The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-06
Says Facts Forced Him to
 Change lis Views
MITCHELL FOR NICARAGUA
oregon Senator Says Unless the Hep burn Bill Is Passed Canal legisia- ton Will Be Delayed and
 Probably Defeated.

Washington, June s--In further con- sideration Of the isthmian canal pro- tect the senate heard today two speeches, neither of which was completed MT. Hanna, of Ohio, spoke in favor of the Spooncr amendment conferring on the president authority to purchase the rights of the Panama Canal Company if valid title could be obtained. oth- erwise he shall decide upon the Nicara- qua route. MT. Mitchell supported the Hepburn bill for the construction of the canal on the Nicaragua route.
 Seldom has a senator been accorded a more attentive hearing than MT. Han na- The Panama route he considered much to be preferred to the Nicaragua route, as 1t provided for an inter- rroceanic water way much shorter and one that could be traversed at less expense than the Nicaragua route.
 MT. Mitchell urged that unless the Ni- caragua raute was determined upon def initely by congress 1t would mean the indefinite postponement and perhaps the ultimate defeat of any canal legislation.
 The senate passed the military academy appropriation bill providing for extensive improvements at West Point
 The Debate.
 At 2 o'clock the lsthman canal bill was. taken up. MT. Hanna, member of the inter-oceanic canal committee addressed the senate in support of the Spooner amendment.
 The Ohio Senator said the American people had become accustomed to rapid transit of the railroads, and now de- manded quicker transportation on the sess.
 The experimental stage had passed. and the question now presented was that Of the best routs by which the canal was to be constructed.
 MT. Hanna said he had shared at first in the common belief that the Nicaragua route was the only one to be considered. The United States had been deterred from embarking on that project, and in the light of events the fates seemed to him to have interfered to prevent us from making a mistake. The Panama route was only 49 miles long. while that of Nicaragua was 1S3 miles in length.
 You build your canal" he said, "to provide for the passage of ships from ocean to ocean In the least possible time and at least expense.
 canal constructed on such lines, he insisted, means success. He was looking at the proposition for it's commercial ad- vantages as well as it's advantages as means of defense.
 we are 60 build this canal for the world" he said. We are to build canal for the commerce of the world; and we must take into account the business attracted to 1t from the world"
 Compelled to Change Views.
 By stubborn facts and by the findings of the best engineers in the country he had been compelled to change his views, which originally had been in favor of the Nicaragua route.
 MT. Hanna referred to the seismic dis turbances in the canal region and sug gested that those disturbances ought to cause the American congresses to pause and consider the suggested dangers seri- ously. He referred to the maps ar ranged around the walls of the chamber, showing the number of active and in- active volcanoes in the canal region, de- monstrating that there were more volca- noes in the neighborhood of the Nicara- qua route than in that of the Panama route He maintained that the cost of the Nicaragua canal would be immense ly greater In point of construction of op- eration than the Panama canal and said he was prepared to demonstrate that the Nicaragua canal could not be operated at night. Mir. Hanna said that in many respects the same conditions applied to both the Nicaragua and Panama canals.
 Discussing the Spooner substitute he denied emphatically that it was a subter- fuge intended to delay or procrastinate. He explained that If the President was not satisfied with the Panama canal com pany's title, he could proceed to build the canal by the Nicaragua route. pro- vided that all conditions and concessions were satisfactory. It was understood, of course, that the United States did not propose to go ahead with the canal pro- ject with a clean sheet. By either route, he believed the canal would be a power for the peace of the world, and he had no fear of any interference with the United States or any of its citizens engaged in the canal construction by any foreign power.
 Hanna Yields to Mitchell.
 MT. Hanna after speaking an hour and quarter pleaded fatigue, saying he would continue tomorrow. yielding the floor to MT. Mitchell of Oregon, another member of the inter oceanic canal com mittee
 The Oregon Senator declared that the construction of the canal was demanded by the American people in tone that could not be misunderstood. He asserted that unless the Hepburn bill was accept ed 1t would mean indefinite postponement of any canal legislation and the possible defeat of the canal project. He main- tained that the Nicaragua route was ab- solutely feasible and practicable.
 MT. Mitchell said If shippers could send their products from the Pacific coast to Europe by way of an isthman canal sail ing vessels would be employed where now only steamers are used. thus reducing enormously the freight rates paid by the Pacific coast.
 He maintained that sailing vessels could not go through the Panama canal with out the assistance of steam or electricity on account of the calms.
 Mir Mitchell declared that the au- thorities indicated that the danger from earthquakes was 100 per cent greater In the region of the Panama route than In that of the Nicaragua route. In neither case, however, was the danger sufficient to render hazardous the construction Of the canal.
 The senate at o'clock went into ex-
 ~I d.