The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1905-12-22
CANAL AFFAIRS
BEFORE SENATE
Long Debate in Upper House IN
Discussion Of Waterway.
OPINION IS AT VARIANCE
Government Salaries in Panama De-
clared TO Be Exorbitant- -SolonS
Air Their Individual Views.

A washington special says: The
senate spent four houus in Thursday
ia discussing the canal emergency APP
preparation bill, and when it adjourn
ed, the bill was still under consider
alton. There were set speeches by
Teller, Scott and Morgan, and they
were followed by a general debate,
in which all phases Of the contro-
versy were exploited.
A separate bill regulating the is.
suance of bonds for the canal, and
placing them on the same basis as
other government bonds was passed
without debate.
Mr.. Teller, in discussing canal mat
ters, said that he did not believe that
the canal would be the success which
its friends hoped it would be. Ills
opinion was that If locks were used,
the Nicaragua canal would be prefer
able. He was willing to vote all the
money needed for the completion of
the work.
Mr.. Scott expressed the opinion that
a mistake had been made in selecting
the Panama route, and made a speech
advocating the San Bias route.
1--WE are now confronted with just
such situation as l have always
held would be encountered in connec-
ton with the Panama route. We
have expended millions of dollars,
and are no nearer to the completion
of the enterprise than when the Uni
ted States took control of it." He
said that the canal could not be con
structed as lock canal within less
than ten years, nor as a sea level
canal in time to serve this genera.
ton.
Mr. Morgan took up the thread Of
Mr.. SCOTS remarks in favor of the
San Bias route, expressing the opinion
that in view of divided opinion of
the engineers of the Panama route,
it would be wise to order an immedl.
ate survey Of the San Bias route. II
would welcome it as happy solu-
ton" he said, and added that the To-
cation of the route is an ideal one.
He spoke of the isthmian canal as
the best regulator of railroad rates,
and he said that the Panama road
would prove most valuable in that
respect He concluded with the an
nouncement of his intention to vote
Tor the bill
Mr.. Bacon called attention to the
failure of the committee on appropri-
ations to report an amendment for the
reduction of salaries paid by the com
mission, and asked if that fact indi-
Gated that the committee approves
them. Without waiting for reply
he expressed the opinion that the sal
aries were exorbitant and out of all
proportion to the salaries paid to 9th
er government employees. There is /
no parallel for it in any other sala-
ries paid by the United States" he
declared.
Mr.. Clay asked what became of
tho money paid by the United States
to the Panama road for services, and
Mr.. Hale replied that the money
comes back to the national treas
ury He said the road is run as an
independent system, and added that
this seemed to him useless. He agreed
with Mr.. Allison that there should
be legislation to simplify the CUES
tion.
Mr.. Tillman called for a report on
the Panama railroad, intimating that
there is too much secrecy about it,
md saying that there was danger OF
loss in such condition. He deplored
the introduction of Oriental methods
into the management of canal af-
fairs"