Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-10

construction of the Bohio dam
During the early part of the session
the naval appropriation bill was con-
sidered. All of the committee amend
ments We're disposed of, excepting that
relating to the construction of two ad-
ditional battleships, two cruisers and
two gunboats.
Soon after the Senate convened, a
report was made from the committee
on Indian affairs of an investigation
made by that committee of the conduct
of w. A. Jones, commissioner of In
dian affairs, with respect to the leas-
ing of certain Indian lands Of the
Standing Rock reservation, South Da-
kOta. The committee reported that
there was no foundation for the re-
port made and that the conduct of Mr..
Jones was entirely unselfish. The re-
port was agreed to.
Simmons On. c. then addressed the
Senate in support of the bill for the
establishment of a national forest in
the southern Appalachian mountains
he said it had been suggested that
there might be some Job" in the
pending bill. This he knew was not
true and there was no foundation in
fact for the suggestion. The measure
was essentially national in character
and it was advocated as a national
proposition.
At the conclusion of Simmons
speech consideration was begun of the
naval appropriation bill. The bill as
reported to the Senate carries appro-
pria tons aggregating $7S.166.S3S.
The 1InfiTiGhal
milan canal project-at ? o'clock, was
laid aside and the reading of the
naval appropriation bill was continued.
All of the committee amendments
were agreed to except that providing
for the construction of two first class
battleships, two 6rst-class armored
cruisers and two gunboats. which went
over at the request of Hale.
An amendment was agreed to providin. =
for the erection of a testing laboratory
and equipment ana another building at
the Annapolis Academy at a cost Of 800
600 and appropriating 100000 to begin the
work
After the adoption Of some other
amendments principally of a minor char
acter. consideration of the isthmian canal
proposition was resumed. Harris O[an. ..
a member Or the committee on inter-
oceanic canals, addressed the Senate in
favor Ot the Nicaragua route. BY profess
sion Harri; is an engineer and he served
for Il long time W. chicf engineer Of th,4
mon Pacific Railway. Kansas division
! Ills views upon the engineering problems
presented III the proposition We're listened
to with great interest by his colIea CUES
one, he said, wIs prominent ana con-
SplcuOus. No exploration OF survey rlaIc
Of canal ra':tr there had ever placed
ppcnv1 t.tY .l,ly in.
to the feasibility ana practicabilitv Of
| constructing canal hv the Nicara qua
route. In answer to Hanna he quoted
NJ De Lesseps. the famous French enci-
neer, as saying to a committee of Con
gress that if canal with locks was 10
be constructed the Nicaragua route was
the best.
Harris said in making its supplcmcnttI
report in favor of Panama the isthmian
canal commission had allowed the idea nf
getting a bargain unduly to influence its
| Judgment and obscure its business vision.
Tillman inquired how the lands neceS-
sary for the Nicaragua route were to he
obtained if they were owned by private
individuals. rs the government to br
subjected to such private claims?" M
I'm other words. have Americans eon.
down there and fixed up things 50 that
we will have to pay millions and millions
Of dollars for the right Of way
The treaty with Nicaragua" Harris
the lands where private rights are in
volved'
Culberson CTexasp inquired how much
would have to be paid by the United
States for private rights along the canal
Harris replied that. 50 far as ne knew,
no data on that SUbitct had been nreDar-
ed and no estimate made. Morgan said
that by an arrangement with the NiCara-
guam government all acquisition Of land
by the United States would date back
to the conditions which prevailed in De-
cember. 1900. That would preclude ALSO
lutely Of speculation in the land along
the route.
Continuing. Harris insisted that strict
~ commercial reasons would warrant the
United States in building the Nicaragua
canal. even though the Panama route
were presented to this country.
In conclusion. Harris expressed the
opinion that when the canal was built
trading vessels Of the United States.
Morgan discussed the diplomatic negO-
tiatiOns to show that neither Nicaragua
nor Costa Rica could have claims against
this government through the old Mari
time Canal Company. He pointed out
that it was through the wisdom and fore
sight of William Mckinley that the Unit
ed States had acquired the exclusive
right to construct q canal. through Mica
TaSua and Costa Rica. and he declared
that this was one of the most magnili-
cent acts ever performed by a President
way for the construction of the canal ana
those two southern nations We're bound
by the agreement until this Congress
should take action on the canal question.
The Senate then at $50 went into exec
utive session and soon afterwards adj
journcd.