Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-01-10
LAST DAYS DEBATE.
Cannon of illinois Speaks Against the
Canal Bill. \. :.sie.s.

Canal Bill.
Washington. Jan. 1O-In anticipa-
tion of a vote upon the Nicaraguan #
canal bill there was a large attendance
on the floor when the house met. Mr..
Adamson (Ga.), the first speaker,
urged the passage OF the Hepburn bill
without amendment. He argued that
the time had come for action and that
equivocation now could only result in
delaying the commencement of the
canal .fs
Mr. Wooten (Tex.) also argued that
the bill should be passed without
amendment. If the Morris amendment
were adopted, said he, the canal would
become conditional project sur
rounded by doubts and difficulties
which might doom it to final failure
owing to international political COM
! plications.
| Mr.. Wooten said he did not favor
an amendment to fortify the canal.
| He believed such an amendment saw
| oIed more of spurious sentiment than
sound and salutary sense. He favored
a neutral canal. At this point. upon
the request of Mr.. Davis (F1a.), the
time for general debate was extended
until 2::530 p. NJ. Mr.. Sparkman FLA
spoke in favor of the Hepburn bill.
Mr.. Cannon (Ills.), chairman of the
appropriations committee, then took
the floor.
His remarks We're given close at
tention. The building of this canal.
he said, was business proposition
and should be considered from busi-
ness standpoint He had favored a
canal for some years past. but he had
not been willing to proceed without
information and he had been called
hard names. Fl
Mr.. Cannon at this point clashed
sharply with Mr.. Hepburn. who is in
charge of the bill.
Cannon Criticises Hepburn.
/ Mr.. Cannon criticised the Iowan for
withholding his speech from the rec
ord and Mr.. Hepburn characterized
Mr.. Cannon's criticism as "querilous
and for an improper purpose" and
I stated that he had only exercised
privilege customarily exercised by
members. But he offered then and
there to give Mr. Cannon the speech
and sent it over to him by page.
i Mr. Cannon. discussing the language
OF the bill, said that under its artful
language" full power was given to pay
not only Nicaragua and Costa Ricu
and the Maritime Canal company their
demands, but also the American and
Nicaraguan spectators who owned
property along the route. He criti-
cised the undue haste of the promoters
of the Nicaragua canal He wanted to
see the protocol that had been re-
Gently negotiated. He objected to the,
provision that contracts could be made
for the whole work.
Mr.. Cannon declared that, in his
recollection, member presenting
great measure to undertake a work
that was to last for centuries had
never pursued such a course. He de-
clared that it was not decent parlia-
mentary procedure and when Mr. Hep
burn made some quick reply he OBJ
served. amid laughter, that if the
gentleman from Iowa were only as
straightforward as he was flip of
tongue he would be a better legis-
lator.
Mr.. Cannon said that it was doubt
full if war taxes could be removed if
the government was committed to
such gigantic enterprise. He said
he would vote for the Morris amend
ment and. if that failed. would move
to recommit, so the bill could be
amended.
At o'clock Mr.. Hepburn took the
floor to close general debate. He re-
| piled chiefly to the remarks of Mr.
| Cannon and won frequent applause.
| Mr.. Hepburn said Mr. Cannon posed
as business man, yet he wanted to
pay S40,000.000 for something the COM
mission said was worth $4,000 900.
The bill was then read for amend.
ment under the 5-minute rule