Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-28
washington Bureau of the Courier,

Washington, D. c., Jan. %.
In the midst of diplomatic and leg
islative medley, reports OF commits
sions, senate hearings, syndicate prop
ositions and schemes and suggestions,
touching the matter of an inter-oceanic
canal, Uncle Pete" Hepburn stands
by his guns.
Fought Coed Fight.
He has fought good fight; he has
won the day in the representative
branch; he has delivered his bill to
the senate, passed by an all but unanl-
nous vote (only two dissenting
voices) and when the time comes he
stands ready to fight again.
Undisturhed and Undisnayed.
The events of the past three or four
days have not disturbed nor dismayed
Mr. Hepburn The action OF the Pan
anna syndicate was expected. The re-
port of the canal commission favorinS
the Panama route was not surprise;
the strenuous objections to the Mica
raguan route; the obstacles thrown in
the path of legislative action all these
were counted in advance and had beer
discounted. There is not new feat
uIe III luelu Sl!. II Is St!l Oiu lE,he,
warmed over with the Panama syndi-
cate and it's lobby reduced to the last
ditch and fighting for life. With the
latter it is q case OF lose all for moth,
ing, or get what you can. With Col
Hepburn and the house it is build fol
all time. taking every contributing con
: dition into consideration"
War for Nicaragua Route.
The Hepburn bill is in the senate
commerce committee 1t will be re
ported by Senator Morgan who will
wage vigorous warfare in its favor
Senator Morgan, with Col. Hepburn
have studied this question of an inter
oceanic canal for ten years. 1t is the
pet measure Of the aged southern sen
ator 1t has been his lifelong desire
to see the Atlantic and Pacific connect
ed by water via canal. He says be
fore he dies he desires to see the worl
begun. OF course, the ultimate out
come is very much in doubt.
No Bill May Pass.
AS has previously been intimated b
your correspondent the probability O
any canal bill passing at this sessio
is remote. There will be clashins
at the close, OF big interests and if tn
senate should ever pass bill, and
should be in the nature of an amend
ment to the Hepburn bill, providing fc
the substitution of Panama for Mic;
ragua, which may be the fate of til
measure in the senate. then ii is MOI
than likely the bill will linger in co
ference until the concluding hours {
wi toy
1t may be assumed, with confidence
that Col. Hepburn and his colleague
who would constitute the conferenc
managers on the part of the hous
would resist until the crack of doom
the proposition to compromise wit
the Panama route. That there migl
be a compromise, possibly upon a.
other route, is not improbable. Thi
the matter should thus end-where
began-is undoubtedly the prayerf
desire of certain large interests in tt
United States.
Say Panama Scheme is Rotten.
The men, who, without interest
personal or financial nature, ha'
thoroughly investigated the questit
of ownership of the Panama route al
the WhOie audlf from beginning 10 ell
use but one word in referring to Il
matter; rotten" They say to b.
this property at any price is to COT
never-ending difficulty and litigatic
Darien Project to the Front.
The proposition to cut a car
through the isthmus of Darien is NJ
being pushed to the front. 1t is ;
serted that sea-level canal can
cut here, possessing natural harbcrs