The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-17
MONEY IS VOTED.
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ness, but Mr.. President. haYe teo
much respect for the distinguished gen
tlemen who are engaged in this great
governmental work in Panama TO m
stitute such a comparison. The hlgne
officers and some of the directors OF
three OF the largest insurance companies
in this country constitute in my 5udg-
nent the greatest aggregation OF lord
" thieves and unconscionable pefJurers
that this age of graft has yet aeVeiop-
ed. They reach in every direction; lay
hold of every class of men and invade
every party.
Culberson Is Inundated.
'They traffic. sir, in political infiu-
ence as they do in the wares OF the
merchant or the market. They nave
invaded the Sanctity OF legislatures,
state and national and to me one OF the
deeply huniliati~ things is that they
have found a Democrat upon whom
they fastened their graft at % per cent
OF what they paid for a Republican OF
similar commanding position in his
party
In announcing that he intended to
vote for the bill, he said:
TN doing SO I do not abate in the
slightest my contempt for the robber
diplomacy that acquired Panama and
established there this miserable mock
republic.
$50 far as I am concerned the adj
ministration must go right on with all
reasonable funds that may be neces-
sary until the feasibility of building
the canal at Panama is either estab-
Hshed or refuted.'
He said his sympathies went out to
the American people who had been de-
ceived as to the cost and difficulty of
engineering in such climatic condl-
tons. He expressed the belief that the
canal, IL built at all. would cost hun
dreds Of millions of dollars.
4 = p q
American people viii be spared furth-
er disappointment and humiliation,
but, Mr.. President, there are lndica-
tons that a retributive justice is lay
ing the weight Of its hands upon 9g the
conduct that grossly discredIted and
dishonored the nation in the begin
ming"
Salaries Too High.
Mr.. Bacon criticized the payment of
a ten thousand-dollar year salary
to subordinates on the iSthmus when
their superior officers in Washington
got much less. He pointed out that
the auditor and the purchasing agents
were paid $4,000 while the secretary
of war, the head of the entire project,
got but $4,000.
Mr.. Spooner (Wis.) inquired wheth-
er he thought a salary of $4,000 for
the chief engineer was excessive.
IT certainly do" replied Mr.. Bacon.
81 would pay no employe more than
that received by the CnleL JuSllce OF
the United States" He challenged any
senator in the chamber to defend the
extravaganza he had pointed out.
Mr.. Gallinger (Rep.) said he
thought there were many excessive
salaries, but he believed there was
some justification of them upon the
isthmus
Mr.. Allison (Rep.. Ia defended the
salary paid the chief engineer, but
stated that some of the salaries in
Washington were too high.
Mr.. Teller (Dem., Colo.) declared
that what was wanted on the canal
at the present time was a man who
had experience in handling a large
force of men.
An amendment proposed by Mr..
Hale and providing for the submits
sion of annual estimates to congress of
salaries in connection with canal work,
except skilled and unskilled laborers,
was adopted.