The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-19
PANAMA WINS.
Spo0ner Amendments to Canal
Bill Go Through.
Senate Adopts Them by Vote
Of 40 to 81.
LEFT TO PRESIDENT.
He Is Empowered to Buy Out
the French Company
Provided the Title to the Prop
erty Proves Good.
EFT TO PRESIDENT.

Washington. June 19.-The vote on the
Sp0cner amendments to the isthmlan
canal bill was AZ to "a and it was
adopted.
When the senate convened today it
was with the intention Of beginning the
voting upon the isthmian canal question
at o'clock.
Mr.. Proctor (VtD was relieved from
service as one of the senate conferees
on the military academy appropriation
bill. and Mr.. Burrows (Mlcn.) was
named in his stead
Mr.. Morgan (Ala-) presented the fol-
lowing letter he had received from Sec
rotary Of State Hay concerning the
point raised in the Isthmian canal de-
bate by Mr.. Kittridge Is. Do:
Il am requested by the minister OF
Costa Rica. to inform the committee on
interoceanic canals that he has been
instructed by his government to make
known to that of the United States that
the government of Costa RIGA are pre-
pared to take all necessary steps to put
themselves in a position to negotiate
wit h the government of the United
States a treaty for appropriate conces-
sions for an Isthmian canal on terms
substantially as proposed by the gov
eminent of the United States
The communication was laid on the
table.
The conference report on the bill to
prevent false branding OF labelling OF
food or dairy products was agreed to.
question was then resumed and Mr..
Spooner offered formally his amendment
as a substitute for the pending SOCIAL
ed Hepburn Nicaragua canal bill.
Mr.. Clark CdOnt) then addressed the
senate in support of the Nicaragua ca
nal route. He thought if one-half the
objections to both the Nicaragua ana
Panama routes were valid, neither route
would be adopted. However, he was
satisfied the consensus of comparative
opinion in this country was that great
isthmian waterway should be construct
ed. The American people, he said, were
not TO be deferred.
You may delay the project" said he
but you cannot defeat it.
The difficulties Of constructing the ca
nal he believed, were exaggerated He
thought that the Nicaragua. route was
to be preferred as it was, in his opinion,
more feasible and practicable than the
Panama route.
Mr.. Clark declared that the Panama
canal scheme was a hoodOo which Dug ut
to be Stunned and avoided. He said
the Panama canal plan had left q heritage
Of ruin. disaster and desolation-
Mr.. Allison explained why he should
vote for the SpOoner substitute. He be-
lieved there was general desire among
the American people for an isthmian
canal and the people desired. too that
the United States government should
construct and control the canal
He pointed out that the eyes Of the
American people had been directed par
tieularly toward the Nicaragua canal
route because it was supposed that as
a French CON pany had the concessions
for the Panama route the United
States was barred from that route.
Mr.. Allison said it was proposed now
to build a canal 35 feet deep and wide
enough and with a volume of water
SUFFICIENT to float the largest ship afloat.
The minimum expenditure for the con-
struction Of the canal he believed, would
be more than 5000, 000,00 To meet this
enormous expenditure, he favored the
borrowing OF the money, making proper
provision for liquidating the principal
and interest of the bonds.
Mr.. Morgan, chairman Of the inter-
oceanic canal committee at the conclus-
ion of Mr.. Allison's remarks began his
speech closing the debate He said the
canal issue seemed to have come down
to a single point-that Of finance. On
that point he deferred to Mr.. Allison,
but he did not believe with him that it
would be necessary to issue bonds to
pay for the construction Of a canal
Mr.. Morgan particularly denounced the
Panama canal route as a place where la