The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-15
WASHINGTON POLITICAL GOSSIP.

the REPUBL LlcAN PARTY LOST
PANAMA CANAL SALE
WORKING FOR SHIP SUB
SIDY STEAL.
Washington, Jan. l3.-The perfect
discipline which prevails among the
republicans in Congress and the ease
with which few leaders control the
majority was we'll demonstrated on last
Thursday when the House OF Repre-.
|.sentatives voted for the Hepburn bill
by. a vote of 308 to Q. That the indl-
IIyiiduaiity Of members is destroyed and
the wishes Of certain constituents sac
rifced are of little moment to the
party leaders compared with what.
they choose to consider the party
good. One republican voted against
the Hepburn bill, Mr.. Loren Fletcher
of Minnesota. When seen by your
correspondent he stated that numerous
members Of his party had come TO.
him after the vote and expressed the
wish that they had dared vote as be
had done, but the fear of the party
lash doubtless prevented them from.
doing so.
MT. Fletcher gives as his reason for
| voting against the measure the fact
! that he has had Eight years expert.
ence asa member Of the committee
before which the pros and cons OF:
| the isthmian canal have been discuss.
ed and he believes that the enterprise
is fraught with many dangers and. and
that the estimates on the..Nlcaraguan
route, at least, are far too low. Me-
Fletcher, admitted that he might have
voted for a canal along the Panama
route but he is by no means enthusl-5
astic for canal along any route. He
further believes that the advantages
| from such canal are greatly overestl-
mated AS a matter Of fact, the re-
publican leaders regarded any debate
or decision by the House mere waste
of time and it is in the Senate that
the subject will be discussed and q
definite plan Of action determined
upon.
# The action of Senator Morgan, in
his capacity Of Chairman of the Com
mittee on Inter-oceanic Canals, in
subpoenaing NJ. Lampre, the repre-
sentative Of the Panama Canal Com
pany, is regarded as somewhat drastic,
ESPECIALLY in view Of the fact that M.
Lampre was ready to go before the
-committee and furnish any informa-
ton that might be required, but IT
| the Senator, after putting the repre-
sentative Of the French company un-.
der oath, should succeed in discover
Ling evidence Of the conspiracy he be-
llieves to exist between the Panama
| Company and the trans-continental
railroad companies his action will
doubtless stand approved.
Admiral Walker has made public a
statement in which he says that he
has received from the headquarters OF
the Panama Canal Company IN Paris
a cablegram confirming the offer OF
/. their represent in Washington, to
sell all the property of the company for
the fat price Of $40, 600, GOO. The Ad-.
miral states that he will call a meet
ing of the Commission at the earliest
practicable date to consider the propo-
sition and make a supplementary re-.
port to the President. This report
will be forwarded TO o.aCongIess ana. y
is unlikely that an. oennlte actlon. e!1
will be taken py JheS senate untll
after it's received.
There seems to be little doupt mat lait
the chief opposition to the construc-
tion of the canal now emanates IRON ON.
Senator Allison and KepresentaG!ve
Cannon. chalrmen OF the appIoprla5,
ton eommltgees OF t4e 1. penase 4taaa ana
House respectively Both OF these
gentlemen express themselves as
Iaghast at the amount OF money Wa1ch8
the enterprise will require; Mr; iT:s.5 Gan5
non ld@yesteraay laea onlseu ase,1H
States IS rlcaa ano ar+nrnr;sa r4aMsn
aIora 70 vel vel
WlcI VII l!aaS=iol
rare 1nt snae.4s nos,o .,asq sqslng nadaytsI;no
seoIiu enlsl most careful