The National tribune., 1902-01-16
CONGRESS-.
Passage Of the Nicaragua Canal Bill in
the House - The Annual Pension De-
bate in Progress.

The National legislators returned to
Washington and opened the session after
the holiday recess. on Monday of last
week. The death of Senator Sewell, of
New Jersey, which had occurred during
the holidays, being announced, nothing
was done the first day in either body. In
fact, the Senate did nothing of conse-
quence, so far as the transaction Of pub
lie business was concerned, all the week.
The confirmation Of the new Cabinet Off
GERS, Mr.. Payne rs Postmaster General
and Mir. Shaw as Secretary of the Treas
uIy, were made, and the rest of the time
WAS put in mainly in committee work and
executive session upon the large number
of Army and Navy nominations, which
have been pouring INTO the Senate by the
score, mainly on account of promotions in
Cldent to the reorganization of the Army
The Senate Committee on Inter-O Oceanic
Canal also, at the end of the week, gave
Il hrarIHS To the Secretary OF the Panama
| Canal Company, who has arrived from
France desiTous of disposing of the un-
t finished ditch, which has ruined it's in
vcstors in France to the tune of about
! SD, 100000.
The House had a succession of field
/ days over the consideration of the NicaTa-
qua Canal bill reported by Mr.. Hepburn,
:
| Commerce. There were three days of de-
! bate, and the members had it hot and
| heavy. y proposition had been made by
, the Secretary of the Panama Canal to sell
! it for $40,000,OG0. having dropped from
| SlO9, 100000 within the last few weeks.
In the House there are a good many
| Members who, for various reasons, are Op-
| posed to a canal at all; Il very few openly
opposed, and good many more i'll secret
and indirect opposition. There are Il good
many others also who believe that for
various reasons the Panama is a better
proposition than the Nicaragua Canal
and the interjcction of the Panama
$ heme by means of the offer of the
French to sell out. afforded convenient
cover under which the opposition could all
combine. Those who are opposed to any
canal, those who favor the Panama route.
and those who are not satisfied, for one
reason or another, with the details of the
Hepburn bill, could all practically join
forces against the Nicaragua measure by
the Panama amendment.
1t was the first great debate in the
House of Representatives in good while,
where there was no division upon politi-
cal lines. In fact, although the lsthmian
Canal is an Administration measure, many
Of its most earnest advocates are Demo-
Gratis from the Gulf States.
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois. who. on ac-
count of the questions he asked when the
date was fixed for the consideration of
the bill, before the holiday recess, was
suspected of hostility to any canal bill,
finally, owing to his prominence as Chair
man of the Committee or Appropriations,
became practically the leader of the op-
position; although he declared that he was
not opposed TO a,scanal, but simply was
not satisfied with the proposition as put
forward by the Committee on Commerce,
and he believed that money might be
/ al.
and was in favor of the amendment by
Mr.. Shackelfard, of Missouri, making it
the duty of the President to investigate
the Panama project. and if that were
found more desirable than the Nicaraugua
route, to adopt it in preference to the one |
prOnosed in the Hepburn bill.
A standing vote was taken upon the |
ShackelfOrd amendment or so called "al- |
tentative proposition and the friends of |
the Nicaragua Canal were evidently sur |
priSed at the strength of the proposition. |
The ShackelfOFd amendment was de |
featcd, but on account Of the rising vote |
there were 102 members for and 10 |
against it.
This 102 practically represented the
full strength of the combined opposition
comprising those who oppose any canal.
those who honestly think that the Isthmus
of Panama is 4 better place to construct
the canal than by way of Nicaragua.
and. lastly. those who onnOse certain
features of the Hepburn bill at various
places. Probably, however. the majority
of this vote was renrcsented by people
who come from certain sections OF the
country not so deeply interested in the
canal as some others. and those where
railroad influences dominate.
1t is well known that most of those in
tereStcd directly or indirectly. in the
trans-continental railroads. oppose the
canal, which they believe would be dan,
gprous connection in the matter nf freight
rates between tho Atlantic and the Paci
fic Coasts. Whether this view is well
founded. it nevertheless prevails and i,
is believed that there are many Members
of the House of Representatives who are
willing to vote for any measure of delay
in this interest. while unwilling to oppOse
the Dronostion openlv 1t is nevertheless
true however that there is strong nm
der-tone of honest nnpOsition to the Mic
aragua project, either on grounds OF
economy. or because the other route is be-
leved IN he more desirable.
An effort was made to secure a rnll-rall
upOn this amendment. but not a sufficient
number rose to second the demand for a
call of the ayes and noes. and therefore
the Members did not go on record upon
this nronnsition.
''UncIe Joe Cannon. who had been in
hot controversy with Col. Henburn all af-
t"rr"on Thuredng the 9th. the final
day Of the debate, offered an amendment
10 recommit the whole matter, with in
st~uctions. To the committee to reDOrt an
other bill within 80 davs. putting the bu~
den Of choice as to the routes upon the
President
This was bitterly onposad nv Heph"rn
and the friends of the Nicaragua route
because two, or possibly five. years must
necessarily enSue before new SURVEYS
could be made. and diplomatic negntia
tinns with Colombia carried through
FiraIlv. Mt ahout = o'clock in the nftpr-
noon the vote unon the final passage of
the Henburn hill was reached, and the bill
PASSED by vote of 300 ayes To noes
Tho two voting We're Mr.. Flnt"hpr of
Michigan. and Mr. Lassiter. of Virginia
These two gentlemen simriv don't believe
in anv Tsthmion Canal being necessary
or expedient. There was only one ab-
Snnt"p There wore ~ MamharS in favor
of the hill. paired with the same number
of Members who would have voted against
it. presumably, if they had had the cour-
age.
Col. Henhurn moved to reconsider tho
vote nv which the bill had heen passed.
and to Law that motion on the table. which
was done viva vnce amid apnlause and
the great struggle in the House was end
ed. until the final battle over the confer
ence report. some months from now. shall
arrive; provided the Senate pass any bill
Mt oil