The Washington times., 1902-06-19

SENATE TO SELECT
CANAL ROUTE TODAY

Spconer exclaimed, with mock serious
ness. "Of course. the title to the prop
erty," he continued. must be passed
within a reasonable time. Ten years,
five years, one year, would not be re-
garded by the President as a reasonable
time. We will acquire the property for
an honest ard patriotic purpose, and Ii
We take it out title to II will Ia as clean
as is our title to the Capitol.
IF the substitute be adopted. Mr..
Spconer concluded. "and If it be found
that We cannot acquire the property OF
the Panama Canal Company, or obtain
the necessary concession frcm Colombia,
the President will have authority to ac-
quire control OF the Nicaragua route and
TO construct a canal on it."
No Authority for Either Route.
Mr.. Teller in beginning bis speech, re-
marked that there was no authority really
for building a canal on either route II
the Nicaragua route were determined on.
the governments of Nicaragua and Costa
Rica would have to be negotiated With.
The Panama route was in little better
shape because the United States might be
considered the successor of the French
company and 90 on with the work.
Nobody was satisfied Us to the ar
rangement that could be made with the
Colombian government, and yet" he 50 d.
that Is about the way in which this
question. has been handled for the last
fifteen years.
There was Just as much haste sew
eral years ago in getting a vote on a
canal bill. We were told that the
American people were dying to have a
canal. and that we were deIelict in our
duty. The American people expect to
have some canal, but they have not
formed any decided opinion as to where
it shall be built.
They want 1t built, and there is no
sentiment as to the route. | think NY
self that the advantages OF the Panama
route are greater even than have been
expressed in the report OF the commits
sion. | mean to vote for the amendment
of the Senator from Wisconsin. I would
not vote for a canal by the Nicaragua
route. l do not believe that it would
ever be satisfactory. There will be some
surprises and some difficulties by the
Panama route. but not a 1.-THE of what
they would be by the Nicaragua route. -
Mr.. Hanna Rep.. Ohio) made an ar
ldNOI VI IHt SpOCueT SUOStl-
tute. He read numerous extracts from
testimony of the isthmian commission
ers to prove that the Panama route was
entirely feasible and practicable and he
read letters to show that sailing YES
sells could use that canal in spite Of the
doldrums in Panama Bay
Replying to Mr.. Morgan's frequent
references to President McKinley's
choice OF the Nicaragua Canal, Mr.
Hanna repeated a conversation which
he had had with Mr.. Mckinley Just be-
fore the Philippine convention, in which
the President said "It will not be wise
TO do as We have done In former con-
ventions-to announce ourselves in favor
of 4 Nicaragua Canal-because l am just
now appointing commission to investi-
gate the subject of all routes. From
their ability and integrity their report
will be almost binding on me as the
Executive, and will probably settle the
question as to the route"
Mr.. McKinley's Purposes.
Mr.. Hanna added that Mr.. Mckinley
was Just as anxious about the Darien
route as about either Of the others, un-
til it was reported that 1t was not prnc-
ticable, as it required q long tunnel
through a mountain, and as the country
was volcanic: and because of the addi-
tional fact that the Panama canal com
pany owned concession which covered
San Bias.
Mr.. Hannas argument was interrupt
ed by a colloquy in relation to the
Darien project Mr.. Scott (Rep.. W.
Vn1 ayprpsainP the opinion that II was
most feasible OF all the routes, pro-
posed, and his colleague tMr. Elkins)
coinciding with him.
Il will tell you," Mr.. Mitchell in
terposed, how to get vote on the
Darien route; and that way is to vote
down the Spooner substitute"
I'm other words" Mr.. Spooner put
in, with a comedy air that provoked
laughter, walk into my parlor, said
the spider to the fly"
Mr. Hanna. resuming the floor, said
that he never intended that the name
of Mr. Mckinley should be brought into
the debate. or used to conjure votes; but
he had to reply TO the statement so
frequently made By the Senator from
Alabama. He was sure that Mr.. Nc
Kinley had never attempted by act or
intimation to decide in advance what
route should be adopted.
Nr Hawley (Rep. Conn., spoke against
the Panama route on account OF the
deadly nature Of the climate In that
region.
Mr.. Pettus (Dem., Ala.) made an argu
ment In favor OF the Nicaragua canal
Mr.. Spooncr gave notice of numerous
verbal.