Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-08

was a discrimination against the United
States.
The bill, he said, was for the purpose Of
protecting the American manufacturer, the
American producer and the American farm
er. which protection was needed all the
more since the formation Of the shipping
combine by Mr.. Morgan. AS the situation
is, said he, "the American shippers are in
the clutches Of a devil fish of a monopoly,
from which we ought to pray every even
ing before going to bed to be delivered"
The bill was then laid aside.
Mr.. Mitchell taking up the canal question,
handled without gloves the proposition to
build the canal by the Panama route, and
incidentally the Spooner amendment. By
the adoption OF this proposition, he said:
The United States would be lacking on
to one of the greatest frauds and pieces Of
corruption known since the world began"
He could not believe, he said, that the
senate proposed to consider seriously a
proposition which would involve the United
States In a legal controversy for a hundred
years. l want the senate to know the facts
and to determine whether we really shall
take up this rotten concern across the sea-"
Mr.. Mitchell expressed the opinion that
the enactment OF the Spooner amendment
'SNA~ AN1NAN ~ Az pobNpohOlhNhl ~ nc
beginning of the canal project as the presi-
dent probably would have to make an indie
pendent investigation Of the subject before
he reached a decision. He urged that con-
gress ought to accept the responsibility of
selecting the routes, and not turn that re-
sponsibility over to the president.
He suggested the possibility that II the
United States should adopt the Panama
route some other nation would construct
a canal by the Nicaragua route, thus Gre
ating competition that would be disastrous
TO the United States.
Most RapaciOus scheme in History.
Mr., Mitchell denounced the idea that the
United States should lend its name to the
Panama enterprise, whose history durins
the last ten years had shocked the sensi.
bilities OF mankind. He declared that 4
was the most rapacious scheme Of legis
lative corruption, journalistic ~venality ant
social and political exposure ever uncovered
In any age or country"
He asserted that the launching OF tn,
Panama canal enterprise was zone of tn,
greatest farces ever witnessed on earth
= either in ancient or modern times" an
= that the whole project was zone Of the mos
~stupendous gold brick games ever impose,
q upon a people"
e MT Mitchell declared that by the spoone
= amendment and the views Of the minorit,
9 OF the canal committee the United State
D not only was invited to participate in
, gigantic lottery scheme but would be com
PEELED by French law controlling the canal
construction, 10 purchase in France all ray
materials entering into the canal.
He pointed out that the new Panam
Canal company had entered into obligation
to construct the canal and he insisted tha
the United States, II it should purehas
the Panama Canal company's rights an
properties, would be the legatee OF all obli
gations OF the French company, includin
those to the stockholders Of the old Panam
canal company. In view OF all the condi
lions he did not think a wise man woul
invest o,OOO,O 900 in a proposition Of ths
kind.
In conclusion Mr.. Mitchell declared ths
II he were casting about for a way to dc
feat the construction OF an tsthmian cans
be could md no better way than by support
ing the spooner amendment. He was salts
ned the Panama canal proposition coul
not be touched without denlement or eve
looked at without loathinE. II was, he sal,
a sink Of iniquity in which the Unite
States should not approach.