Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-15
5e,h CONGRESS.
Continued from Page One.)

Continued from Page One.)
,r,endn,ent led to a discussion of the
authority of the commission to make
contracts Culberson called attention
to See Tafts statement To the elect
tbat rnder the terms Of the Spooner
! Act the commission has authority u
i contract for the construction ol .i'O
canal and Allison expressed the opih-
ion that the commission now has pow
er to enter into contracts but that eX-
penditures could rot be made except
| as appropriations are made.
! Morgan thought it would be wise
10 order an immediate survey Of the
san Bias route and added that the 10
: cation of the route is an ideal one. III
this connection he discussed the Prcsi-
dents declaration favorable to the
| Panama canal and said:
This is taking time by the forelock
| in a very strenuous way. / don't know
! how others feel when told by the
! President that the canal must be built
at Il certain specified place and not II
another, but for myself ! do not feel
comfortable"
Morgan said that he had been mis-
quoted in having said that there had
been graft in connection with the
/ management of the canal.
If" lie said. ANY graft has occur
red it will be found in connection with
the management of the Panama RAN
p, read
Speaker Of the SpO0ner law, Morgan
I,,t NOR
| administered it is a wis,. and patriotic
measure, but he added that its opera :
zion had been "tliWarted by the com
mand ana determined opposition OF
the President" lie criticised the
present bill as being IA pretensc be-
I cause it does not reduce the salaries
given as the result Of the President
! iibrality, generosity or eXtrava gancc
Morgan said that by the time the
Panama canal is completed the busi-
Iness will be 50 great that another
| isthmian canal will be necessary ana
he contended that 10 canal should De
permitted in that vicinity unless I'M
der the complete control of the United
| States. He referred to the iSthmlali
canal as the best regulator OF rallroad
rates and he said the Panama railroad
would prove the most valuable III that
respect.
1T will prove the best bargain ever
secured. | wipe out from my men,
DRY all the circumstances attending its
acquisition and say the United States
never made such Il bargain.
He said he would vote for the bill.
| Bacon called attention to the failure
,,f b. m :lnDlDnrI;tI IONS 10
report an amendment Tor the reduction
| Of salaries paid by the commission
and asked if that fact indicated that
/ the committee approves them. He
said the salaries We're exorbitnnt and
out of all proportion to the salaries
paid to other government employees.
| Clay declared that many officials en-
gagged on the isthmus are paid over
100 per cent. more than for service in
the Philippines. He instanccd one
case in which a salary had been in
creased from $1,000 to $4,000 and said
! there should be some explanation.
Allison admitted the rcasonablencss
OF this conclusion. He admitted that
on its face it looked as il the salaries
We're too high but said il was difficult
! to say from the facts before the Sen
ate just what should be done.
! Hale suggested an amendment re-
| quirng that hereafter estimates FOR
all canal salaries be submitted by the
secretary as required in other branch
es of the rublic service.
J Allison suggested the wisdom of
! legislation controlling the Panama
| Railroad.
| Clay asked what bccan" OF the
money paid by the United States to
the Panama road for services and
Hale replied that the money comes
back to the national treasury. He
said the road is run as an independent
organization and added that this
seemed to him useless lie agreed
with Allison that there should be leg
islntion to simplify the question.
Tillmau called for Il report on the
Panama Railroad intimatinG that Their,
is too much secrecy. He deplored the
introduction of "Olicntal methods into
! the management of the canal affairs.
Morgan called attention to the fact
that Cromwell is u director OF tht
new Panama Canal Company as wei
as Il director of the Panama Railroad
Co, and asked Allison if he knew
what lie gets for his service in this
double barrelled capacity" Allison re-
piled that he did not know. but tho
matter should be Inquired into.
The Senate then, At 49,. adjourned
without concluding its consideration 81
the bill
| DEBATE IN THE HOUSE