The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-08
DEBATE OPENED
ON CANAL BILL
Continued From First Page.)

CONTINUED From First Page.)
Suez rate would be s14,O00000, enough To
meet the cost. Of maintenance G3,oOo,o0oj
and leave over S10,0000O to meet interest
charges, if there were such.
Mr.. Hepburn pointed out the advan-
tages OF the Nicaragua route for sailin-
vessels on account of the better winds
prevailing there, contending in this con
nection that it was a. mistake to sup
pose that the sailing ship was destined
to disappear from the ocean. Where the
Panama route was located, sailing ships
sometimes lay for five months in the
doldrums ~.
FREE TO AMERICAN SHIPS.
When Mr.. Hepburn said he had hoped
that the proposed waterway would be
free of charge to American ships, there
was an outburst of applause on the Re-
publican side. If that might be done,
he said, it would give great impetus
to American shipping. S=sssf- a.
In concluding, Mr.. Hepburn said there
might be some interests in the United
States which believed they would pc
harmed by the rivalry Of this canal. and
there were gentlemen OF honsest purpose
who thought the time was not ripe for
the building of the canal, or that an en-
terprise of such magnitude should not
be undertaken. They were, perhaps. ter
trified by the spectre Of scandal. But,
he concluded, II insist that the American
people have made their decree that the
the time to build it, applause,
MI. McDermott. of New Jersey, called
attention to the statement in the report
of the Walker Commission. giving the
cost of the Panama Canal property as
s1C9, COO COO, and the newspaper reports
that the company now offered to sell the
properly for s40OO0,0OO. If the latter re,
port were true, the Panama Canal would
cost less than the Nicaragua. and he
asked if Mr.. Hepburn did not believe,
with equal cost. that the commission
would have reported in favor OF Pana-
ma.
MUCH THE BETTER.
! Mr.. HEPBURN replied that the commits
! SIGN had stated the respective advan-
| "a pes Of both routes. under the conditions
| then existing He could not tell what the
commission would have reported under
| other circumstances. Any gentleman
| who absorbs the commissiop's report"
said he" must believe that. other thing
! being equal, the canal that is 400 miles
| nearer our territory. that MAKES We"
| Orleans $50 miles nearer, San Francisco,
| 4s0 miles nearer than the other. is the
! better canal for u.s." (Applause)
"If we build the Nicaragua Canal
asked Mr.. Simms, of Tennessee, rs 1t
not likely that the French Government
will complete the Panama Canal?
.sThere is the same probability OF two
canals" answered Mr.. Hepburn, that
there is of the Suez Canal being parallel
| ed by and by
In answer to the question as to the ad-
visibility of giving the President author
| ity, to build either route. Mr. Hepburn
aroused burst of applause by declaring
| that he looked upon any attempt to en-
tangle the United States in the Panama
Canal route enterprise as an effort to de-
| feat any canal
Mr.. Reeves. of Illinois, asked whether
| it would not be better to wait a few days
! or weeks until the Secretary of State
could inform Congress just what we could
obtain in the way of concessions from
- SUFFERING FOR YEARS.
/ "In an enterprise OF TINS magnitude.
replied Mr.. Hepburn, there never has
been ana never will be a day when some
gentleman vii! not be able to urge some
reason Tor postponement" (Applause.)
1--WE have been suffering from that for
years am assured by those who know
that the protocol with Nicaragua has
reached such a stage that we are certain
to get what we want" (Applause9
Replying to Mr.. Cahnon's inquiries as
to the conditions Of the protocol with
| Nicaragua Mr.. Hepburn stated that nus
| understanding was that S5,O00.Oo0 and
| 81 coo. 600 were about the figures allowed
| Nicaragua and Costa Fica.
Mr.. Cannon closed the colloquy WITT
/ Mr.. Hepburn by stating that while NJ
| had always favored the canal, he wa:
/ satisfied the precipitate passage OF tfi:
| bill would sacrifice advantages which the
United States now possessed. and mean
/ a heavy increase in cost. which wouic
have to come out of the Treasury
TIME FOR ACTION.
Mr.. Davis, of Florida, member Of tn
committee which reported the bill, FOL
/ lowed Mr. Hepburn in an earnest pies
| for it's passage He advocated the Mica
4 raeua rather than the Panama route
and insisted that the time had now ar
i rived when talk should cease; and worl
1 begin. 1--WE need this canal, said Mr.
4 Davis. ....for the convenience and expan
1 sion. of our commerce.: We need 1t 70
the, proper handling Of our navy. 70
briuging5anearer together our Casters
a and Western shores, for tho protection
4 Of our island possessions and for cas-.
access to them The American faTme
3 needs it, that foreign markets may b
a opened up for the product of his toll
the merchant and manufacturer, tina
4 they may compete with rivals In othe
4 lands. ~.
Il Mr. Richardson, of Alabama also sup
ported the bill. arguing that the Nica.
i ragua was preferable In many ways Il
j the Panama route.
E Mr. Mann, of Illinsis, declared that tn,
Il sexnerts who had examined fhaz rnI1t a.