The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-08
PANAMA CANAL EXPEN-
DITURES RUN NOUN.
TAIN HIGH
STRAIN At THE LEASH
Do Democrats and RepubIi,
cans inCOnsideringBudget

Washlnaton, DEC Tt was made
abundantly manifest in The house to-
day that the Isthmian canal commission
viii be subjected to a searching inves-
llgation. The occasion was the presen-
tation OF a bill making an emergency
appropriation og Sls,5o0,0oo in accord
ance with the requst OF Secretary TAFT
sent IN the day previously
The commission as has been hereto
fore related in dispatches has exhausted
all Of the Si0oOo.ooo appropriation, and
has accumulated an indebtedness. in
cluding the cost price OF matorial az
ready contracted for OF something Ike
s11. 100000 and. in addition. IL wants
about s5,o0oo0o to keep things moving
in some. degree until the beginning Of
the next fiscal year. The situation is
urgent II not. indeed critical for un-
less the emergency appropriation shall
be made, the commissieu viii not have
the money with which TO meet it's De
cember payroll
Speaker Cannon has promised the
president prompt action IL this matter
and. agreeabiy with that promise, the
committee on rules filed into the house
this morning at one minute to II o'clock
prepared to enforce IMMEDIATE considera
ton But there was no need for the
exercise Of that authority, for Mr.. Will
liams. when the matter was presented.
announced that while the action OF the
majority was to take extraordinary and
dangerous steps IL hereafter II had been
implied as a precedent to establish a
practice. nevertheless the minority, re-
mctant even to seem to obstruct the
work on the canal, would offer no OBJ
lection to the consideration OF the bill.
That opened the debate. Mr. Hepburn
began It by stating the urgency Of the
matter, but incidentally. he remarked
that the government, when it paid the
Frenchmen $4,000. 600 for what they
owned at Panama, hardly got its mon
ey's worth, since most of the materials,
tools and the like. which were appraised
as of high value. has proved 70 be all
but useless TO as.
When the democrats got an oppor-
tunity they assailed the auditing depart
ment OF the commission hercely. and
charged the commission itself with
grossest extravaganza. They were ispe-
cially critical OF the statement sent in
as 70 the expenditures and the purposes
tOi which AAt lhtnAN appropriations
were needed In this they were joined
by number OF republicans. and indeed
some OF the most caustic criticisms OF
the commission were uttered by repub-
lloans, Notwithstanding the president had
caused it to be known chat he individu-
ally assumed all responsibility for the
commissions expenditures, as well as for
the debts II had contracted Representa-
tive Olmstead OF Pennsylvania, declared
that no business man or corporation on
earth would appropriate money on such
vague. indefinite and unsatisfactory es-
innate which the commission had sent
to congress.
The commissions payrolls were sub
iected to some narrow scrutiny. and an
item which provoked much comment Of
a sarcastic nature was the salary of the
gentleman who. though nominally the
secretary OF the commission. performs
all the duties OF press agent. This
gentleman wax formerly assistant sec
retary. but when Col Edwards resigned
some weeks ago as head Of the admin
istrative forces, there was rearrange-
ment. and this gentleman acquired the
title OF secretary. But his duties have
COMMUNAL " DC Althet VI a press dbNlAA
who, when anything Of Importance has
occurred such as the vote OF the con-
sulting engineers. IS kept busy in try
ing to keep the Information from the
newspapers. His salary Is $4,000 a
year.
The debate lasted all the afternoon
ana although the criticism Of The COM
mission was led by the democrats. tlley
were seconded by such number OF re-
publlcana as made Il apparent that a
majority OF tae house are greatly dis
satisfied with the conditloa O. annira
The biz viii pass by Unanimous vote
perhaps. but an amendment viii be made
70 it providing that hereafter the CONF
MISSIONS statements shall be both de-
railed arid classified
Meantime d resolution has been in-
troduced Cor the appointment OF COM
gressional committee Of eleven meme
bors 20 make an investigation Of the ex.
penditures OF the canal commission, aud
it win REQUIRE some energetic work If
a Is desired 20 prevent nc making Of
that investigation.
The subject viii come in broader
way when the question Of modifying the
terms of the canal bonds shall be pre-
sented for consideration. and thea the
u. au