Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-13
CANAL BILL IN SENATE
Committee Votes to Eliminate the Pro-
vision for Bond Issue.
,sHosTs AND BISHOP QUESTIONED
Alleged Press Agent of Commission ia
Asked About His Duties-Taft
Requests Larger Appro-
priation.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.--The emergency
appropriation bill to provide the Istpmian
Canal commission with the, funds to carry
on the construction OF the Panapa canal
will contain no general legislation. This
was decided by the senate committee on
appropriation at a meeting lasting all OF
today and at which 1t was agreed TO re-
port the measure appropriating Sll,t00.OO0,
the amount named by the house DILL. The
first section OF the bill. in relation to the
issuance OF bonds, was stricken out.
bill containing this feature was intro
duced in the senate by Mr.. Teller and 1t
will be dealt with by the finance commit
tee. The bill was amended further to
provide that In the future, no expenditures
shall be made for the canal except by
authority of congress and when appropria-
tions have been made by congress.
Taft aud sbonts- Questioned.
Secretary Taft OF the War department,
Theodore p. Shonts, chairman of the canal
commission: Joseph %. Bishop. secretary.
and other. officlals of the commission, in
GLIDING the purchasing agent and the aa-
sistant purchasing agent were before the
committee and were subjected to pointed
inquiries as TO the manner of making ex-
penditures. Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Shonts urged
that the appropriation be increased to
si6.bo0.0oo, the amount named in the hill. be-
fore IL was amended in the house. They
admitted, however, that sll,Ooo0o0 would be
sufficient 10 carry on the work until
April. In view OF the fact that congress
viii have plenty of opportunity to ,egislate
before that time 1t was determined not to
restore the $5,5ooOO0 cut out by the house.
bishop Explains Duties.
The examination of Mr.. Bishop, who had
been referred to in house debates as a
press agent" for the commission. was of
a personal nature in that he was asked TO
define his duties. Il was shown that, in
addition. to acting as secretary, Re is sort
of diplomatic agent charged with meeting
any possible contingency that may arise.
In the absence of Mr.. Shonts AMI w. Leon
Pepperman, the assistant chief of admin
istraton. Mr.. Bishop says he assumes
their duties In Washington even to the
extent OF signing checks and that he deals
directly with the secretary OF war in re-
lation to canal matters. He said he was
the historian for the commission and as
sembled data of all kinds that might be
of use for any purpose. He admitted that
to some extent this information was used
for the public press. In his capacity ri
literary secretary Mr.. Bishop declared thai
he was not expected to create public sen.
timent. but to keep It normal. In explana'
ton he said that there had been de
termined attempt on the part OF the oppo
sition interests 10 direct public feelinl
against the canal and that before h'
entered the employ OF the government hi'
services had been sought by those inter
ests al more liberal compensation than h'
is now receiving. When asked TO nam'
the opposition interests. Mr.. Bishop specI
fed the Nicaragua, the Tehuantepec ans
the Darian canals, and ventured the sur
mise that the transcontinental railroads
also were oopcerned Ia the opposition 4
the canal In reply to questions as TO TN