Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-25
The Panama Canal.

In his speech in the Senate Monday on
the isthmian canal question Mr.. Morgan
said:
I'm the present situat ton it seems proper
that | should restate the most important
facts rela ting to the Nicaragua route, mat
there may be no hesitancy or evasion as TO
executing the canal act of June d, 1903.
Before doing this l must make a state
ment. in some sense personal, which would
not make but for the respect have for the
character of The Evening Star of this city
and it's worthy conductors.
In a recent issue, under the head of Mr..
Morgan and the Canal The Star says:
Congress- by vote almost unanimous,
ordered the change Qrom Nicaragua to
Panama. and put the matter in the Presl-
dents hands, The Star is misled by some
lamentable oversight to the facts as they
are shown by the record. The entire House,
save two votes. had voted for the Mic;
ragua route, and the matter that was put
into the hands of the President by the
Spooner law was not a discretion in the
choice of routes. 1t was not even discre-
ton as to the time within which he was re-
Quired to obey the law after the time for
dealing with Colombia had been fixed by
agreement in the Hay-Herran treaty.
THE Spooner amendment TO the House
bill did not substitute the Panama route
for the Nicaragua route. 1t only gave
preference in the selection of routes to the
Panama scheme, upon certain conditions
that are now impossible. The giving of
this preference as stated and regulated in
the Spooner amendment did not dsplace
the Nicaragua route or condemn il with
even shadow of disapproval. On the con-
trary. that law is as firm and decisive as to
the merits of the Nicaragua route as the
Hepburn bill. the language of which. in this
respect. was copied from that bill. The
SpoOner law orders the President to cause
the lsthmidn canal commission to eXc8Vate
and construct the Nicaragua canal If Co
lombia should fail within a reasonable time
to raufy a treaty with the United States
making certain concessions and stpulations
prescribed IN the SpoOner act. | need not
repeat them to the Senate, but The Star
would do well to give them careful exami-
nation and due weight to all their provi-
Sions.
As Mr.. Morgan states, the House voted
for the Nicaragua route almost unani-
mously. But two members recorded them
selves in the negative. When the bill
reached the Senate the fight for Panama
became exceedingly spirited. Instructed
PERHAPS by the action of the House, the
Panama people. who had been simply talk
ing about lowering their price. now def
nitely lowered it, and agreed to accept forty
million dollars, the figure of our own ap-
praisement of their property. The offer
proved tempting. and the Senate acted on
it. The House bill was changed not count
ing Nicaragua out of the equation, but put
ting Panama ahead Of ii on conditions As
the bill passed the Senate it provided for
buying the new Panama Canal Company $
possessions at the price stipulated. But the
President was first TO see that satisfac-
tory tile could be secured. and then to ne
gotiate treaty with Colombia for Ameri-
can control of a canal zone across the 18TH
mus. IL he failed in this within a reason
able time and upon reasonable terms he
was to turn to Nicaragua and Costa Rics
ana negotiate for digging the Nicaragua
canal
The House first refused TO accept the Sen
ate bill conference between the two
houses was held. in which Mr. Morgan and
Mr.. Hepburn participated. and the result
was the passage of the Senate bill. 1t was
approved and became a law June Is On
its face it records a change of first choice
by Congress from Nicaragua to Panama
How many Of the advocates of the &.cl-