The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-10
CANAL BILL PASSED
WITHOUT AMENDMENT. g.
Friends of the Hepburn Measure Rallied Support
Shaeford Give the President Discretionary
Power to Select Route Was Defeated, 102 170-Only
Two Votes Cast Against the Bill Final Passage
in the House.


! Inc Appropriations committee. lheH
took the floor. His remarks were
given close attention. The building
of this canal. he said was q
| business proposition and should be con-
sidered from business standpoint Cen
tieuen talked about this proposed canal hav
Ing been agitated for forty years and used
! that as an argument why members of Con-
| sress should faIl over each other to vote
Tor the pending bill. Personally, he had
favored canal for years. but because he
had not been willing TO proceed without
| information and against fixed treaty Law,
he had been called hard names.
| Air. Cannon at this point clashed SHARPLY
| with Mr.. Hepburn. who is in charge OF the
| bill.
| He criticised the Iowar for Withholding
| his speech from the record and Mr.. Hep
/, burn, characterizing Mr.. Cannon's criti-
| cism as "querulous and for an improper
| purpose" stated that he had only exer-
| cised a privilege customarEy exercised by
| members. But he offered then and there
| to give Mr.. Cannon the speech and sent it
| over to him by page.
| Mr.. Cannon declared that in his recollec-
! tion, a member presenting a great measure
to undertake work that was to last for
| centuries had never pursued such course.
He declared it was not decent parliamentary
| procedure and when Mr.. Hepburn made
| some quick reply he observed amid laugh
| ter that if the gentleman from Iowa were
| only as straightforward as he was Zip Of
| tongue" ne would be better legislator.
SEES DANGER IN GENERAL
! APPROPRIATION PROVISION.
| Mr.. Cannon, discussing the language Of
| the bill, asked what was meant by author
| izng the President to obtain full control"
| over the land upon which the canal was to
! be built. Did it mean the purchase and
ownership of miles of property owned by
/ spectators. both American and Nicara-
guam?
With great emphasis. Cannon declared
that, in his judgment, the general appre-
| prlation which the bill contained. and the
''artful language" of il. would cause the
claim that it gave the President full power
not only to pay Nicaragua and Costa
Rica. but the Maritime Canal Company and
| European. American and Nicaraguan specu-
lators-how much he could not tell. 1t
might be five. ten. or Twenty-Five millions.
He denounced what he termed the undue
haste of those who wanted to build this
canal between and sunrise to-mor-
row." He also objected to the authorize
tion the bill contained to negotiate con-
tracts for the whole work. Mr.. Cannon
said he would vote for the Morris amend
ment, and If it failed he would move to re-
| commit the bill with amendments he had
suggested.
DE ARaloND CONTENDS TIE
BILL NEEDS MATURING.
Mr.. De Almond Of Missouri said the
question before the American people was
not as to whether Congress would pass a
bill for the isthrian canal. but whether
the bill would be Inatured and proper when
passed.
If confidence existed in the President
why should he not have the opportunity
to negotiate with Colombia or Nicaragua
according to the Information in his pos
session."
Alternative authority would enable him
to make better terms.
Experts differed as to the advantages OF
the two routes. Why not give the Presi-
dent the discretion to select? Neither peril
nor risk would be involved In It.
The bill. he urged, needed maturing. 1t
was silent many points
Were the army engineers to build the
canal. or was there to be one gigantic syn
dicate whose influence. baneful, perhaps.
but certainly mighty, would extend over
many years?
Were the principles Of the civil service
to obtain. or were political considerations
to govern?
He was tired of passing legislation in the
House and allowing the Senate to perfect
Mr.. Vandiver of Missouri and Mr. Hook
er OF Mississippi advocated the passage OF
the unanended Hepburn bill.
HEPBURN REPLIES TO CANNON
IN n SARCASTIC MANNER.
Mr.. Hepburn answered the criticisms ad- !
duced against the bill during the debate de-
voting considerable time to Mr.. Cannon. /
The gentleman from Illinois. he said. de- I
manded c!earness and definiteness. yet he |!
proposed to support the Norris amendment, /
which Mr.. Hepburn pointed out, was vague !
and indefinite. He had impugned bad mo- |
tiVes TO no one, but he believed that forces /
were working for delay.
Il do not impugn the motives OF the gen |
tiemen from Illinois, said he. when he !
says ne Is in favor of this canal. In I
parliamentary sense, l am convinced, yet /
am free to confess that only the obligations ,
OF parliamentary law would convince me !
when l remember that he has invariably (
been stickler for delay
Mr. Hepburn then proceeded to review |
Mr.. Cannon's record on canal legislation to !
snow that his declarations of friendship did |
not h2rmonize with his constant course Of /
hostile delay. He repeatedly drew applause !
and laughter as he loosed his shafts of sar- !
casTn ut the chairman of the Appropriations
committee. Mr.. Cannon seemed to take 1t
all good-naturedly. Joining in the laughter
provoked at his own expense.
Mr. Hepburn said that MIR. Cannon posed
as a business man. yet. said he, ne wanted
to pay Sieeoo0oo for something the commits
sion said was worth 81. 000e90.
With regard to the alleged claims of the
Maritime Canal Company, which the gentle
man from Illinois discovered In the pale