The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-20
BY WATTERsoN sTEALEY.

BY PATTERSON STEALEY.
 Washington. June 19-(Special)-The dapper little gentlemen from Paris France who have been hanging around the corridors of the capitol for the last month or six weeks are happy tonight and enjoying themselves with hot birds and cold bottles. The cause of their hap piness and extravaganza Is on account Of the passage by the Senate today Of the Panama gold brick scheme, which If not to perpetrate a gigantic swindle upon the United States will at least hang up for long time a great enterprise in- voving wonderful and important inter- ests to this country.
 The Spooner substitute for the Hep burn Nicaragua canal pill was adopted by a vote of F to 34.
 After two amendments to the measure had been adopted. one providing for the commission to supervise the construction of the canal, and the other a privilege for the issuance of 0000O of two per cent gold bonds to raise money with which to construct the waterway, it was passed by vote of 67 to 6. It has been evident for some days that the Spooner substitute, which in brief provides that the President shall select the Panama route if he can obtain clear title to the Panama Canal Company's property but otherwise he shall adopt the Nicara- gue route, would have the votes of ma 1ority of the Senate.
 Defeat Expected.
 It has been pretty we'll understood for the past week that the Panama crowd would win their fight. Their scheme was conducted in the Senate by the business interests of that body and they were aided on the outside or rather in the third house by smart and well trained lobby. Had the Panama bill failed to pass In the Senate the old Panama canal bonds would have been worthless. AS 1t is they are worth something to the holder and if the scheme finally gets through they will soar higher and those who bought them cheap will realize fortunes If the same influences which did such effective work in the Senate for the pas sage of the bill are directed in the House it may pass that body, though the House four months ago voted nearly unanimous ly for the Nicaragua route.
 Representative Hepburn, the author of the House bill. says that the Panama project cannot get through the House and that he will insist upon his bill.
 Morgan Takes Defeat GameIy.
 Senator Morgan. the grand old man from Alabama, who has labored so long and hard for the Nicaragua bill took his defeat today like the dead game old fighter that he Is and has been all of his life The energy, pluck and persever- ance with which he has worked night and day for years for Nicaragua Canal has brought him the esteem and admira- tion of all public men. In the final vote today the only Democrat who deserted Morgan was James K. Jones of Arkan- sas.
 MT. Morgan closed the days debate with an earnest appeal for the adoption of the Nicaragua route. He had been preceded by MT. Clark of Montana in support of the Nicaragua route and by MT. Allison of Iowa in support of the spooner proposition. Only minor amend ments. except those indicated, were adopted. all others being voted down.
 The senate had some debate over the trouble into which 1t has gotten with the house over some amendments to the army appropriation bill and finally asked for conference with the house. ignoring the offensive message which caused the trouble.
 The consideration of the isthmian ca nal question was resumed and Mir Spoo- ner offered formally his amendment 2 ubstitute for the pending so-called Hep ,urn Nicaragua canal bill Senator uark of Montana then addressed the ,enate in support of the Nicaragua canal route.
 Heritage of Ruin and Disaster.
 Mfr Clark said the Panama canal plan had left heritage of ruin, disaster and lesolation.
 MT. Allison explained why he should vote for the Spooner substitute. He be- heved there was a general desire among he American people for an isthmian ca nal and the people desired too, that the United States government should con- truct and control the canal.
 MT. Allison said it was proposed now to uild a canal 35 feet deep wide enough and with a volume of water sufficient to float he largest ships afloat. The minimum ,xpendlture for. the construction of the .anal, he believed, would be more than 2oO.00O.oo0
 MT. Morgan, Chairman of the Inter- ocean canal committee at the conclusion If Mr. Allison's remarks, began his speech, closing the debate. He said the