The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-01-25
The GREAT CANAL.
IT'S FRIENDS STILL FIGHTING FOR
THE NICARAGUA ROUTE.
What Have the Transports Cost? That
is the Subject Of an Inquily By
Mitchell's Resolution.
Other News.

Washington, Jan 20-The friends
of the Nicaragua canal took brace
the other day and have determined
to 60 ahead and fight for their bill
regardless of the supplemental re-
| port Of the commission, which,
though it formerly recommended
the Nicaragua route, now favors in
| a supplemental report the adoption
Of Panama route. Senator Morgan
says this report cannot change the
status of the situation, and de,
clares the whole Panama movement
is meant to delay and defeat any
canal legislation. He says he does
not believe that majority Of the
Senate will dare take the responsi-
bility of leaving the United States
subject to the claim of the stock
holders and bondholders of the old
Panama concern. Their claims
upon the old company amount to
about $3so.ooo,ooo with interest for
nearly 10 years. While deal
might be made to close this up,
Senator Morgan says the new com-
pany is morally responsible to the
old, and if the United States takes
the Par anna canal. it will be in a
measure similarly responsible.
Representative Hepburn Gays
this supplemental report ought not
to change the situation in the
least, It does not differ materially
from the first report, save in the re-
duction of the amount of the Pana-
ma company's offer of $4,000, 900
and that offer was known at the
time the house passed the Nicaragua
bill with only two dissenting votes.
According to the commissioners re-
port, it was purely matter of con-
cessious, engineering and cost. The
house knew as much then as it
knows now, and the commissioners
report ought not to change the tenn
per of the house in the least. He
recognizes, however, that if the SEN
rte should the Panama bill. and
there should be contest between
the two houses, the <snxiety of the
members of the house for a, canal
even if it the Panama, might induce
them to accept the senate bill but
it will never be done withouta hard
fight. He maintains that the pr in
cipal advantage of the Nicaragua
route still stands out, and the sup
elemental report has not touched
upon that feature. which is shorted
distances from points in the Unitef-
States on the Atlantic to points on
the Pa.ife, This: alone will be
worth millions to the commerce or
the country and must be taken into
consideration before the Nicaragua
is abandoned.
Senator Mitchell, in an interview
published in New York, reiterates
statements heretofore made by him
and dsclares his intention of sup
porting the Nicaragua canal, The
Evening Star in an editorial dis
cussion, of the situation asa result
Of the new proposition, closes by
saying:
If this BILLS allowed to remain
unenacted in either for, when the
sessionclos simply becouse Of the
rivalry between the two possible
lines of canal construction, orbe-
cause of the opposition to any form
ofeanal construction on the part Of
the transcontinental railroads, the
clearly ex pressed will Of the Am:
erican people will have been de-
liberately 'disregarded by congress.
Washington, Jan 15-The first
Of the hearings on reciprocity with
Cuba was given today by the Ways
and Means committee. E F At
kins of Boston represented the
American interests in the Cuba
sugar planting, William Hayward
the Hawaiian sugar planters and
Henry 7 Oxnard the beet sugar
of the United States.
Mr. Atkins said the sugar plant
srs wanted the sugar duties abol-
shed. He declared that because
If overproduetion there is now
standing $50, 900 worth of cane,
md said that unless prices are bet
cred much of it will not be harvest
ID. This he said would curtail
Employment and it might cause
disturbance.
Mr. Atkins expressed strong OPP
position to any system Of drawback
lie said that if present conditions
continued Cuba probably become, so
desperate as to be forced into an
lexation.
Louis Place, merchant Of Hav-
ma, said Cuba at present, is buy