The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-06
MILITARY ACADEMY BILL
Measure Passed Providing For I'm
provements at Wsst Point.
THE DEBATE ON THE ANfI-ANARCHY BILL
The General Debate is Gloss d With the tx
csplion Of Two Speeches Which Will
BE- Made Tody Legal AS
els Discussed
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, June 5.-In further con-
Sideration of the Isthmian Canal project
the Senate heard today two speeches,
Hanna (Ohio). spoke in favor of the
Spooner amendment comforting upon the
President authority to purchase the rights
of the Panama Canal Company if valid
title could be obtained, otherwise he
shall de .ide upon the Nicaragua route.
Mr.. Mitchell supported the Hepburn Bill
for The construction of the canal by the
Nicaragua route.
Seldom has a Senator been accorded
a more attentive hearing than that given
AIR. Hanna. Eliminating sentiment he
considered the Panama route much to
he preferred to the Nicaragua route as it
provided an inter oceanic waterway much
shorter and one that could be traversed
at less expense than the Nicaragua route.
He maintained that the United States
was to build the canal to accommodate
the commerce of the world and that fact
must be taken into account. He was in
favor Of the Panama route because ne
had, been convinced by stubborn facts
that Il was the better of the two.
Mr.. Mitchell urged the passage of the
Hepburn Bill maintaining that unless inc
Nicaragua route was determined upon
definitely by Congress it would mean the
indefinite postponement and perhaps the
ultimate defeat of any canal legislation.
He discussed at great length the general
canal question. insisting that the Nicara-
qua route was entirely feasible and prac-
ticable while the Panama route involved
difficulties which were scarcely to be
sUrmounted.
Before the canal discussion was re-
sumed tae Senate passed the Military
Academy Appropriation Bill providing
scr extensive improvements at West
Point.
NJ. Hanna in his remarks said he had
shared the common belief at first that the
Nicaragua route was the only one to be
considered but the United States was
deferred from embarking uppn that pro-
-isct and in the light of events the fatcs
seemedSe- have interferred to prevent us
from making mistake.
Discussings the two great routes Mr..
Hanna said the Panama route was only
forty-nine miles long, while that of Mic
aragua was one hundred and eighty
three miles in length
You build your canal said he. Ito
provide for the passage of ships from
ocean to ocean in the least possible time
and at the least expense.
A canal constructed on such lines, he
insisted, meant success.
1--WE are to build this canal for the
world" said he. eve are to build a
canal for the commerce of the world, and
we must take into account the business
attracted to it from the WORLD"
Mr. Hanna referred to the seismic dis
turbances in the canal region aud suS-
gested that those distur dances ought to
cause the American Congress TO pause
and consider the suggested dangers Sc
riously. ell referred to some maps ar
anged aound the walls Of the Senate
chamber. showing the number of active
and inactive volcanoes in the canal reg
ion, demonstrating that thore We're more
volcanoes in the neighborhood Of the
Nicaragua route than in that of the PAN
anna route. He maintained that the cost
of the Nicaraguan canal would he im-
mcnsely greater in point of construction
and operation than the Panama canal and
he said he was prepared to demonstrate
that the Nicaragua canal could not be
operated at night.
Discussing the Spconer substitute. he
denied emphatically that it was a subter-
fuge intended to delay and procra5tinate.
He explained that if the President were
net satisfied with the Panama Canal
Company's title he could proceed to build
the canal by the Nicaragua route, pro-
vided that all conditions and concessions
were satisfactory.
Mr.. Mitchell in course Of general ar
glunent in favor of an isthmian canal,
said that if shippers could not send their
products from the Pacific coast TO Eu
rope by way of an Isthmian Canal, sail
ing vessels would be employed where
now only steamers were now used thus
reducing enormously the freight rates
Row paid by the Pacific coast,
he maintained that sailing vessels
could not go through the Panama Canal
without the assistance of steam or cleo
tricity on account of the Gains
Adverting to the danger of seismic dis
turbances Mr.. Mitchell declared the au-
thorities indicated that the danger from
earthquakes was 10 0per cent greater In
tho region of the Panama route than in
that of the Nicaragua route. IN neither
ease was the danger sufficient to render
huzs rdous the construction of the canal.