The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-10
THE CANAL BILL

The Hepburn canal bill went through
the house as smoothly as ship glides
down the ways into the water. Only two
our own Loren Fletcher and of demo-
cratic congressman from Virginia, Mr..
Rossiter.
Mr.. Fletcher believes that, from the
standpoint of true economy. the Panama
is the better route, as at $40,OO0,O00 for
the rights and property of the Panama
company, and moderate charge by the
Colombian authorities for right Of way,
the cost will be from 100000 to $4O,-
O0O,O 900 under that of the Nicaragua canal.
Mr.. Morrison, noted engineer and a
member of the Isthmian canal commission,
says that physically the Panama route is
the better, and that the Panama canal
can be constructed for $50,000.O000 less
than the Nicaragua, and there would be
a saving of two or. three years In time
of construction, the work by the Mica
ragua route requiring at least ten years
and probably thirteen or fourteen.
Economy, however, is not the controll-
ing spirit as to this matter in the house.
The supporters of the Hepburn bill are
idiosyncratics who have, for some time,
without investigation, assumed that there
can be but one route for the ship canal,
and that, the Nicaragua route. The Hep
burn bill was drafted long before the
isthmian commission made their report.
1t is said that many congressman have
not even taken the trouble to read the
text of the isthmian commissions re-
port and have fed their Nicaraguan lido
syncrasy on squibs and cartoons, dis
paraging the Panama route, in the news
papers. The house has acted upon the
Nicaragua impulse. The senate may pos
sibly, through its dilatory rules, secure
sufficient time for full and rational dis
cussion of the subject and take botf
routes into consideration. ~
Had the house considered the construc-
ton OF a ship canal as purely business
undertaking and not a matter of sentl'
ment, it would not have proceeded IL
Fourth of July barbecue style, to rush the
bill through with clangor of drums ant
the screaming of the American eagle. A
republican senator who participated in {
conference of senators just before thu
holidays on the canal question, said the
other day: $50. ......... -.
For my part 1 would be ashamed of mysel
I'if should allow anything but hard bushes!
sense to guide me in my consideration of thi:
great undertaking, involving the expenditure
Of an enormous amount of money belonging
| to the people. I am not a Nicaragua man,
am not Panama man. l am a senator or TIT
United States, on whom the people rely TO
| sound, sensible action. touching this matter
| l am not prepared to say at this momen
| which route l favor. The people want ca
nal, but they look to Us to use business
, judgment in building it. And now that TIL
report comes from Paris, that the Panam;
D., Canal company is willing to sell out at
reasonable price, can see that the position
| we took the other day was wise. We nav
got to look into this Panama. offer when l
comes to u.s. 1t wouldn't be business-like t
disregard it. If it turns out to be far
proposition it is quite within the possibilities
that the canal will go to Panama instead
! to- Nicaragua, i3.-.s-s. 10 g. - = - s
| That is the sensible, business view o
| this important subject, but the house on
not contemplate it in that way. IN
question of economy did not occur u
! them. -... 5.