The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-10
HANNA STANDS IN WAT
Known as Chief Of the VI.
 vocates of Delay.
Leaders of the House chagrinsd tz the Failure of the ssnsts t
 Enact Legislation for Con- struction of Waterway.

Washington, April s.--tSpecial.) )-Tho decision of the Republican steering es1s- mttee to make the canal bill the order ek business in the Senate immediately effeR tic Philippine bill Is disposed of. does re4 { insure a consideration for tho canal MI by any means. As matter of fact. h ~ said in Democratic circles that tho cuuo- mittce announced this decision for the sole purpose of allaying the storm ef hostile criticism which was brewing Tn the House of Representatives at the een- ! atcs delay. The canal advocates in tho House believes the steering committss does not intend to bring ID the cHnu bill this session, if it is possible to avoid it.
 The canal bill Is declared by the lead- ing Democrats and Republicans to be the most important measure before Con- gress this session. Its important char acter is enhanced by the fact that 1t han already passed tho House of Roprcsenta~ tives and needs only the Senate's appro~ val to make it operative. for the Prcgt- dent stands roady to sign any bill Con- gross may pass up to him. Therefore. it | is especially gailing to the canal adyo~3 cates to observe the Senate's fnaction. They are claiming large majority vote | for the bill as it stands, if the measure | could only be brought to a vote. The bill on the calendar provides for | the Nicaragua route. The opponents of | this bill are not opposed to an American- | built canal connecting the waters of the | Atlantic and Pacific. They are opposed to the Nicaragua route. majority Of thcse opponents are said to favor the Panama route. while some favor a bill allowing the President to select the route, as per the Spooner amendment.
 | Those who favor the Panama route put forward the claim that it is the only fea-
 sibIe route for canal. and also that it Is the cheapest route. The Nicaragua advocates. on the other hand. charge the Panama crowd with insincerity, and de-
 clare the Panama route Is put forward for the sole purpose of delaying the canal project. It has been practically proven that negotiati tions necessary to secure the Panama route will seriously delay the actual work of starting canal, and sc- tuaI work Is now what the country wants l to see.
 Senator Mark Hanna is said to be the | leader of the Panama, or delay. advo- cates, as they are now termed. It is charged that he is the power behind the | steering committee which has failed to call up the Nicaragua bill. It Is signifi- cant that he strenuously opposed the | Nicaragua route In the c0mmttIee ana sent in minority report. Senator Nor gan, the prime mover for the Nicaraxua I route, and the real parent of canal lcg1s-
 lation, has outwitted the Ohio leader at every point so far, however, and he may vet be able to turn trick which will dispose of the Hanna opposition to the | canal It was through him that the ma- jority report for the Nicaragua bill was l secured This report Is the means by
 which the bill was put on the Senate csl- | endar.
 l As the days go by and the end of the session begins to peep over the political | horizon. with no canal legislation passed. the storm of wrath among canal advo- | cates increases Already it has grown to be the leading topic at the Capitol. Several well-posted Republicans have gone so far as to say if the Republicans allow this Congress to adjourn with out having passed a canal bill of some kind, the Democrats will capture the next House,
 Half dozen schemes have been tried in
 the House of Representatives to force | action on the bill in the Senate, but each
 has failed. Representative Livingston cf Georgia has proposed one which all par- . ties agree will bring the Senate to a vote
 on the bill in short order if the plan Is
 tried. He wants the House to hold up all
 the Senate measures until the Senate ae-
 tually votes on the canal bill The medi-
 cine is heroic, but in the minds of polfti-
 cal doctors, the disease demands heroic
 treatment. MIL saul