The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-09
Tho Canal Debate in the House.

The discussion of the Hepburn, or
Nicaragua bill has proceeded in the
House Just about as val expected. The
intense concentration for years Of Mr..
HEPBURN's ideas, and those OF many Of
his associates, upon the Nicaragua
route az the only feasible route for an
American canal has resulted in a natural
and perfectly honest distortion OF judg-
ment. Some space Of time and some
opening Of the mind to the ~eloquence
Of present facts and figures will be re-
quired for the removal OF this uncon-
scious prejudice, and the restoration Of
the power, on the part Of numerous Con-
Rressmen and Senators, to weigh i'm
partially the relative merits of the W.
routes with the situation standing as it
stands to-day.
II will be remembered that Senator
MORGAN, at the other end Of the Capitol,
was so anxious to commit the Govern
ment TO the Nicaragua route that he was
willing TO chloroform the Monroe Doc
trine, TO swallow his own somewhat
voluminous record on Clayton-Bulwer
md British perfdy, and to embarrass
this country in Its international rela-
tons for all time to ONE For the sake
OF Nicaragua at any cost, he consented
90 the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty in its
original form. Likewise Mr.. HEPBURN,
10 commit the Government to Nicaragua,
was anxious 10 rush through a canal bill
while diplomatic negotiations were
pending. and even in advance 81 Great
Brtain's reply 90 our own senate's pro-
posals In regard to the treaty.
II the Nicaragua bill Is nov passed
without amendment by the House,
under tho impulse ~ the thlck-and-
thin, u~nreckoning p~artisanship which
Mr HEPBURN eIemplinas In hat body,
and MT MORGAN In the senate, nobody
..peots that IL will 70 any further toward
enactment, az least until the new Offer
Of the Panama Company has l~en care
fully considered
Tho mpan II changing public opinion
/. already manifest In ths h"u.a Nj
~IhfrsuhNs programme "a ign"fe 80
snasf dOwn tla Panama a~lt'rnAiis"
and IA put ihrough Nicaragua on tho
slsensth ~ ol.ol.ts arguments and
sll-eu~adcd conditions n Mt Sofkits
.moaahly Dos.ns II questions have
l-sa hssd ~ han ~hloh ~ di"ily q"
tl.s Laaa ~ iiss msitsf uas ~ tia $40
~ . 70 tir lisn AtasA l. h'bthADFT
III As. Jsis.y ~ MrufhaDu asA'i
Az H1fsrKA shsiisrI ts .issn ~
tis lsilsalan taital iuHutalaslYn Az nia
asaan ilai u iis ran.na sYlsts 90 irap
sasaisi a. niFia iY b. sl"tri Hial
L.la ~.i.tlsa u ~uaia nH b. ID
l-,.sissss a. hnd .ui ~ ihs atnn.ssiiu
a,.ss naa isfef istaHa uniu ua
si,aAssd s,Hsdhiuis - ~ 'a
- tla hfsf HsluHf ~ hftbi o.
as..ls "a anHnurfHisfaHf ilrfsnH
mtay ti.ai ihf Ysasiih a sa 90 HlI
al. ailt aas flmi 90 hsafsfts i
a. 90 nnilas issfa ssf uHuIIH aiHl
aa~u,.sfflB sissuu fian &C. iaisaaa
aa,is ti.ai b istassiH hs. af ts
a.lss isaifs a. 49, lisn
a.. tis silsi atalsaHf "a iia
t,.s.aa taihs sN sasssiH "A dssaias
a..-aasfs ~ fis iFH a aiHf slHIF
49, sslilsia issa fts nsfHssHi
"a. a ,-..-.sf nsaasn ns rsi.aHss
,.s.sl 4 aissai stassn irfai. ID go 80
A a-siaraH 10 ssiasisa uas iiH""rh
a. Ass.t.sss sissi - ts'af faafl fifs-
.as- a. ,iss- ssy. a assilTa haga
,,.s..,f sassstssh 80 kssaFaa sah-i -
- oa-ia-r-a f~ssasssias iFsaH go
,~s~ a 10. sifiss q 10 nsvlEs'as ~ q
a.. uaarHsufrf ~ ih An U.fn.sra.