The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-22

BnI-Senator Morgan's Speech on
Ike hmia Canal
Washington. April I7.-For more than
fsur hours today Senator Morgan, OF
Alabama. chairman Of the isthrlian ca
nal committee, addressed the senate on
the subject OF the Nicaragua canal He
devoted the greater part of his speech
70 a consideration OF the desiraouttv
and practicability Of the two principal
rsutes-Nicaragua and Panama He
favored the former, main
tanning that in every possible respect
1t had many advantages over the Pana-I
na route.
= parliamentary change in the situa-I
ton Of the Chinese exclusion bill was
made Just before adjournment. the
measure passed by the senate yesterday
being substituted for the house bill.
ghis was done to expedite the bill in
the house.
Senator Morgan said in part:
THE subject presents itself to my
min with conclusive force in the six
propositions 1 will now state:
Il. We nave reached the point whero
tnVGSIlRdIlOn Is COI1plelt NY ODSCA q
fien. experience. scientific research and
forecast.
"2. The question now TO be decided Is
the choice of either of two routes for q
sanaI: whether it shall be located at
Panama. or through the valley OF tha
San Juan river in Nicaragua and Costa
Rica-
81. The controlling factor in making
this selection is the assurance
-rnn1rc IN onncfrInfinO a Rnnal thar
will be permanently useful for COM
ueree.
a A sum of money necessary for
expenditure in the work of constructing
such a canal, to accomplish the ends,
cannot be reasonably compared with
the real value of the results to the peo-
ole OF the United States and the choice
Of either route should not be controlled
or affected by a difference in the pres
ent cost of construction, 1 will say.
Within q limit of even $50, 600. goo.
"5. The assured certainty of success
In the construction of a permanent ca
aal is. OF necessity, the basic or foun-
Sation fact upon which congress must
act in the selection of the canal route
considered as a simple proposition OF
anvil engineering, there is no doubt
net even a shadow OF doubt as to any
fact touching the ~practicability Of a
ship canal from Greytown to Brito. IL
and along the San Juan river and
across Lake Nicaragua 1t is certain,
beyond a reasonable doubt, that its
cost is as nearly within the limits OF
exact estimates as any great public
work that was ever undertaken
s. If the dam at Bohio, on the Pan
anna route should fail for any cause
she only hope Of a canal across thai
tthmus would perish. never to be re-
stored. All engineers admit this fact
The failure OF a dam at Conchuda on
RnPo San Carlos or at OchOa or a
Tamborgrunde. or at any other site al
the San Juan river would only meir
She loss of that structure, to be eplac
ed on a better location If a lake leve
sanal is preferred"
Senator Morgan maintained that tn
sthmian canal commission had no au
thority to accept an offer OF the Pana
ma Canal Company and that the sol
duty of the president was to determin
the route he would recommend to con
Eress. 1t rested entirely with congress
whether or not ii SHOULD accept n
"glittering temptation" in the way OF
bargain offered by the Panama Com
Many
House of Representative.
The general debate pom the Cuba
reciprocity bill closes tomorrow at
o'clock. and it is the intention of tn
house leaders. if possible, to force
anal vote upon the passage OF the bi
before adjournment tomorrow night a
day long the leaders were countin
noses and preparing generally for tn
anal struggle tomorrow. The demo
Gratis are so badly split up on this prop
esition that a caucus was held tonigh'
The opponents of the bill occupie
most of the time in debate today, tn
feature being a vigorous speech by NJ
Cushman, of Washington, republican
against the measure. He arraigned tn
nonnnaiffoo ON rI1aC and tho hnIcn lead
ers in a breezy and at times sensations
fashion. A portion of his criticism "a
n a semi-humorous vein, but soma {
It was decidedly caustic.
Mr.. DeArmond, one of the leaIin
democrats of the house, delivered
forcible speech in favor of tariff re
auction on trust articles. The othe
speaker were Messrs. Pierce, Of Tel
nessee: W. W. Kitchin, Of North Care
lima; Douglass, Of New York, an
Lacey. of Iowa. for the bill, and Messr
Jenkins. of Wisconsin; Gaines, of W.:
Virginia: Warner, Of Illinois; Gardne
Of Michigan; Jones. Of washington
and Loud. of California, against i
Mr.. Loud declared that directly and II
directly Cuba had already cost IL
United States one thousand million dc
lars.
Mr.. DeArmond. of Missouri. emplo:
ed his v~itriolic talent in comment upo
the attitude of members with his accu,
toned freedom. Calling attention
the fact that members on both side
whether they opposed or advocated q
measure. justified their course by O
appeal to their party principles, he r
marked tina viewed from these diver.
standpoints the measure was indeed
remarkable departure in legislatio
He commented upon the statement
General Grosvenor a few days ago tha
later. the high rates Of Il
Dingley law would be reduc'
and revised by the friends of that az
II the rates were too high he saw
reason by the reduction should not o
sur now. and in this connection he r
ferred sarcastically to the Babcock h
to place steel on the free list. It's =
thor had voted against the bill in cor
mittee and he intimated broadly tn
the purpose of it's Introduction was
hold up the steel trust and other Ii!