The Washington times., 1902-01-09

During the consideration of the Mica
raguan Canal bill in the House yesterday.
a pronounced sentiment was developed in
favor of an amendment, offered by Rep
resentative Morris, OF Minnesota, placing
the selection of the route in the hands Of
the President or the Isthmian Canal Com
mission. provided coed title to the Pan
anna property can be had for S4000o.cO0.
A majority Of the speeches, and there
were mere than dozen delivered yester
day, were favorable to this line OF action.
There is reasonable probability that the
amendment may be incorporated in the
bill
Panama ROute May Be Chosen.
The friends of the Panama route be-
lieve that such action will result in the
ultimate selection CT the Panama route
for the isthmian canal. They believe, so
far as advantages are concerned, that it
has more than an even chance with the
Nicaragua route, and that the only OBJ
stacle in the way of its recommendation
by the commission was the matter OF
price.
Progress in the consideration of the
measure was so far advanced yesterday
that it was agreed just before the ad-
journment that general debate should
close at . O'Clock today. 1t will then be
considered under the fiye-minute rule for
action on the amendments
Other Amendments to BE offered.
Representative Parker (Rep, n. j.,
Representative Morrell (Rep.. Pal. and
Representative Shackleford Dem, MOI
yesterday gave notice of amendments to
the bill. but they are all similar TO the
one offered by Representative Morris
which has the strongest following.
Several members who voted against the
Hepburn bill at the last session Of Con-
gress announced yesterday that they
would now support the measure, notably
Representative Burton and Representa-
tive Littlefeid, but both desire to have
the Morris amendment attached 20 the
bill.
Advantages of Both Routes
The latter made a strong argument in
favor of giving consideration to the
Panama offer. He entered into com
parison of the advantages of the two
routes and reached the conclusion that
the ultimate cost of the Nicaragua ~:
"a
anna route.
The Nicaragua route, he estimates upon
the basis of the commissions report
would take eight years to complete: the
Panama ten. The former would be 1873
miles in length: the latter forty-nine.
The Nicaragua route would require >hir-
ty-three hours for vessels TO pass through
II. and the Panama but twelve. and hence
the maritime insurance would be three
N 10 nf
as Panama.
Best Route Wanted.
He spoke OF the vast shipbuilding in
terests of his district which would be
affected by the building of the canal.
and he wanted the most favorable route
selected.
Representative Cummings Dem. n. W
advocated the passage of the bill as il
came from the committee without amend
ment, and in doing SO paid tribute to
Mr. Hepburn for the faithfulness and
steadfastness with which he had fought
for years for the building OF an
isthmian canal
Too Much to Pay.
As to the Panama route, Cummings
said, calculating on the basis OF ex-
penditures made by the Panama Com
pany, the canal along that route would
cost from $3.50, 100000 to $3.50, ,OOo, 600. too
big price. Besides that the United
States would have to beg the right OF
way from Colombia. 1t had been said
that ii was not known what Nicaragua
would ask for the right OF way: we'll he
added. IL was not known what the Unitel
States Of Colombia would charge. And
there would be fewer revolutions. He
had more confidence in the opinion of
Representative Hepburn than that Of the
Panama engineer quoted by Mr.. Hill OF
Connecticut. The DUTY of the House was
10 sJts for the Nicaragua Canal
~ G..i-yt lErp. Iass) advocated the
amendment De- ring that in the
ne Panama -r.-r all of the diff
.a-- s r. argiuseria- -e known, while
1 r ai tae A,ca-. qua route they