New-York tribune., 1902-01-17
PANAMA OFFER DISCUSSED.
INVESTIGATION BEGUN BY THE 18TH
MAN CANAL COMMISSION.
ADVOCATES OF PANAMA ROUTE CONFIDENT
OF FAVORABLE REPORT-sALE OP-
POSED BY AMERICAN sTOCKHOLD-
ERS IN RAILROAD
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE !

| hftS IN RAlEROAD.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBusEl
! Washington. Jan. 16.-A rather poor showing
was made to-day by the promoters of the plan
to sell the French Panama Canal Company to
the United States. BY direction of the Presi-
dent the 1sthmian Canal Commission met in
| special session this morning for the purpose of
investigating the French proposition particu-
| larly with reference to the mooted point of the
ABILITY of the managers of the Panama company
| 10 give clear title of that property to the
! United states. William Nelson Cromwell, of
New york one of the counsel for the Panama
| Railroad, and f. NJ. Drake vice-president of
that company, appeared before the commission
| by appointment, They spoke only for the Amer
| lean stockholders of the Panama Railroad and
they represented these interests as being strong
| ~ opposed to the proposed sale of the canal
! company, which would carry with IT the rail-
road as we'll as all the other property of the COM
| pdhy. Nearly all these American stockholders
| i've In New-York and Boston, and it Is said
'hat tAey comprise bout One-third of the share
holuerS IN the railroad. an enterprise. by the
| way. which is said to earn an enormous divi-
! dend, popularity estimated all the way from 80
to % per cent Admiral Walker and ex-senator
| Pasco, members of the Isthman Canal Com
| mission. visited New York and Boston last week
for the purpose of ascertaining. If possible the
| terms on which the American stockholders in
| the railroad would dispose of their interest.
while neither of them will talk about the mat
ter at present. 1t is believed, however, that they
received no encouragement and that the rep
resentatiOns made to-day by Messrs. Cromwell
and Drake correctly define the attitude of the
people who have the power. apparently. of de-
termining the important question as to the
route that ultimately will be chosen for the
isthmian ship canal. which it certain
Congress authorize q be
owned by the government sooner later.
In spite of the discouraging developments to-
day, the advocates Of the Panama route con-
tinue to express the greatest confidence in the
success of their scheme They say that before
the investigation begun to-day is ended the
Isthmian Canal Commission will find way 10
bring the American stockholders in the Panama
Railroad to satisfactory terms and that ac-
cordingly the commission will submit to the
President within a comparatively short time
amended report containing a strong recommen-
dalton for the purchase OF the Panama COM
pany NJ. Lampre secretary general of the
French Panama Canal Company, is still in
Washington. and will appear before the commits
sion tomorrow Saturday to explain in detail
the proposition of the Frenchmen to transfer all
their interest in the Panama enterprise to the
United States 1t is said that he will make
even a better showing Of his case before the
commission than he has been able make be
fore the Interoceanic Canal Committee OF the
Senate. under the severe examination conducted
by Senator Morgan. VI. Boeufvt. chancellor of
the French embassy. also will be called by the
commission TO supplement the statement that
will be made by NJ. Lampre.
THE SENTIMENT IN THE SENATE.
In the Senate this afternoon underiablc evil
dence was manifested that Senator Morgan has
succeeded in bringing at least part of that
body into support of the Nicaragua route. just
Mr.. Hepburn brought the entire House into
support of his bill. when II was plain that there
was strong undercurrent OF sentiment against
the haste with which the Hepburn bill was
driven through. Rising TO a question Of per
aonal privilege. Senator Mallory. of Florida. de-
MED that he had been correctly represented by
a Ncw-York newspaper which claimed to have
succeeded in that most dangerous and difficult
of all journalistic undertakings in Washington
to wit. polling the Senate any pending prop
ositiop of great moment--and declared that in
stead of favorng the Panama proposition.
quoted, he was uncOmpromising supporter OF
the Nicaragua route. Senator Mallory had scarce
ly resumed his seat when up jumped Senator
Clay, of Georgia, with similar denial, saying
that he. too, had been represented by the news
pepper in question favoring the Panama route,
when matter Of fact he had never favored
any othc- than the Nicaragua route, and that he
cid rot believe he ever would vote for the con-
struction of a canal along any other route. II
can be said however, that these two Senators
do not represent the dominant feeling in that
body on The canal question. AS frequently as
serted in these dispatches II is at all certain
that eventually the Nicaragua route will not be
chosen. 1t is certain, however that the Senate
Will consider the whole question calmly and de
liberately and in order to give to IL the atten-
tion great enterprise deserves the entire
matter may go over to the next session, even
to the next COngl ess.
In the mean time If the Isthmian Canal Com
mission should make supplementary report in
favor of the French proposition. il cannot be
denied that this would have the effect of
strengthening the Panama enterprise in Con-
gress either 10 cause its adoption at this or
the next session. of indefinitely postponing
final action on the canal question until further
engineering inquiry into the entire subject can
be made by the present a commission
1t is known with able certainty that the
majority Of the present commission favor the |
Panama route, though 1t Is also known that If a |
favorable report should follow the inquiry now
in progress AT least two members -Messrs Nor |
rison and Haupt-would refuse to sign II unless |
every conceivable obstacle were removed
SENATOR MORGAN SEES THE PRESIDENT |
Senator Morgan to-day called on President |
Roosevelt to learn If the President had ordered |
the Isthmian Canal Commission hold spe- |
cial meeting for the purpose of passing on the |
French proposition. The President told him |
Morgan emerged from the White House he re
fused TO talk on the subject 1t cannot be |
learned, therefore, whether or not Mr. Morgan |
considers the meeting of the commission now in |
progress Il discouraging sign for the success of
Nicara bill a this session