Evening star., 1902-01-09
ON THE CANAL BILL
Chairman Cannon Charges Its Friends
With Undue Haste.
MR.. HEPBURN REPLIES SPIRITEDLY
Nominations Of Messrs. Shaw and
Payne Confirmed.
THE SENATE ADJOURNS

In expectation of a vote upon the Nicara-
qua canal bill today there was a large at
tendance on the floor when the House OF
Representatives met. Under the order
made yesterday the general debate was TO
close at = o'clock. when the bill Was TO be
read for amendment under the five-mnute
rule.
Mr. Adamson (Ga), the first speaker to-
day. urged the passage of the Hepburn
bill without amendment He argued that
the time had come for action and that
cquivocation now could only result in de-
laying the commencement of the canal.
If the Panama company had an offer to
make which We could accept, he said, there
would be time enough to take advantage of
it when the bill was pending in the Senate
or later in conference.
A Modern Trojan Horse.
Mr.. Wooten CTex) also argued that the
bill should be passed without amendment.
If the Morris amendment We're adopted, he
said, the canal would become conditional
project surrounded by doubts and difficult
ties which might doom it to final failure
owing TO International political compica-
tons He declared it was rather a strange
coincidence that those who now wanted to
amend the bill had in the past opposed the
passage of any bill. He regarded the Nor
ris amendment as modern Trojan horse.
Mr.. Wooten said he did not favor an
amendment to forIify the canal. He be-
lieved such an amendment savored more of
spurious sentiment than sound and salu-
tary sense. He favored a neutral canal
AT this point. upon the request of Mr..
Davis tF'la.I. the time for general debate
was extended until 80 pm
Mr.. Sparkman (Fla.) spoke in favor of
the Hepburn bill.
Chairman Cannon Takes the Floor.
Mr.. Cannon 0Il). chairman of the appro-
priations committee, then took the floor.
His remarks were given close attention.
The building of this canal, he said, was
business proposition and should be consid-
cred from business standpoint. Gentle
men talked about this proposed canal hav-
ing been agitated for 400 years. and used
that as an argument why members of Con-
greSS should fall over each other TO vote
for the pending bill Personally he had ia
ynred canal for years. but because he had
not been willing to proceed without infor-
nation and against fixed treaty law he had
been called hard names.
Mir. Cannon at this point clashed sharply
with Mr. Hepburn, who is in charge of the
bill MIR Cannon criticised the lowan for
Withholding his speech from the Record,
and Mr.. Hepburn, characteriZing Mr.. Can
mons criticism 'querulous and for an
improper purpose" stated that he had only
exercised privilege customarily exercised
by members But he offered then and there
to give Mr. Cannon the speech and sent it
over 10 him by page
Mr. Cannon declared that in his recollec-
ton a member presenting great measure
To Undertake work that was to last for
centuries had never pursued such a course
He declared it was not decent paria mem
tary procedure. and when Mr. Hepburn
made some quick reply he observed amid
laughter that if the gentleman from Iowa
We're only as straightforward as he was "fip
"f tongue he would be better legislator
Charges Undue Haste.
Mr. Cannon. discussing the language of
the bill. said that under its "artful Ian
gdage full power was given to pay Mic
aragua and Costa Rica and the Maritime
Canal Company their demands, but also
the American anu Nicaraguan SPECTATORS
who owned property along the route He
criticised the undue haste of the promoters
OF the Nicaragua canal. He wanted to see
the PROTOCOL that had been recently neso-
tiafed. He objected to the provision that
contracts could be made for the whole
work.
war taxes could be removed il the govern
ment was committed to such a gigantic en-
terprise- He said he would vote for the
Norris amendment. and If that failed would
move To recommit, so the bin could be
amended
Mr. DeArmond (Mo) favored leaving the
question of routes to the President With
alternative authority he could make better
terms The bill as presented was not ma
tUre. Was the army engineer CORPS or a
gigantic Syndicate to build the canal?
Mr. Hepburn Replies to Criticisms.
NJ o'clock Mr.. Hepburn took the floor
10 close general debate. He replied chief
~ to the criticism OF Mr. Cannon and
drew frequent applause and laughter as
he !oosed his shafts of sarcasm.
Debate Was a Lively One
The debate on the canal bill became verv
lively in the late hours of the afternoon.
The contest between the friends of the
pending bill and those who would amend
II with propositions saddlIng upon it the
possible substitution OF the Panama project
became animated
Mr. Cannon and Mr.. Hepburn had lively
exchanges of words during the afternoon
Mr. Hepburn said he would accept MIR
lannon's statement that ne favored an ist h.
fian canal in parliamentary sense He
Charged that Mr. Cannon's efforts in the
past mad invariably resulted in DELAY in the
construction Of a canal He said he re-
garded the interposition of the Panama pro-
Ject as a measure CT delay
Quoting the Democrats.
Ar- Hepburn created considerable amuse-
ihent When he quoted the last platform of
the democratic party in favor of the i'm
mediate construction of a Nicaraguan n
canal.
In the name OF the democratic peopIe /"
said Ar. Hepburn, II summons each and
all OF you democrats TO stand by that de-
maad- Now is your chance for the .imme-
diate construction of a canal"
This sally created great laughter in the
hal. and was followed by cries of Voter
Note! from the democratic side.
Il want an isthmian canal" said Mr..
Hepburn, and II il is not the one for which
nave a preference, want some kind of a
canal =
Mr.. Hepburn contended that the Morris
amendment made it mandatory upon the
PRESIDENT 10 select the Panama route
Ihis led Mr. Morris to make {he state
ment that he would amend his proposition
by giving the President of the United
States discretion.
MI Hepburn said that responsibilitv y
should not be put upon the President
Mr. Hepburn said Mr.. Cannon nosed .s =,
business man, yet he wanted to nav s1o
poNo FOR something the commission saia
was worth S2T. 100000. He stated Tho, =.
was rumored the bill would have rorsn =,
shedding in another body but n. said t6n
mora effect of passing the bill bv aGros,
unanimous vote In the House would be ma :
terial. =" ND