The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-19
MIR. MORGAN CRITICISED
ACCUSED OF INSULTING PAN AMA CoMPANYS REPRE-
 SENTATIVE.
Republicans on Senate Inter-oceanic Committee Say the Democratic Chairman Has Been Discount
 eous to M. Lampre.

Wasbinpton Speciai to New York Times.
 Republican members of the Senate Com mittee on Interoceanic Canals apologizeo today to M. Lampre, the representative of the Panama Canal Company, Tor the treatment he had received from Chair man Morgan Dem., Ala.) They told him they disclaimed all responsibility Tor MT Morgan's actions. which, they said, they regarded as insulting and discourteous. Speaking of the matter this evening" member of the committee said:
 We told M. Lampre it was Mir. Nor gan whom he must hold accountapie TOT getting him before the committee Satur- day by means of subpoena. instead or by means of polite invitation. We said we had no knowledge of MT. Morgan s intention 70 issue a subpoena, and that we were greatly disturbed when we heard what had been done. We expressed our regret that MT. Morgan compelled M. Lampre to testify under oath; We had no idea that such a thing was contemplated.
 We also said we regretted that In the seourse of the hearing MT. Morgan had repeatedly insulted M. Lampre, treat ing him as though he was under suspi- cion, and not as the representative of a great company who is here to deal With the United States Government, deserves to be treated. That was about all we could say or do. We are absolutely unable to control Mr. Morgans behavior toward witnesses who come before the committee. We feel ashamed that a person should be treated by our commit tee as M Lampre has been treated, but we can't help ourselves,
 ''We made a mistake when we reorgan- iZed the committee a short time ago. We ought to have deposed MT. Morgan. It is a strong Republican committee, and it was right that Republican should be it's chairman. but as favor to MT. Morgan, who would have felt hurt if we had displaced him, we suffered him to remain at the head of the committee. It was a bIunder He has made'up his mind to get that canal built on the Nicaraguan route. He wants no information about the Panama route, and manifests dis position to bulldoze everybody who does want such information.
 There is bound to be a row in the committee one of these days. 1t is not a Nicaraguan committee. and It Is not d Panama committe; but 1t is controlled by a body of men who are determined that the committee shall make fair and full investigation of both the Nicaragua and Panama routes. The Senate expects this of the committee. The Senate's at- titude toward the route question is not determined It is probably more inclined to the Panama route than to the other but IL IS WdltlnB 10 know the tactS before it decides what it will do.
 This being the attitude of the Senate, and also of the committee, I don't see how we shall avoid trouble with Morgan if he continues to do as he has been doing"
 Reports of the testimony given by M. Lampre Saturday and today differ &C., cording to the sources from which they are made up. As representatives of the press were denied admission to the hear ings, they have been compelled to go to various members of the committee for information as to what took place be- hind the closed doors.
 According to MT. Morgan, the testimony of M. Lampre has served only to confirm him in his conviction that the canal ought to be built in Nicaragua. MT. Morgan said today he was satisfied that the proposition to turn over the Panama CanalepToperty to the United States was merely movement in the interests of procrastination, and he did not believe it would result in anything desirable. In fact, he was convinced that for very many reasons this country could not af- ford to accept the Panama Canal at any price. because in so doing 1t would des- troy the interests of many thousands of French stockholders in the Panama Canal Company, and might bring on a difficulty between this country and the French Government