Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-08-18
LOBBYING ON THE CANAL
Review of the Situation by One Inside
the Lines


b. S. Rodey. of New Mexico. in a
signed interview, tells of lobbying
methods at the national capital, and
how, the Panama canal bill was passed
after the Nicaragua bill had passed the
house of representatives. He says:
In the way the Panama canal pro-
ject was put through congress after the
Nicaragua project had gone so far as
to pass the house of representatives,
sounds more like a fairy tale than a
piece Of modern true history. I hap
pen TO know all about it, and will de-
tail the particulars.
over year or so before / took my
seat in the house, on my trips to Wash
ington, l frequently met a gentleman
whose name l did not know. So often
did I meet him, that l asked the hotel
clerks and others who he was. The
clerks were evidently posted. because
they told me they did not know, but
thought he was Pinkerton man, or a
newspaper man or engaged in such
work.
I'm the first half of the Fifty-seventh
congress, the friends of the Nicaragua
canal bill brought their tremendous
work to elimination in the house and
passed their bill, Colonel Hepburn of
Iowa, being it's principal champion in
the house, and Senator Morgan in the
senate. When the bill went to the
senate, it remained in allegiance for
few months. and then Senator Hanna
took hold OF 1t with his usual vigor,
and after one of the severest battles
ever fought in the senate. substituted
treaty for the Panama route in place of
the bill for the Nicaragua route passed
it in the senate after fight of the
giants, and had 1t sent down to the
Columbian legislature at Bogota, in
that republic for ratification.
"A few months afterwards met this
same individual that I had met so often
before but did not know. He was
member of the firm of Cromwell &
Farnham, lawyers, of New York. He
told me the whole detail of the Mica?
ragua Panama fight. He told me that
after the Nicaraguan canal bill had
passed through the house by it's advo-
Gates. with one OF the strongest Hobbies
behind 1t that ever attended congress,
and when 1t came apparent to the
French company, who were the owners
Of the Panama canal, that they would
lose their property forever by the
building Of the other one. their agents
| came to New York and employed this
mans firm to inaugurate campaign
of education and substitute the Panama
route for the Nicaragua route. After
this firm made their contract with the
French company. they, being men OF
means at once set aside 100000 for
this campaign Of education which they
were about to fnaugurate in favor Of
the Panama canal They at once took
Sic, 900 or $4,000 OF the money and sent
a corps Of engineers and photographers
down to Panama and photographed
every inch of the canal route and its
condition then from ocean to ocean,
and printed a vast number of the pho
tographs Then Mr.. Farnham came to
Washington, looked around and finally
hired six men as his agents, not one of
them knowing that the other was en-
ployed, nor was any employe ever to
tell OF his employment. The business
Of each of these men was, on request
OF Mr. Farnhan, to get into converse
ton with certain members Of congress,
and incidentally, without the member
knowing the object to inquire what his
opinion of the respective canal routes
was. Sometimes the member would
appear to have little or no opinion upon
the subject At other times he would
. think the Nicaragua route was the best
because Of some particular fact OF
facts. This was written out and re-
ported After Mr.. Cromwell read it. he
Immediately sent to the house room OF
the member of congress or senator lit
erature on the subject that had beer
mentioned. and especially on the par
ticular point that the member or sen
ator was i'm doubt about. In this way
nearly every member OF the house Of
representatives and every senator were
educated on the subjct Of tn rlative
merits of the two canal routes, and ir
the course Of year or so were con-
verted into voting, at least in the sen.
ate. with Senator Hanna. and into help.
ing him to pass the treaty. He stated
, that his Arm had received $1.000,00t
as fee from the French company, and
told him that would have charged
$4,000. 600 Al my fee I'm HIS place"