The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1900-02-24

Chairman Hepburn OF the house com
mittee on interstate and foreign commerce
Saturday submitted the report OF the com
mittee in favor OF the Hepburn bill fol
constructing the Niearaguan canal The
report says in part: IF the provisions
of the bill can be carried out the United
States will within few years be in full
ownership and control Of waterway con.
Meeting the oceans that it can defend and
that it can use in the interests of its navy
and its merchant marine, as wisdom may
dictate. There seems to be little doubt
that the states of Nicaragua and Costa
Rica will give their consent for the con
stTuetion of this great work 1t will ira
verse either the border OF interior Of Mic
aragua for a distance of about 100 miles.
Ii will give to the state a waterway from
its capital and its most productive region
to the sea. 1t will place the country on
one of the greatest waterways of the
world, bringing it into immediate contact
with Large foreign commerce and those
who conduct it. In very many ways the
state will have advantages not now pos
sessed and that will be for a long time lost
if another route by which the oceans are
connected should be adopted. AL Of these
considerations induce the belief that these
two enlightened states will be glad to aid
our government cordially and efficiently liz
carrying out this great design"
The house then went into committee Of
the whole with all questions relating to
the close of the debate open. Payne, in
charge Of the bill, opened the debate with
a carefully prepared argument in support
Of the measure. He was listened to with
marked attention.
Investigation Of the charges as to the
conduct OF the United States military
forces under General Merriam during the
Idaho mining troubles last summer began
Monday before the house committee on
military affairs.
Governor Steunenberg Of Idaho, State
Auditor Sinclair, General Merriam, ex-
Master Workman Sovereign Of the
Knights Of Labor, E. J. Flanagan Of the
Idaho legislature and Magistrate A. I.
Mullan of Idaho and considerable dele
CATION Of miners from the Occur d'Alene
district were present. The entire time
was consumed in discussing the manner
Of procedure.
Several Of the members wanted Lent.
who started the inquiry, to act a. com.
plainant and prosecutor, but he declined
to accept the position and urged that
there should be free and full investiRA.
ton.
He said there was no partiaanship in |
the Investigation and he merely wished to |
get at the charges which the labor organ
izations regarded as serious and which
were widely made in the press. Representa-.
tive Marsh OF Illinois also urged that as
Lentz had formulated the charges he
should proceed in his own way. There
should be full investigation, 80 that il
could not be said anything was smoth-
cred"
Chairman Hull did not think the com.
nittee could sbdicate its functions to
Lentz-
Marsh resented this. remark as a mis-
Of his position and Hull
iisavOwed any such purpose. A resolution
~ Hay of Virginia, that the complaining
witness be first examined, was debated |,
It length.
The committee adjourned until Tuesday
morning when its exact line Of procedure
will be adopted and the examination Of
begun.
The hearing Of witnesses In the inyesti.