bring
up the bill at every opportunity and
force the opposition to go record or
agree to the passage of the bill. Sena-
tor Morgan in this is more obstinate than
W.ll he ga he ros
ed this session. There is a large contin-
gent of Republican Senator's and some
few of the opposition who are put in the
unfortunate and awkward position of
feeling constrained to vote against con-
sideration of the Hepburn bill at this
time, although at heart they favor the
building of the canal by the United
States Government. They cannot see
their way clear long as the Hay
Pauncefote treaty blocks the way, and
while the House has authorized a wa
terway with works for defense, they are
brought face to face with the neutrahty
clauses in our treaty with Great Britain:
Out of this d.sCouraginS condition OF
conflict between the House ana Senate
the trans-contineutal railroads, consist
eut enemies II cheap competition by wa,
Ter, are extracting much comfort ana
satisfaction 1t is really amusing these
laws to listen to their paid lobbyists dis
course upon the sacred obligation lmpcs
ed upon us by our treaty WIN 1Itte
care. -.
What will be the ultimate result OF
this balancing of the tay-fdlnctiott u
treaty against the Hepburn canal Dill. Is
too uncertain to predict Win any nieaS e:I,
I1re of confidence. The AdfnliiiStI dlloL
has practically conceded that the treaty
ca mot be ratified, in the present mooo
of the Senate, by signing protoCol eA
tending the time for the RATIFICATION OF
the treaty to March H. 1901. whatever
change the sentiment OF tne sshaIe aIectinr
undergo after the Presidential election,
when the tendency to regard eseIy
measure. speech and vote from the stano
noint of political effect Will De less act-
thirds vote in favor of the treat MN
greatly endanger its rathcatol!. any
Concession or renewal OF the fleht Oh
participation to Great Britain, ~ tiIs -
termination of a question OF VITA iIpoi
tance to the United States on TINS coho-
r,,t pill always be unpopular. Sueh an
alone might cause 'he
Jafeat of any party in national eiec-
zion For that reason the puDhe uecia-
ration of Mr.. Root secretary Oh Wal, IN
20 tight to protect the Monroe doctrine,
10 neculiarIy significant The same be-
lief was expressed few days later In
the Senate in the debate on the naval ap-
preparation bill by Senator Lodge In
even more emphatic terms, although
some effort was made to construe his re
marks as applying only TO Germany's
policv in South America. These utter
ances, however, from high places have
made sensitive people unuuiy apprehen-
siye AS they come from men who favor
treaties with Great Britain to define
rights in Nicaragua, they must be weigh
I'd carefully 1t is impossible in Wash
'nPton for any one who is supposed tc
command attention to forget just at this
season that his words must be taken as