The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-25
Says the Late President Preferred the
Longer Nicaragua Route to the
shorter Panama Way.
REPLY BY SENATOR HANNA
MORGAN'S STATEMENT FLATLY CON-
TRADICTED BY THE OHIOAN.
Martyred President Had No Choice OF
Routes, and Intended to Do What
Roosevelt Is Now Doing.


transacted no important business to-day
and adjourned until Friday. In the Senate
the Panama canal question was again the
leading topic under consideration, and Mr..
Morgan was again the speaker of the day.
He continued his review of the history of
the efforts to secure an isthmian canal, and
declared that to the Presidents ambition
to secure the credit of a unique administra-
ton must be credited the favoritism mani
tested by him toward the Panama route.
He asserted that President Mckinley had
favored the Nicaragua line,. and this state
ment was challenged by Mr.. Hanna, who
said he knew of his own personal knowl-
edge that Mr.. Mckinley hal urged the
most careful investigation after he had
learned that the Panama canal property
was available.
Mr.. Morgan, in the course of his speech,
charged that the treaty with Colombia had
been drawn largely by corporation lawyers.
Speaking of the report of the isthmian ca
nal commission favorable to the Panama
route, Mr.. Morgan characterized that re-
port as the dynamite that has rent in twain
the Republic of Colombia. He said fur
ther that the report was a desperate ad-
venture. He declared that If Mr.. Mckinley
had lived the protocol with Nicaragua and
Costa RIGA would have been observed.
But he is dead" the senator went on,
land a new Richmond comes upon the field,
and he seems not to feel the obligation of
good faith when more enticing field for
the unique administration breaks upon the
vision of this ambitious spirit
SAYS ROOSEVELT WANTS GLORY.
He declared that it was President Roose-
velt's ambition to have ali the glory of
constructing the canal for his own admins
tration. HAS the President" he asked,
ANY excuse for his failure to carry into
effect the agreement with Nicaragua and
Costa Rica unless it be resentment toward
Colombia and qualification of present am
bition which the law deprives him of the
further power to indulge? Whatever the
incentive. he will fail to carry the people
with him in his wild and inexcusable raid"
No plea of reasons of state" would be
acceptable, for, he said. reasons of state
are out OF place In a republic and are re-
garded only as the plea of a tyrant. In
abandoning the Mckinley policy, Mr.. Nor
gan declared that the President had de-
much expense of time and effort. He de-
clared that Colombia had levied blackmail
to the extent Of S700O,0O0 and that acting
under the instructions of the President,
the secretary of state had entered into
agreement that might make it possible to
collect on the levy. Only the eagerness
or the ambition of the President, he said.
transaction.
At this point. after having spoken for two
hours Mr.. Morgan requested the privilege
delivery. There was no objection and the
venerable senator sat down, remarking
under his breath as he did so, my old
limbs are getting shaky under me as the
Republican presence
of truth" Mr.. Morgan reviewed at length
the Colombian revolution of 1902 declaring
that Marroquins triumph was due not to
his own prowess. but to the assistance of
the United States. After speaking for
about three hours Mr.. Morgan concluded
OBJECTION obi n'H to- the adoption of the motion
to make the committee assignments, which
motion had been utilized by him as the
basis for his speech.
Mr.. HANNA,S REPLY.
Mr.. Hanna challenged the statement Of
Mr.. Morgan that President Mckinley had
been favorable to the Nicaragua route
Said Mr.. Hanna: 81 know of my own
personal knowledge that when in 1899
it became known that these Panama
companies properties could be pur-
chased he gave the question serious con-
sideration, and at his instance provision
was made in the river and harbor bill for
an appropriation of 100000 for the inves-
tigaton of all routes. This request was
made because of his interest In the Panama
proposition, 1 know of my own personal
knowledge President Mckinley had de-
cided to follow the report of the commits
sion, and that is what the present executive
is doing. So that there has been no change
in policy"
Mr.. Morgan replied that he had spoken
only from the public records of President
Mckinley. and not from knowledge of his
private views. Il know" he said, that
he entered into compacts with Nicaragua
and Costa Rica to secure the Nicaragua
route, and there is record to show that
he changed his mind"
Mr.. Hanna-'It is incorrect to say that
Mckinley preferred Nicaragua. L know bet
ter. 1t was only the high price of the
Panama property that held him.
At the request of Mr.. Spooner on the
committee assignment motion and also that
on the motion to reconsider the vote to
refer the new lands resolution was post
poned until tomorrow. At 4:10 the Senate
went into executive session, adjourning a
few minutes later.
PROPOSED LEGISLATION.