The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-06-05
DISCUSSION TO BE WARM
Those Who Oppose a Canal
Favor Panama Scheme.
Alabama Senator Contends That
Seismic Disturbances are More
Common on Isthmus Than
; Along the Other Route

Washington, June 4-(Special. THE
fight for a canal connecting the waters
Of the Atlantic and the Pacific looms up
in the Senate now. The Philippine civil
government bill has been disposed Of and
a clear way is open for the canal bill,
which has already passed the lower house.
Senator John T. Morgan of Alabama,
will champion the canal project. He favors
the Nicaragua route. In fact there Is
no other route available. in his opinion,
and those who oppose the Nicaragua route
are opponents of any canal project. There
is an element in the Senate in favor or
the Panama route This element, under
the leadership of Senator Hanna, has
been powerful enough in the past to keep
down canal legislation, but now Senator
Morgan clsi to have them beaten in
the matter of votes and he confidently
expects to see this session authorize the
construction Of the Nicaragua canal.
Desire Complications
Senator Hanna and his crowd favor the
Panama route because they know there
is an abundance of legal complications
connected with that scheme. compiled
tions which will prevent the construction
of an American waterway across that
isthmus OF this there is not the slightest
doubt Panama's most ardent advocates
know there can be no work done on that
route by American hands, and they sup
port that project for no other reason
than that 1t stands in the way of the
more available route across Nicaragua.
All this will be brought out in the de-
bate, which Is expected to run for weeks.
There will be charges of double dealing
and counter charges and an interesting
time Of it is assured. The project cannot
be. said to belong to either party, nor
win the vote he party vote in any sense
of the word.
In the House of Representatives there
was almost a unanimous vote In favor
of Nicaragua and in the Senate there
will be a patriotic, rather than party
support except in the case of those Re
publican Senators who may be influenced
by Hanna to vote against the measure.
Volcanic Disturbances.
The relative freedom of each route
from volcanic disturbances will be made
the subject of interesting debate on the
canal bill The Panama advocates began
10 shout that Nicaragua was subject TO
volcanic disturbances when Martinique
was lately oVerWHeiHleo' anu theJ "
clared a canal across that neck OF the
two continents would some day be wiped
out of existence by the eruption OF some
volcano Now, however, they do not feel
so happy at their suggestion. since the
Nicaragua crowd have secured the testi-
mony of scientists who declare Panama Is
in greater danger from volcanoes than
Nicaragua.
Altogether the debate promises to be
the most interesting of the entire SEES
sion in the Senate. Certain 1t Is tnat IL
strilxes a popular chord in the American
breast. for every American wants to see
a canal built.
The Spooner amendment, which gives
the President the authority to select the
route. has some followers, but from pres
emit indications, it seems the Nicaragua
route will be chosen If the bill ever comes
=. ~ diraot vote Milt Saul.