Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-09
Not Certain Measure Will be Pass
ed This Session.
THINKS HOUSE WILL DISPOSE OF 1T
Proposition is Most Complex of Any
Since Beginning of the Spanish
American War-Panama Route May
Be the Favored One.


most complex propositions congress
has had to deal with since the Span
ish-American war and events contem-
poraneous Herewith. 1t is SO large a
measure and so far-reaching in conse-
quences and involving SO great an out
lay of money and human life that not
withstanding the house will quickly
register It's verdict, and that over
whelmingly in favor of the Hepburn
bill. Conservative men are free to say
that it is not at all certain that the
Hepbsrn bill or any other bill making
provision for an isthmian waterway
s will become law at this session.
Senate DisaPproves.
While Representative Hepburn and
the strong advocates of the Nicaragu-
an route are disposed to regard the
( proposition made last week by the
Panama syndicate, lightly and in the
nature of bluff, the senate looks at
the matter from a different point Of
view.
House With Hepburn.
Z = y j -- J..
AS was expected, the house will be
for the Hepburn bill with unauimity
that is almost unprecedented Such
unanimity has not been witnessed il
the house since that body voted prac
tically as unit to place S50,00O, ,OO(
in the hands of President Mckinley
as an emergency war fund in 1898
There are two reasons for this:
House Has Confidence in Hepburn.
First, the house, irrespective of po
litfcal bias, when the members are
free to express their honest convic
tions, has the utmost confidence in the
Judgment and integrity of Mr.. Hep
burn and it may be said, in passing
tha this confidence has never beer
shaken.
People Eager for Waterway.
Second: The house constitutes tn,
representative branch of the govern
ment voicing the popular will of tn
people, and the people generally ar,
eager for an Isthmian waterway Th
only route heretofore given considera
tion has been the Nicaraguan survey
the result of the mistaken policy O
the French syndicate holding the Par
anna franchise which put prohibitiv
price upon its assets At $3.50, ,000, ,0O
for "a strip of land connecting the Al
lantic and Pacific, with a big ditcl
well begun, machinery in state of de
cay, accompanied by the distastefu
2 aroma of De Lesseps and his wretche
I scheme which bankrupted hundreds {
his countrymen, it was not though
worth while to bestoV evep a seriou
rtrff ,tt., AZ
these condlIioos thsre w as no justif
cation for sucn consideration Fc
this reason the members of the hous
have assembled with the convictio
settled in their minds that the Mica
aguan route is the only practicabl
one.
Scene Changes.
But the scene has suddenly changes
The Panama syndicate, seeing ever,
thing slipping away has at one jun
reached absolute hard pan and offel
its entire property for about one-fourt
it's previous figure, $40000,0O0. o
this basis there is justification for co
sideration, and notwithstanding til
palpable fact that the house will giN
but small and perfunctory consider
tion to the latest proposition. the +
suit of an honest conviction that it
not entitled to attention, and notwit
standing the brilliant arraignment |
Mr.. Hepburn of the whole the schem
the senate will give serious and e
haustye consideration to the Panan
offer.
Favor Panama Route,
Signs are not altogether lacking i
dicative that the senate may, ultimat
ly, even favor the latter route. Wi
such situation existing the fate
the proposition would be swift al
sure. It. would, be even worse th;
that Of the river and harbnr bill at tt
tclose of the last session when Senat,
Carter talked five hours while the la
moments OF congress passed with t
bill yet unpassed and with the stro
of noon the river and harbor bill, c;
rying $60,000,000 of money died.
In the first place there is no enth
siasm for an Isthmian waterway in t
7 senate. Then, the. senate will sep
weeks in debate where the house spe
days with the probability that the Sc
ate will agree to the Hepburn bill
the end a remote possibility
Speaking of the matter to your C,
Respondent, senator whose conser,