The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-24
SENATE DEVOTES The DAY To
! THE CANAL QUESTION
REPUBLICAN PARTY SCORED
In a Political Speech DeIiyere by
Minority Leader RichardsOn-He
all Over With the LeprOsy of
Pledges Unredeemed-Mr. Cannon
Defends His Party-Senate Hears
Arguments in Favor of Each
Canal Route.

Isthmian canal question increases as
the time for a final vote in the senate
approaches. Tomorrow at 2 o'clock the
voting on the amendments to the pend
ing Nicaragua canal bill will begin and
a final disposition Of the matter is ex-
pected to b. reached soon afterward.
The senate today devoted practically
its entire session TO consideration of
the canal question. Extended speeches
were delivered by Mr.. SpOoner, of Wis
consin, and Mr.. Hanna, of Ohio, in ad-
yocacy Of the adoption of the Panama
route and Mr.. Pettus, of Alabama, adj
yocated the selection of the Nicaragua
route. Mr.. Teller, of Colorado, briefly
announced his support of the Panama
project while Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas,
indicated his leanings toward the same
route.
Mr. Carmack, of Tennessee, address,
ed the senate in support OF his resolu-
ton TO inquire into the discharge from
the war department of Miss Rebecca
j. Taylor for the publication of articles
in newspapers criticising the president.
He intimated that she was discharged
because she took the wrong side of the
Philippine question from the admins
tration point of view
Mr.. Spooner advocated the Panama
route for an Isthmia canal. He said
he could not disregard the report of the
commission and follow the judgment of
a senator (Mr. Morgan). He paid q
cordial tribute to the energy, ability
and earnestness with which Mr.. Nor
gan had advocated an Isthmian canal
ID nH6o6 fhnf MI MORGAN ne nanaa
wOu stand in history as the father of
the canal.
Mr.. Morgan said he bowed his ac-
acknowledgements for the beautiful COM
pliment, but he was not depending upon
his own judgment in the matter.
In advocating the adoption of the
Nicaragua route Mr.. Pettus declared
that he American people wanted and
would have an Isthmian canal to be
built, owned and controlled by the Unit
ed States. He said there were many
men in the United States who control
vast sums of money of which neither
CrOesus nor Solomon ever dreamed
who are opposed to any Canal because
it would decrease their incomes.
House OF Representatives.
The near approach of the end of the
present session of congress was signal
lied by a general political speech by
Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, the
leader of the minority. Taking adj
vantage of the latitude allowed dur
ing general debate on the deficiency
APPROXIMATION bill, he delivered a set
speech of an hour and Il half. Mr..
Shallenberger, of Nebraska, also made
a political speech.
Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the appro-
priatiOn committee in a brief reply to
both speeches, said he was ready TO
go TO the country on the record of the
republican party. In the course OF
some remarks early in the session Mr..
Cannon declared that If he could have
his way, ngre would adjourn sine
die before July 4th.
The general deficiency appropriation
bill. the last of the supply bills, was
passed
4 night session was held, at which
the house considered bills reported
from the committee on Indian affairs.
Mr.. Richardson said the republican
party a had absolute control of all
branches of the government Tor SIX
years. He proposed to examine into
its trusteeship.
The dominant party, he said, had
come into powers with certain express
promises and pledges and he argued
that its record was spotted all over
with the leprosy of pledges unredeem-
ed.
First he directed attention to the
promises of reasonable trade conceS-
sions to Cuba solemnly given which
had been defeated. Not one line Of
remedial legislation had been placed
upon the statute books since 1900.
Mr.. Richardson that in
his opinion the gravest danger now
threatening the welfare of the people
and the country was the growth OF
the power of the trusts.
There was, he declared, an irrepres-
sible cry throughout the country for
government control of the great trusts.
Congress alone could heed that cry.
If it was not needed these remorseless
trusts could proceed in their greed to
defy the power of the II
self.
Mr.. Richardson charged that the
great trusts was due to the existence
of the highest protective tariff ever
placed on the statute books. The Sher-
man antitrust law to which the
dominant party pointed with pride, he
said, was a dead letter. Congress must
act. Presidential s~trenuOusity would
not compensate for congressional
ennui.
When Mr.. Richardson declared that
the democrats were willing to remain
in session until the snow fell in order
to give the people some relief from
tariff taxation, his democratic collea-
cues gave him a round of applause.
He quoted a statement attributed to
Speaker Henderson about the circula-
ton of false reports regarding Cuban
reciprocity and added:
From recent developments it would
seem that possibly h government it
self was particips criminis TO the cir
culation of the reports of which the
speaker complained Democratic
1aughter.1
In conclusion Mr.. Richardson charg-
ed the republican party with Inn
prope and reckless eX-
travagance. In four years, the in
crease Of appropriations, he said, was
l ,067, O0O, 900. For that vast sum OF
money he asked what the United States
had gained. Mr.. Richardson was
warmly congratulated by his demo
cratic friends when he finished.
Mr.. Shallenberger, of Nebraska, con-
demned the action OF the secretary OF
war in dismissing Miss Taylor, a clerk
in the war department, for criticisine