Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-07
OF $|6,500,000 FOR PANAMA CANAL.
Statement of FinanCierS Criticized
==-Senate Opens Lively With
Hundreds of New Bills.

Washington, Dec. 6.-With an oppor-
tunlty for unlimited debate on the sub
Ject of the Panama canal, the House
exhausted its OratOry on that subject
in session Of four and three-quarter
hours, today. The bill appropriating
S165 DOC for canal work which was the
subject Of discussion will be read for
amendment and placed on it's final pas
sage, tomorrow. The feature of the de-
bate was the criticism INDUCED in by
both Republicans and Democrats re-
garding the incompleteness of the
statement of expenditure and estimates
furnished by the canal commission. Mr..
Hepburn, in charge of the bill, made
same effort to show that while detailed
estimates might be more satisfactory,
at the same time members of the House
were not in a position to pass critical
judgent OH estimates for such work
prepared by expert engineers who held
responsible positions and had been Sc
lected entirely because OF their fitness.
Bourke Cochran of New York, took
decided exception to this attitude on the
part of Mr.. Hepburn and arranged it
as decidedly the wrong attitude of leg
islators. To enforce his argument he
read the sentiment Of the President in
his message for economy, and scrutiny
of appropriations. The So-called "press
agent" of the canal commission was
criticized by several speakers and lack
of definite information as to the exist
ence of a position was shown. The
place was declared to carry a salary of
$4,000 a year and some curiosity was
manifested to know what were it du-
ties.
Washington, Dec. 3.-Less interest, as
indicated by the attendance of men,
hers, was manifested in the proceedings
of the House on it's converting today.
Discussion previous to the session indi-
Gated that an adjournment until next
week would be taken up as soon as the
Panama canal bill, to be taken up to-
day, was disposed of.
A session of the committee on rules,
held just before noon, resulted in the
preparation of rule calculated to force
consideration of the canal appropria-
ton bill, should unanimous consent be
refused. The rule provides for unlimit-
ed debate.
Representatives Ramsdell and Rob-
ertSon of Louisiana took the oath Of
office.
Unanimous consent was asked by
Hepburn for immediate consideration
of the canal bill. Pending the request
Williams, the minority leader. took oc-
casion to characterize the request as
unusual but. he said. the necessity was
unusual. There was no disposition on
the Democratic side to delay the appro-
priation. He found some fault with the
purported statement of money which
had been spent, saying it was not an
itemiZed summary.
Because the bill was not referred to
the appropriations committee, Littauer,
N. v, remarked that he should not OBJ
ject to consideration but merely want
cd to protest against the reference of
the measure to the committee on inter-
state and foreign commerce, that the
action should not be taken as a pre-
cedent.
At the suggestion of Mann, Ills, the
committee reference was vacated, The
bill was then considered by the House
as in committee Of the whole, with
Vreeland, N. Y, in the Chair.
Hepburn began the discussion Of the
measure. He said that there had been
no subtle attempt on the part Of the