Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-05-04
CLOSING THE CANAL. DEsArE.

CLOSING THE CANAL DEBATE.
Party Laass sssn 10 10 - ~ Extent
Oblltentsd IN the Dlse1ssisn.
Washington, d. G.. May 3.-Imme-
diately after the consideration of the
morning business the consideration Of
the Hepburn Nicaragua canal bill was
resumed by the house in committee
of the whole. and Congressman Mann
of Chicago was the first speaker. He
favored absolute government control
and fortifications.
Mr.. Hepburn offered the amend
| ments of the committee substituting
the word protect" for defend and the
words provision for defense" instead
of fortifications for defense.
Mr.. Hepburn. opening the debate,
said it was now almost exactly fifty
four years since the project Of an In
terOceanic canal was first preached,
but this was the first day bill to
carry such a project into effect had
received the attention Of the house of
representatives. He reviewed the
whole history of the canal project, and
said the reports were practically
unanimous in favor of the Nicaraguan
route.
Speaking OF the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty. he declared amid general
outburst of applause that the inter-.
ests of the Americans In the canal,
had become so great that they would
refuse to be bound with barrier i'm
posed by another generation half q
century ago.
II want" said he, ''and I think the
American people want an American
canal, which can If necessary discrim-
mate in favor of our own people, CIV
ing our commerce the advantage over
the commerce of other countries.
(Applause.) We are entering upon
the most intense contest in the his
tory of time, and it is the intention
of the American people that they shall
have their full share of the worlds
commerce. (Renewed applause.)
Il want the canal, when completed,
under our control. do not want
our hands tied before we enter the
contest.
And" he went on, IF the house of
representatives by an overwhelming
vote declares the policy of the Amer
lean people to be for an American
canal, untrammeled by entangling al
liances, no one in the United States
will dare say nay. (Applause.)
Il do not think there is a disposi-
ton by the administration to thwart
the will of the American people,"
(Applause.)
III it is not the intention to press
the .sHay-Pauncefote treaty, why is it
not withdrawn" asked Mr.. Clark.
1--WE must not stop now for fear of
something in the future" replied Mr..
Hepburn.
IF you will put that word forth
fy' back in the bill it will have the
unanimous vote of this side," said Mr..
Clark. :.
II do not think the changes the
committee consented to make in the
interests of harmony, as we supposed,
make any radical difference in the
BILL" responded Mr.. Hepburn.
"Do you think the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty can be abrogated by an act of
congress?" asked Mr.. Dolliver.
mo doubt it would be better were
the abrogation to be arranged through
the state department, but entertain
no doubt OF our power to abrogate it
by legislation inconsistent with its
continuance" said Mr.: Hepburn.
Mr.. Shackleford, who made the mi
nority report in favor of an additional
section providing that the canal
should not be built If the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty were ratified, said no ex-
from the Monroe doctrine.
igency should compel us to depart
Mr.. Lowering and Mr.. Ransdell ar
gued for the immediate construction
of canal, and We're followed by Mr..
Fletcher in opposition.
Mr.. Corliss insisted that it should
be strictly an American canal, and
that there was no occasion for delay.
Mr.. Hit opposed the bill on account
of the provision for the construction
Of the canal after obtaining from
Nicaragua and Costa Rica full control
over the territory through which 1t
passed. The provision, he said, was
in contravention OF the Clayton Bull
wer treaty, which he maintained was
in force
sundry Bill Carries S8l.Bs6.7l5.
Washington, May 4.-The sundry
civil appropriation bill, the most Inn
portant of the general supply bills,
and the last on the list, was COM
pleted by the committee on appropria-
lions and reported by Chairman Can
non to the house. 1t carries 1885,.
715, being $S,4S5,992 less than the es-
Inmates, and $9.7O9,146 more than the
appropriations for the current fiscal
year. In addition to the amounts car
ried by the bill, contracts are author
lied amounting to $4,437, 500, includ-
ing $3,275,00O for public buildings