The age-herald., 1902-04-18
ShenuOus|y FaVOrS Accepting
 the Nicaragua Plans
SPEAKS FOR FOUR HOURS
Terms Proposition of Panama Canal Company Glitterine Tempta- tlon and Shows It's Disad-
 Vantaees-Six Subjects.

Washington April 17-For more than four hours today MT. Morgan. Alabama. chairman of the isthmian canal commit tee, addressed the Senate on the subject or the Nicaragua canal He devoted the greater part of his speech to d consider- atlon or the desirabiity and practicability or the two principal routes. Nicaragua ana Panama. He strenuously favored the former and maintained that in every nos- sible respect it had many advantages over the Panama route
 MT. Morgan assumed in beginning that the Senate was convinced of the indis- pensable character of canal-that if was national necessity-and that it was l only a choice of methods and d comnari son of national advantages which was left to decide "all questions of financial ability" or private interests of politics. i bias having been relegated to the rear by command of free, honest and pow er1ul people. Next to reaching the logical results that should follow the actual merits of the claim of either canal routes in deciding the preference I will try to present an outline of the questions that now require discussion.
 Six Propositions.
 The subject presents itself to my mind | Witn conclusive force in the form stated In the six propositions will now state: l. We have reached the point where investigation is complete by observation. | experience, scientific research and fore cast and these means of knowledge are as conducive of the facts as we could hone to make them in another half century of delay.
 '2 The question now to be decided |.
 the choice of either of two routes for A canal whether it shall be located at Pan anna, or through the valley of the San Juan river, in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. l 3 The controlling factor in making this } selection is the assurance of success in r constructing a canal that will be perma-
 nently useful for commerce and for the
 needs of the government and it's policies and for the benefit of the people of the United States
 4. sum of money necessary for ex- penditure in the work of constructing such canal to accomplish such ends cannot be reasonably compared with the real value of the results to the people and the government of the United States and the choice of either route with safe. intelligent and sincere regard to it's per manent usefulness and advantage. shouId not be controlled or affected by a differ ence in the present cost of construction. l will say within a limit of even s50.Ooo 900.
 D. The assured certainty of success in the construction of permanent canal ia or necessity the basic foundation of fact upon which Congress must act in the selection of the canal route. Considered as simple proposition of civil engineer ] Ing, there is no doubt-not even a shadow or doubt as to any fact touching tha | praclicapility Of ship canal f,om Grey | town to Brito, In and along the San Juan | River and across Lake Nicaragua It IS certin beyond a reasonable doubt that US cost is as nearly within the Hints or exact estimates as any great public 1 work that was ever undertaken If is | upon this ascertained and settled basis of certainty that I rest my Judgment
 u. If the dam at Bohio, on the Pana- ma route should fail for any cause. the only nope Of canal across the Isthmus would perish. never to be restored All engineers admit this fact The failure or dam at Conchuda or Boca San Carlos or at Ocha or at Tamborgrunde or at any other site on the San Juan river would only mean the loss of that str,,ct- ure, to be replaced on a better location If lake level canal is preferred.
 Risk is Too Great. Ihese chances are at least ten to one and if the risks are estimated only at tenfold the cost of the dam at Robio
 would deter the boldest in future from risking the probable loss of more than SSoOOO,OOO, when, if he successful his | profits could not exceed S6, GOO O00 But the loss Of a dam at Bohio could not be less than S144, S5S clear loss to the United States in cash, to say nothing of the lives wasted in the work the incal- cuiable loss to our commerce and the na- tional shame and despair that our people would suffer-"
 Discussing the proposed routes of the canal and the decision of the Walker commission, MT. Morgan said: | NO member of either of the three com | missions expressed doubt or apprehen- sion as to the certainty of the successful completion Of canal on the Nicaraguan | route on either of five plans that have | been adopted, surveyed and located by | the greatest engineers in America The feasibility, practicability, useful | ness permanency and commercial value | Of the Panama canal to the United States | are all clouded with many doubts.' l MT. Morgan thought the care of the health and life of men who should build the canal should be regarded. He main | tained that the Isthmian canal commits | sion had no authority to accept an offer | for the Panama Canal Company and the l sole duty of the President was to deter mine the route he would recommend to Congress It Is vested entirely with Con | gress, he said. whether or not it should accept the "glittering temptation" in the way of a bargain offered by the Panama | Company.
 l At the conclusion of MT. Morgan's | speech, which consumed more than four | hours. Mr. Platt of Connecticut called up 1 the Chinese exclusion bill passed by the | House. He then moved that all after the | enactfng clause of that bill be stricken | out and that the measure as passed by | the Senate yesterday be substituted for | it. The motion was carried.
 This action on the part of the Senate | was necessary in order to facilitate con l sideration of the measure in the House. Inc sarata ct l:66 adjourned.