The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-16
DROPS THE DAREN ROUTE
Will Contend for Acceptance
Of French Proposition.
Senator spooner's Amendment to ths
Hepburn Bill VIII be submit-
ted to the Senate In
Minority Report

Now Orleans, March ia special -
The Times-zDemocrat from waahiugto4
says:
Senator Hanna has about abandoned an
consideration OF the Darien route, which
he once espoused. and IL preparing -
make an open and determined Asht fop
the acceptance Of the French propodtieu
to transfer to this government the ~
completed Panama Canal for el0,0o4ooA
This important fact was developed today
In talk with the Senator on the isth-
milan canal situation. and particulag1y
with reference to the effect Senator Mer-
gan's recent sharp flank movement VIII
have on that question Mr.. Hanna D.
clares 1t to be his intention to make
a minority report soon from the Com
mittee on Interoceanic Canals for the
adoption Of Senator Spooner's amende
ment to the Hepburn Nicaragua Canal
bill. and to fight 1t out on this line unttf
the Incorporating advocates OF thu
Nicaragua route sue for terms.
The Spooner amendment provides To-
the acceptance of the French proposition,
provided after thorough investigation b.
the Department of Justice tho PRESIDENT
is satisfied of the ability Of the French
company and the Colombian government
to make clear title to that property
and II this investigation shows that
clear title cannot be made the President
is to proceed with the construction OF tho
Nicaragua Canal as provided by the Hep
burn bill. Senator Hanna will be Joined
in this recommendation by three others
of the communicable. Pritchard of North
Carolina. Mr.. Kittredge Of South Dakota
and Mr.. Willard of Nebraska, all Repub-
licans. Against them ON the COMMITTEES
and supporting Senator Morgan are Mr.
Piatt of New York, Mr.. Mitchell of orc-
aun and Mr.. Hawlpy Of Connec ticut. Nh
Republicans: Mr.. Hsrris Of Kansas. Nj.
Turner OF washington ana Mr. Foster 81
Louisiana, all Democrats.
Mr.. Hanna makes no attempt to con-
ceal his wrath at Mr.. Morgan for the
manner in which the latter Is conducting
the campaign for the Nicara qua route.
I'm his precipitate haste to bring the
Hepburn bill out of the committee. Sem
ator Morgan has imposed upon the Sem
ate, the country, the members Of the
Committee on Interoceanic Canals and
Secretary Hay of the State Department"
said Senator Hanna today. I'VE have
known all along that he has had votes
enough to mike a favorble report on the
Hepburn bill, but we had not supposed
that he would try to run rough-shod
over us as he did over all the witnesses
summoned before our committee who did
not agree exactly with his view OF the
canal question. When. last Saturday, he
called at the State Department and asked
Secretary Hay II anything had been
heard from tho Colombian government
with regard to making a clear title to
the French Panama Canal. he was in
formed that nothing OF definite or on
clad character had been received: then he
asked the Secretary to write him q let
ter setting forth this statement.
Mr.. Hay declined to do this because he
was too busy at the time. Then Senator
Morgan asked the Secretary IL he would
sign a letter he Senator Morgan) would
write. setting forth the same facts. Mr..
Hay did this. and this letter was pre-
sented to our Committee last Wednesday
as a communication from the Secretary
of state, saying both Nicaragua and
Costa Rica had made, definite propositions
to lease territory for canal purposes. but
that Colombia had done nothing. Also
that there was nobody In Washington
authorized to speak for the Colombian
government. as Dr. silva. the resident
minister, had resigned and gone home.
Senator Morgan must have known at that
time that a new minister from Colombia.
Senior Concha, was then In washington
ready to present his credentials to the
President, and was only prevented from
doing so by reason of the fact that no
time had been fixed by the President to
receive him at the White House officially.
AS soon as Senior Concha presents his
oil md f= ri inst Iary -
the Colombian minister. believe he win
have an official proposition to make guar
anteeing a clear title to the French Pan
anna Canal Company. When this Is done
different situation than 1t Is today. and
The Senate certainly will insist upon the
greatest care and caution in dealing fur
Their with the matter.
I'm fact. / believe the Senate will see
the wisdom of adopting the Spoones
IL any definite action Is taken
1t this session. as then the Nicaragua
route will not be in danger II. after the I
ment of Justice. the President Is con-
vinced that neither the French COMPANY
nor Colombia. one or both. can make a
clear title TO the Panama Canal. On the
the Nicaragua route would be
IN a much better position in these cir
than 1t Is at present, be-
cause under the terms Of the Spooner
amendment II the President is not salts
leo Win Lne IN OOlOfnDta ne
must Immediately proceed with the con-
struction Of the canal by the Nicaragua
route.
Another feature of the case which
surely will have great weight with the
Senate when squarely confronted bv the
canal question Is that our Isthmian Canal
composed of some of the
sblest engineers in the country. changed
It's report from the Nicaragua to the
Panama route as soon as the French
.ompanY came to the terms of the mr.
,hase prescribed by the Commission. This
las had no influence upon the mind OF
Senator Morgan. apparently but do not
he Senate when fhe whole amestion il
aid before them in a full and impartial
light"
Senator Hanna thinks he will have his
A.... 49, -.