The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-17
SENATE WANTS 70 KNOW
ADMINISTRATION OF AFFAIRS IN
CUBA DISCUSSED IN THAT
BRANCH OF CONGRESS
SENATORS MAY INVESTIGATE
Nicaraguan Canal Report Is Pre-
Sented to the SemRte-Et Opposes
Completion of the Pana-
ma Project.

WASHINGTON, May 16-Discussion of
the administration Of affairs in Cuba by
agents of the united States occupied the
attention of the senate during the greater
part of today's session. 50
Mr. Bacon (Ga-) addressed the senate
at length on his resolution directing the
committee on relations with Cuba to make
an investigation of the conduct of finan-
cial affairs of the island. He said it was
due the people Of this country to know
how things in the island were being
conducted, and since the disclosure of the
last few days of shortage of funds in the
postal service, the obligation to make an
investigation was doubly heavy He said
the honor of the country depended upon
its being able to clear away the charges
He insisted that the government of the
United States had no authority in Cuba
and demanded to know how soon it in
tended to redeem It's pledge and leave the
government Of the island to its inhab-
itants
The following measure was passed:
House bill repeating the. provision of law
allowing merchandise passing through the
United States from any foreign country
to be transported free of duty, so far as
lllC hcA1Cdl Tree zone Is concerned.
Other bills were passed as follows Au-
thorizing the construction of a bridge
across the Red river of the North be-
tween Minnesota and North Dakota; pro-
Vidlng that where an unmarried woman
has settled on a tract of land and mar
ries before effecting an entry her rights
shall not be forfeited by her marriage.
ARMY CANTEEN FAVORED.
Secretary Root today sent to Chairman
Hull, of the house committee on military
affairs, an exhaustive collection of opin-
ions on the question of the "army can
teen," gathered by Adjt Gen Corbin
from every branch of the military serY-
ice. The inquiry was made because of
the introduction of bill to prevent the
sale, or dealing in beer or any intoxicat-
ing liquor upon any military premises,
Mr. Hull having invited the opinion of
the war department officials. Secretary
Root, in brief Endorsement, says:
Il think the enactment of this bill
would be injurious to the temperance,
morals and discipline of the enlisted men
of the army"
Gen Corbin, in an elaborate answer to
the inquiry, says:
If the prohibition of beer on military
premises could be effective in bringing
ABOUT temperance on the part Of the SOL
dIers, the adjutant general would un-
Ees1tatlngly give his, Endorsement, and in
doing so he believes he would voice the
practically unanimous sentiment of the
ofhcers OF the army, but, on the con-
trary. 1t can be stated as a fact that
the closing of the canteen section of the
post exchange would be to have such
soldiers as are now content with an oc-
casional glass of beer, with n the limits
OF the post, go to the whisky shops and
dens OF vice that once surrounded per
manent posts, and which, on the pas
sage OF such a law, would soon revive,
he cannot too strongly express the opin-
ion that such legislation would be mimi
cal 10 the best interests of the army
ANTITRUST BILL.
Representative Overstreet, of Indiana,
today submitted the majority report on
the antitrust bill agreed to by the COM
m1ttee on judiciary yesterday. 1t follows
the same general lines as the report fa-
voring a constitutional amendment, ex-
cept to show that the present legislation
goes to the limit of the powers of con-
gress, whereas constitutional amend
ment would give congress new and much
needed powers to cope with the various
forms of trusts Until this enlarged con-
stitutional power is given, the report
states that congress can merely strength
en- the Sherman act, not by attempting
to repress, control or define trusts, but
by declaring them illegal for the purpose
Of interstate and foreign commerce.
NICARAGUA CANAL REPORT.
The senate committee on interoceanic
canals today, through it's chairman, Sena-
tor Morgan, presented its written report
upon the Nicaragua canal bill. The report
includes the statements of Admiral Walk
er and other members of the committee
appointed to investigate the various
routes for an interoceanic canal, and also
the conclusions of. the committee with
reference to both the Nicaragua and the
Panama routes.
The committee takes a strong position
against the proposition to build the canal
via the Panama route paying for the
work already done by the French. The
declaration is made that the Panama com
pany is practically without assets, except
those included in the Panama railroad.
The committee takes position against
holding the pendinggb bill uAless the Walker
commission can report.
On the general qllestionsof the construc-
ton of canal the committee takes the
position that Whatever canal is construct
ed, Its ownership must be American, and
that delay may be fatal to the success OF
the enterprise.