The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-06-12
Enacting Clause Stricken
Out by a Decisive
Majority.
THE YEAS zig AND THE NAYS IT
Mr.. Cannon's Conclusive
Argument Against the
Measure.
ADVOCATES PRIVATE LINE
Presidents Authority Ample to Execute
Contract Offered by Commercial Pa
cific Cable Company-Objects to Calls
on the Treasury.


terday voted to strike out the enact
ing clause in the Corliss Pacific cable
bill, providing for the construction. own
ership and operation by the Government
of cable from the Pacific coast to
Hawaii. Guam and the Philippines.
The defeat of the measure has been
predicted for several weeks. but Mr.
Corliss. the author of the bill. was very
persistent and believed that with a fair
showing in the House he would be able
to overcome the opposition and pass it.
The result by so decisive a vote was
disappointment to film. All of the Demo
Gratis. with the exception of about a
dozen members. voted against the meas
ure, and the Republicans were about
evenly divided upon the proposition
The Clinching Argument.
If there was ever any doubt as to the
fate of the measure it was settled when
Mr.. Cannon. the chairman of the Com
mittee on Appropriations, delivered his
speech in the House on Tuesday raising
a note of warning against extravagant
expenditures. and calling for economy
He then took occasion to express his
disapproval of the plan OF building Gov
eminent cable. and yesterday. in a brief
speech upon the motion to strike out the
enacting clause he clinched the matter.
saying that in his opinion the contract
offered by the Commercial Pacific Cable
Company to lay and operate a cable from
California to the Philippines via Hawaii
and Guam could be executed by the
President and that it would then be
r. binding upon the Government. The Pres
idenr. he said. had as much power now
as General Grant exercised in 1873 in
the matter of the landing of the French
Atlantic cable.
II had been argued by Mr.. Corliss ad-
vocating the bill, and others that there
was no authority by which the Executive
could approve the contract or permit
the landing of a cable on the shores of
the United States.
The fight against the measure was
led by Mr.. Adamson Dem, Ca and
Representative Richardson Dem, I
Ala), both members OF the Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Hepburn rep, Iowa. and Mr.. Sher- |
man (Rep., N. ". both members of
the committee. who also signed the mi
nority report against the bill, were abb |
sent.
The bill was taken up Immediately |
after the reading Of the journal. and |
Mr.. Corliss concluded his remarks in |
support of the measure. He declared |
that the cost of maintenance. against
which there had been protest made,
would not exceed $3.50, 600 a year THE /
army of employees" which were talked /
about, would not exceed fifty men at
the several stations.
Mr. Richardson dem, Ala then took |
the floor to advocate the acceptance of |
the offer of the Commercial Pacific Ca |
BILE Company TO construct and operate |
the cable from California to Hawaii. (
Guam, and the Philippines. which |
claims to have the contract for the |
manufacture and laying of the cable be-
tween San Francisco and Honolulu.
In his opinion. and of those of the
others of the minority of the Commit
tee or Interstate and Foreign Com
merce-N -ssrs. Hepburn, Sherman.
Adams1n. and Ryan--the Government
should not undertake the construction
of cable which a private corporation
is ready to lay.
For Government Ownership.
Mr.. Shackleford Dem. Mo- argued
for Government ownership. as justified
and warranted. as being approved by
Supreme Court decisions. being proper
governmental function, and a means Of
breaking up a monopoly.
Advocating the acceptance of the con-
tract offered by the Commercial Pacific
Company, for the laying and mainten-
ance of the cable, Mr.. Newlands Dem..
New paid tribute TO the Americanism
ability, character. and energy of John
W. Mackey Having acquired fortune
in the mines of Nevada he had refused
to retire and live life of ease. but ,
had made the world the arena of his ,
operations
He had built ocean cable lines and
land telegraph lines, with the result
that the people Of the United States and
OF the world had enjoyed reduced rates !
Tor Telegraph service. MI Mdckey hdu
never. Mr Newlands said. entered into
combination with his competitors to
raise the rates and recoup his prelimi :
nary losses from the public.
As q business proposition. Mr.. New /
lands said, the cable would have to be !
connected at its terminus in the Philip I
pines with lines leading to China, Japan, q
and India, In order to be even self sus- I
tanning; and the only company having I
contracts with the corporation covering
that field was the company which offered
to lay cable between California and the
Philippine. That company had already
CONTINUED On Third Page)