Evening star., 1902-01-21
MIR. Morgan Thinks Senate Will Ap-
prove Nicaragua Route.
VIEWS OF THE MORE CONSERVATIVE
Believed That a Bill VIII Go Into
Conference.
EFFECT OF THE REPORT

The report of the isthmian canal commits
sion, made yesterday In favor of the Pana-
ma route, is not considered final 1t is final
so far as the commission is concerned and
that body of engineers will in all probabil-
ity not be asked for another opinion. The
commission will not be discharged, how
ever, but will be retained, so that its MEM
bers can appear before the Senate or House
committees to give further individual opin-
ions or testimony. II required.
The report made yesterday in favor Of
Panama practically puts the two routes
upon an equal basis so far as cost is con-
cerned, with the advantage In favor Of the
route for which the simplest and quickest
title and concessions be secured. A
majority of the commission having decided
to report in favor of Panama under the
new conditions, the minority yielded TO
pressure and made the report unanimous
in the fear that If the commission was d.
vided 1t would have the effect of defeating
any canal legislation at this session OF
Congress. All the members of the COM
mission are undoubtedly in favor of ca
nal. and their action throughout has been
one of honest intention to do that which
seemed most likely to bring about that re-
suit.
The transportation interests which are
quietly and subtly opposing any final canal
legislation, have favored a report In favor
of Panama I'm the belief that it presented
the greatest difficulties in the matter Of
securing title and concessions.
Prospects in the senate.
Advocates of the Nicaragua route are
still confident that their plan will be adopt
ed in the end. Senator Morgan believes he
can force the Hepburn bill through the
Senate as it was passed by the House. In
this, however, he is optimistic.
More conservative advocates of the Mica
RAJ re Of ha fxVo
events will come to pass. First, that the
Senate may take no final action in the
matter of a canal at this session: or that
the Senate will pass a bill providing for
the construction of the Panama canal, or
leaving the matter in the hands Of the
President. This bill would then go into
conference The Senate conference commit
tee would consist of the three ranking sem
ators on the committee having the bill In
charge. These are Senators Morgan, Haw-
ley and Platt of New York. The confer
ence committee of the House would be the
three ranking members of the committee
on interstate and foreign commerce-Repre-
sentatives Hepburn, Fletcher and Sherman.
The House, having adopted the Nicaragua
canal bill, advocates of that measure are
confident that a conference between the
House and the Senate committees would re-
suit more likely in the Senate yielding to
the House than the House yielding to the
Senate. As there is no great difference in
the estimated cost of the canal, and only
a slight leaning enc way or the other on
a
either route, there are no great and press
ing advantages to be claimed by either.
The President's Position.
To say that the report of the canal COM
mission has settled the matter in favor OF
Panama is incorrect. The President is un-
doubtedly in favor of a canal bill being
hurried to final passage. though it is not
known that he has any opinion as to the
desirability of any particular route. With
his characteristic vigor he informed the
canal commission as soon as II met last
week that he wanted report not later
than Saturday afternoon, the commits
sion was limited in time for the considera-
tion of the matter. A majority having de-
clared in favor of Panama on a test vote,
Friday and Saturday were spent in the
finally successful effort to secure unani-
nous report.
Senator Morgan believes that he can Sc
cure a majority report from his committee
in favor of the Hepburn bill, in spite of the
changed position of the canal commission.
Senators Mitchell, Harris Morgan and a
number of others favoring Nicaragua have
been quite prepared for change of front
on the part of the commission. in view of
the new offer of the canal company, but
they have been equally determined that
nothing would change their own attitude in
the matter.
There will undoubtedly be a large amount
OF politics injected into the canal situation
before anything is disposed of 1t is be-
lieved that the democrats will support the
Nicaragua route and will be sustained in
that course by number OF republicans.
Legal Questions to BE Settled.
While the commission was more or less
explicit in it's statement that the property
and rights Of the canal company could
be transferred to the United States, there
is yet vast amount of detail to be looked
into, and a number of important legal
questions to be passed upon. The United
States must practically make offer for
the canal and this offer must be referred
back to France for final action. 1t is not
presumed that the United States would
buy the Panama railroad and allow any
stock to remain outstanding and clean
transfer of the entire property is yet
problematical. On the whole, Il may be
said that the isthmian canal commission
has complicated rather than cleared up
difficult situation. far a national
waterway is concerned. The decision OF
the commission is received with undis-
guised pleasure and satisfaction not only
by the Panama advocates, but by those
who, while officially on record as favorlng
a canal, would be considerably relieved at
the appearance of any complication which
would defer final and positive action