Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-07
DUTY OF CONGRESS
Senator Morgan's Report on an 18TH
mian Canal.
OPPOSES ANY FURTHER DELAY
Favors the Bill Passed by the
House.
DISCUSSING THE ROUTES
DELAY
DISCUSSING THE ROUTES

Senator Morgan today presented part Nv
OF the report of the Senate committee on
intcroceanic canals on the project OF an
isthmian waterway. 1t Is chiefly interesting
in being reaffirmation that the House bill
now pending in the Senate providing for the
construction Of the Nicaragua canal fur
nishes the true, safe and honorable method
of dealing with the rights, powers and du-
ties of Congress with an isthman canal"
The report says:
Each new development of facts. each
apparent change of diplomatic situations,
each lanse Of concessions made to our citi-
zens by Nicaragua during a half century,
each suggestion or overture for joint con-
troll of the canal by other governments In
connection with the Uniteu States each
effort to lodge the ownership and control Of
this canal In corporate bodies instead Of the
United States. each obstruction that
presented, whether openly secretly by
competitive lines of transportation or by
speculative enterprises chartered by states
for the purpose of preventing the United
States from executing it's settled policy of
the exclusive ownership and control of a
canal through the isthmus of Darien has
the more firmly convinced your committee
that the provisions of House bill 253S are
the just, safe, true and honorable method
o4 providing this necessary part of our
physical commercial and political geog-
raphy and a maritime highway for all the
nations OF the world.
1t is needless that any government, cor
poration or combination of individuals
should attempt TO divert the United States
from its fixed policy to the ownership
and control Of such canal and that ele-
ment of discussion is dropped. Neither is
it necessary to consider any route for a
canal besides those of Panama and Mica
ragua, the search for any other route hav-
ing demonstrated that only these routes
are practicable
Advantages of the Nicaragua Route.
The report then treats the Nicaragua
route as the one Selected finally" stating
that the decisive vote in the house-225 to
2J-determines the location, so that it re-
mains only to vindcate that decision against
the pretensions of the Panama route"
The report then argues In detail the ad-
vantages of the Nicaragua route over all
others. 1t sets forth what is stated to be
conclusive proof of the fatal defect of the
Panama route" the complications in the
way Of having the United States take up
the Panama route, etc After referring to
evidence given by Panama canal officials
the report says:
THE statements made on that hearing
disclose the animus of these parties in
seeking hearing before the committee and
In its plan of obstruction in an unmstak-
the United States. That idea is disdainful-
ly repelled. 1t is not to get permission
from the United States to construct, own
and control canal at Panama. Such
while they claim the obligation of the
United States to protect the canal as one
of the valuable rights of the company,
which also concerns the United States as
interested observer of events.
These hearings and reports In connec-
ton with the letters written by Mr.. Crom-
well lead to the unavoidable conclusion
that the new Panama Canal Company will
endeavor TO defeat a canal through Costa
Rica and Nicaragua as it was in 1893.
The Duty of Congress.
Mr.. Morgan sets forth seven headings in
the plan to secure delay" including the
complications the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty. He says: "Halting and hesita
ton are worthy of censure when nothing
is presented require it. and no better
conditions are to be reached by delay. The
duty rests squarely upon u.s. and Congress
should be equal to it.
NO excuse remains for delaying the
action of Congress either to crafty the
new Panama Canal Company or to daily
with any other power in negotiations over
q measure that enters deeply into our ma
tonal financial policy and will shape the
action of government and people in a
great many other important matters that
concern them. This is a great and con-
trolling measure of public expenditure.
which is now safely within means, and
Congress should now determine that it will
provide law to sanction II, or else that it
is not worthy of consideration and abandon
1t
suspense Will duu nothing 10 our aDlHty
to enter upon this work. while If it is de-
layed by our trepidation we shall grow
weaker by the indulgence of that odious in
trinity
IF the House bill is passed in the SEN
ate and becomes a law it is safe to expect
that agreement can be made with Great
Britain as favorable. at least to the United
States as that contained in the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, amended. after the
House bill is enacted. This expectation is
not based upon any supposed want of
power. or of will. in that great empire to
maintain what she considers just or ad-
vantageous position nor yet upon her mag
nanimity, for that we do not ask, but upon
the fact that the canal when built will be
of incalculable value to all her North and
Central American possessions, and that she
can never realize these advantages without
the consent and assistance of the United
States. Neither can Great Britain or any
combination of powers construct and main
tain canal at Panama without our con-
sent"