The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-07
PANAMA CANAL
 QUESTION IS UP
Hepburn's Resolution Asking for $16,0O0,000 Causes Debate
WILLIAMS AT THE FORE
Minority Leader Insists Upon Item zed Account of Expenditures Hepburn Evades Questions and
 Is Called Down by Cochran.

Washington. December 6-With an op- portunity for unlimited debate on the subject of the Panma canal. the House exhausted it's oratory on that subject in session of four and three quarter hours today.
 The bill appropriating sl65o0,o00 for canal work. which was the subject of dis- cussion, will be read for amendment and placed on its final passage tomorrow.
 The feature of the debate was the criti- csm indulged In by both Republicans and Democrats regarding the incompleteness of the statement of expenditures. and that they should be furnished by the canal commission. MT. Hepburn. in charge of the bill, made some effort to show that while detailed estimate might be more satisfactory, at the same time members of the House was not in a posi- ton to pass critical judgment on estt- mates for such work prepared by ex- pert engineers who held responsible pSs- tons and had been selected entirely be- cause of their fitness-
 MT. Bourke Cochran of New York took decided exception to this attitude on the pdII Ol NIL Iltppui IT, etPliiN' i' 'o e'f"NNe ing all matters of appropriation and ar raigned 1t as decidedly the wrong atti- tude of legislators. To enforce his argu- ment he read the sentiment of the Presi- dent 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 off definite information as to the existence of such a position was shown.
 The place was declared to carry "a salary of $l0,00o year and some curiosity was manifested to know what were its duties.
 Representatives Ransdale and Robert son of Louisiana took the oath of office.
 MT. williams Speaks.
 Unanimous consent was obtained by MT Hepburn for immediate consideration oi the canal bill. Pending the request, MT Williams, minority leader, took occasion to characterize the request as unrxniS but he said the necessity was unusual There was no disposition on the Dvno- cratic side to delay the appropriation. lie found some fault with the purport or the statement, money on which had been snent. saving 1t was not an itemized statement. Because the bill regu.at<d the tax on the proposed canal bonds, MT. Payne, New York. said 1t should have gone to the ways and means committee but he would not protest.
 The bill was then considered by the House as the committee of the whole, with MT. vreeland in the chair.
 Mir. Hepburn's Views.
 MT. Hepburn began the discussion or the measure He reviewed the canal work. stating that s1o,000, 900 had been expended and that particular attention had been paid to housing employees on the isthmus and in rehablitating the machinery the French company had left there
 There was a pay roll on the isthmus containing the names of more than 13.0OO persons. They were paid twice month, and there would be no funds to meet the payment due December 1b, unless the bill should pass. Replying to question by MT Little of Maine, as to the amount expended for salaries, MT. Hepburn said there were twenty-six salaried over $5OOO; six between s4OOO and $5000; fifty-five be- tween 5000 and $4000; and 196 between 5000 and 5000. These included engineers and persons of higher skill. It was stated in reply to C. B. Landis that the value of the Panama railway stock had been estimated at S000.000, but MT. Hepburn could not recall the estimated value placed on the machinery and equipment before 1t was purchased by the United States.
 "But 1t was announced. was 1t not?' continued MT. Landis. that this ma chinery was valuable, and that the equip ment was such as could be utilized"
 Ut was" replied MT. Hepburn.
 Question of Press Agent.
 MT. Fitzgerald of New York, said that he had been informed that $lOOO year was being paid to press agent In this city MT. Hepburn said he had not heard of the matter before. He did not believe 1t a proper appropriation of the canal funds, and suggested that MT. Fitzgerald pursue his information.
 MT. Williams suggested that an esti- mate be secured from the committee as to the amount necessary to carry on the work on the isthmus until January.
 An explanation of the purchase of the two steamers, Mexico and Havana, were asked for by MT. Wadsworth of New York. MT. Hepburn replied that he under stood that three steamers originally pur- chased as a part of the property or the French canal company, was not capable of transporting the required material to the isthmus.
 Fault was found by MT olmstead of Pennsylvania, and MT. Kohn of California, with the statement of expenditures fur nisbed MT Hepburn concurred In this onin,on. The floor was yielded to MT Williams of Mississippi. who gave notice of certain amendments he should offer to the bill later He declared the canal a non-partisan question. The amendment he would offer would be to strike out the sum of sls.500,000 in the bill. and insert an amount he should endeavor to ascer- tain absolutely necessary to carry on the work until January next. Asserting that there was s40,OO0000 belonging to the Unit ed States now on deposit without interest in the national banks. MT. Williams said he would object to the issuance of bonds on which per cent would be paid to secure money to build the canal. Failing fin striking out the entire bonding provis- lon he should move to strike out the pro- vision reimbursing the treasury to the amount appropriated in the bill from the proceeds of the bond sale. He called att tention to the original act authorizing bonds for the canal, and said t was plain there was nothing mandatory about 1t. He maintained that the position he took was not movement against national banks.
 itemized Expenditures.
 At the suggestion of Mir. Fitzgerald of New York, MT. Williams said he would
 
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