The Washington times., 1902-06-17
Senators Cullom and Kit
tredge Present Their
Views.
MANY REASONS ADVANCED
Yesterdays Discussion of Canal Ques- I
tion Devoted to Exploiting Southern
Waterway, Row Partially Built
Senator Perkins to Speak Today.

| Two speeches were made In favor of
! the Panama Canal route yesterday in the
| Senate.
Mr.. Cuilom delivered a short speech
defining his position. and stating sue
cinctly why he intends TO vote for the
southern route. Mr.. Kittredge of South
Dakota, a member of the Senate Canal
Committee, and an ardent advocate OF
that route. made his maiden address in
the Senate.
Mr.. Cullom said that he had had the
honor of delivering brief address in the
Senate in 1894 in favor of the Nicaragua
route. which was then the only one un-
der discussion. as French company had
obtained a franchise for the Panama
route. His opinion now is that the Pam
anna route is the most feasible one, but
If satisfactory title could not be Sc
cured. then he was in favor of construct
ing the canal through Nicaragua.
Mr.. Cullom referred to the three prop
ositions now pending before the Senate
for the construction of the canal, name-
ly, the Hepburn bill, the Spooner amend
ment, and the Hoar BILL the latter Civ
ing to the President the whole discre-
tion in the selection of a route.
1.-The Hoar bill gives to the President
more than executive authority he said.
at confers upon him a power which
should be exercised by Congress alone.
After years of investigation, I think all
the necessary information is now before
Congress to enable US to make selec-
tion. Congress should not thus shirk
its responsibility"
The Matter of Cost.
Upon the matter of cost. he said: We
are called upon to select between a
route 1873 miles long and one 40 miles
long; between route costing s1S9, ,000.-
coo and one costing s1S4 900; between
route when will annually cost s3.-
300, 600 to operate and maintain and one
that will cost but s2,0C0,0 600 to operate
and maintain; between route that will
take but twelve hours to navigate and
one that will take thirty-three hours;
between a route that has been high
way of commerce for 400 years and me
that has never been used; between
route the entire length of which there is
now in operation a railroad worth Si.-
coo 900 and a route with no transporta-
tion facilities. For all these reasons,
the Panama route should be selected.
and | believe the Panama Canal Com
pany can convey a good title to its prop
erty to the United States"
In conclusion he said: 81 am in favor
of the adoption of the Spooner amend
ment. which absolutely insures the con-
struction of an isthmian canal.
Il have given my views. not rs par
tisan of one line or the other: and my
conclusion is that we are safer in adopt
ing the Panama route. 1t is the short.
est route. We are less liable to become
involved in trouble. and 1t is the most
feasible. And therefore it seems to me
that we ought to adopt that route.
Mr.. Kittredge's Maiden Speech.
Mr. Kittredge, member of the Inter-
Canal Committee and of the
which investigated the
question of obtaining a clear title to the
company's concessions, also
argued in favor of the Panama route.
He called attention to the statements
made that the Panama route canal would
cost much more than the estimates and
more than the Nicaragua route. This
ne denied on the authority of the docu-
nents before the Senate, which showed,
ne said. that the Nicaragua route would
,ost an indefinite number of millions
more than the Panama.
One of the principal reasons, he said.
'or this was the difficulty in securing
-
(Cinnt inteh nn Thirh pnrn