The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1902-06-14
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

| The House committee on library has
ordered . favorable report on bill
appropriating $4,000 for an eques'
TRAN statue Of Baron steuben, to be
erected In Washington.
Senator CLARK Of Wyoming has re-
ported from the public lands commit.
tee bill to prevent discrimination In
the issuance Of grazing permits In for.
eat reservations. The bill was designed
especially to relieve conditions exist
Ing between Utah and Wyoming In re-
gard TO the Uintah reservation. The
secretary Of the interior refuses to
grant grazing permits In Utah to the
herders OF Wyoming. The herds OF
Utah 70 into Wyoming during the win
/ ter to grace without molestat ton. The
bill ab0lishes the rule that no gra1ing
permits shah be granted to stock
growers Of another state and also pro-
| vides that no wool growers union or
| stock growers association shall desig-
nate the persons to be given permits
as has been the practice in the past.
Discussing the Isthmian canal in the
Senate, Mr.. Morgan Of Alabama,
chairman Of the committee on inter
oceanic canals, said his study of the
situation had convinced him that really
there was no greater danger from vol
canic and earthquake disturbances to
the Panama route than to the Near
aqua route, but he was satisfied that
little danger to either was to be anti
cipated. Mr.. Morgan reviewed at
length the political conditions In Co
lombia, finding in them grave menace
TO the United States in the construc-
ton of q canal by the Panama route.
He presented also the present phases
of the diplomatic negotiations looking
to the building of canal by both the
Nicaragua and Panama routes. He
closed with strong appeal for the
passage Of the Nicaragua bill.
The President has nominated Briga-
der Generals John G. Bates and
George w. Davis to be major generals.
Brig. Gen. John C. Bates was born In
Missouri, where he entered the regu-
lar army rs nrst lieutenant Of infan-
try In 1851. He was brigadIer general
was with Shafter at Santiago. In the
the negotiation Of the treaty with the
Sultan Of Jolo and the capture Of
Lieutenant General Trias Of the in
surgent army He has four years
more Of active service. Brig. Gen.
George w. Davis entered the volun-
teer army In HIS native state of Con-
necticut In 1891 ~ 4 quartefmaster
sergeant, and became a captain Of the
regular army in 1867. After the war
with Spain he was made governor gen.
eral of Porto hicO, where he remained
until ordered to the Philippines in
1901. He has only one more year to
serve.
The Views Of the minority members
OF the Senate committee on the canal
bill were presented to the Senate by
Mr.. KIttridge. The report advocates
the substitution for the House bill of
the SpOoner bill, leaving the selection
Of the routes Of an isthmlan canal to
the President, bpt It IL devoted largely
to the purpose OF showing that the
Panama route II preferable to the MIC
aragua route. This contention 10 based
upon the last report Of the Canal Com
mission. The assertion 10 made that
all the natural advantages are with
the Panama route, not the least of
which Is the comparatively brief time
necessary to traverse the canal. Doubt
is also expressed ~ to whether right
of way can be secured through Near
aqua, while It is declared that there
are no legal obstacles In the way Of
of way. 1t further 10 contended that
from an engineering standpoint the
Panama route IL superior. On the
point Of possibility of destruction or
damage to locks or dams for the canal
from volcanic eruptions or from earth
quakes, the minority assert that the
Nicaragua route In directly in line
With numerous volcanoes more or less
active, which In the past have wrought
grent destruction to the surrounding
country; that the entire country
through which the Nicaragua canal
route runs has been frequently disrupt
ed by violent earthquakes, while the
Panama route has NO volcanoes, ex-
tinct or Otherwise nearer than 200
miles.
An interesting contribution to the
discussion of the Isthmian canal pro-
ject was made In the Senate by Mr..
Harris Of Kansas. q member Of the
committee on inter-oceanic canals, VINO
liz also an engineer OF recognized abil-
ity. Mr.. Harris was for q long time
chief engineer Of the Kansas division
of the Union Pacific railway. His
Views upon the engineering problems
presented in the pending proposition
were listened to with great Interest by
his colleagues. One fact, he said. was
prominent and conspicuous. No ex-
plOration nor survey made Of canal
route there has ever placed ON record
n report adverse IN opinion rs to the
feasibility and peacticability of con-
structing 4 canal by the Nicaragua
route. In answer to Mr.. Hanna, he
quoted NJ. De Lesseps, the famous
French engineer. n saying to q COM
mittee Of Congress that II canal with
locks was to be constructed, the Near.
aqua route was the best. Mr.. Harris
said In making its supplemental report
In favor OF Panama. the Isthmian
canal commission had allowed the idea
of getting 4 bargain unduly to inhu.
ence Its Judgment and obscure Its bus
mess vision. MIR. Harris went into
minute details Of the Panama PROPOSE.
ton. his point lDeing to show that the