Evening star., 1902-01-27
The President Believes a Canal Bill
Should Be Passed.
.REPUBLIglE sENAf0Rs ARE NOTIFIED
interests Of the Party Demand
Legislation.
SIGNIFICANT ACTION TAKEN

The supporters of the administration in
the Senate have been given to understand
by President Roosevelt that 1t is the opin-
ion of the executive that an interoceanic
canal bill of some sort ought to be passed
at this session of Congress for reasons of
political as well as national policy. Presi-
dent Roosevelt will not permit the repub-
lican majority in Congress. if he can help
it, to be party to any conspiracy of The
transcontinental railways to defeat canal
legislation
The interests of the republican party in
the coming congressional elections are of
more Importance than the interests of any
possible group Of senator's who may have
affiliations with American railway lines
that would lead them to join in the move
ment to defeat the canal. 1t is said that
President Roosevelt believes that the Amer
lean people are intent upon securing this
canal, and that IL Congress fails to seize
the favorable opportunities now within
their grasp would express their resentment
in the coming elections for the House of
Representatives.
Indicative of Progress.
Action was taken by the Senate committee
on isthmfan canals today which is believed
to indicate that progress Is to be made upon
canal legislation. On motion of Senator Har-
ris Of Kansas, 1t was determined by the
committee to begin hearings next Monday
which are expected to throw light upon all
of the obscure points in the, pending contro-
versy over the Nicaragua and Panama
routes. The committee will can each mem
ber of the Walker isthmian canal commits
sion before it and will question him at
length upon his views of the relative merits
of the two routes.
The significance of this proceeding will
be realized when 1t Is recalled that there
have been persistent reports Of a division
of opinion In the commission over it's last
report on the Panama route. It is said that
some members of the commission were not
in accord with the recommendation Of the
majority, but that they signed the report
for harmony's sake. The isthmian canal
committee of the Senate will draw from
each member of the commission his reasons
for preferring one or the other route. 1t IS
proposed to ascertain each mans views
upon the legal, diplomatic and physical OBJ
jections or advantages of the two projects
The hearings will probably extend over a
week and are expected to elicit great deal
of information of value to the Senate in
passing upon canal bill.
AT today's meeting a subcommittee was
appointed, including some of the best law
yers of the committee, to consider all the
legal questions involved in the proposed
cession OF the Panama property to the
prises Senator Foster. chairman; Senator
Turner, Senator Kittredge Senator Pritch-
ard and Senator Morgan ex-officio. The
subcommittee will proceed with this work
during the coming week and it is altogether
probable that the lsthmian canal commit.
tee will be ready to make a report to the
Senate by the middle Of February, recon-
mending a route for the canal and sup
porting its recommendation with facts and
figures.
Proposed Darien Route Commission.
Senator Scott Of West Virginia, intro
duced in the Senate today a resolution
providing for the appointment Of COM
mission OF three persons, to report upon
the practicability and cost Of constructing
through the Cordilara range Of mountains
to the north Of the Isthmus Of Darien, a
tunnel eve miles long and Of suf1cien,
width and height for. the passage of the
largest steam and sail vessels now afioat
the tunnel to connect with certain water
ways and form an interoceantc canal.