Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-12-08

Washington. Dec 7.-Readng of the
Panama canal appropriation bill was
resumed in the House on the cOnvening
of that body, today.
The first amendment was presented
by Williams. He moved to cut the ap-
preparation for S16,500,0 900 to $685. 3333, 333
believing that this latter sum was suf-
f:cient to meet the needs of the COM
mission to Jan. Is next. He had taken
the indebtedness of the commission
which they had stated as s4,5oO,O0O and
had added to this the December esti-
mate amounting to S2,35S, ,33S.
Tawney said it was impossible to seq
regate from the estimates the liability
Of the commission due in December on
equipment purchased by the commits
sion. VILLAS contended that these sup
plies were not to be delivered until
June and payment need not be made
until delivery.
An amendment to that of Williams
was offered by Prince, Ills, making the
appropriation $10,000,000 which sum he
SAID was sufficient to meet all emer-
gencies. He also opposed the issuance
of bonds.
buI lOIl, Olllo, IuCSlioIlCi lilC iiSNNs'"
sity of the purchase of 43 steam SHOW
els costing something less than half a
million dollars, should it be decided to
have the work done by contract. Re-
plying, Mann, ILL.,, stated the commits
sion and engineers had concluded that
the cuuipment estimated for was neces-
sary no matter how the work was done.
The entire appropriation was advo-
Gated by Payne, n. Y.
Clark, Mo, declared that in his opin-
ion, discrimination was being made
against tho territory drained by the
Mississippi river and maintained that
cheaper. all water rates could be made
from Pittsburg by way of New Or
leans than by New York.
Wangcr, Penn, stated that there was
a line of steamers plying between New
Orleans and Colon. but that it did not
give rates as advantageous as by the
governments own boats from New
York.
"yVhy don't some of those steamers run
from New O-leans?" demanded Clark.
Il understand the port of New Orleans
was closed during a part Of last season. =
replied Wanger.
You are not the man 7 want to ques-
ton" retorted Clark. amid laughter. Il
want to talk to some man who don't
want to cut our business and give it all
to the New York gang"
Concluding the debate on the pending
amendment Hepburn opposed cutting
down the sum to the amount proposed by
Williams. After rejecting the amount
proposed by Williams. s6S5S,c3333, and the
amendment of Prince for S10000,0O0, the
House finally voted for sl1 900, 900 proposed
by Bonyngc. Col.
| A provision which would operate to re-
imburse the treasury of s1O1 900 already
expended in the construction of the canal
from the sale of the cana! bonds was
proposed by Overstreet. Indiana.
Vigorous opposition to this was made
by Williams. Miss, who calculated:
take this step # You dare. The Democ-
racy challenges you. There is drop Of
water somewhere which will overflow the
cup. What excuse are you to offer the
American people for borrowing money at
. per cent. when you already have abun-
dant funds in the treasury and deposited
in national banks?"
Payne, N. Y, followed. also in opposi-
ton to the amendment. In course of the
discussion he said that a surplus was
absolutely necessary, notwithstanding
the gentleman from Mississippi. who had
tecn barking into that hole for 2 long
time but without attracting very much
attention from the American people.
The Overstreet amendment was defeat
ed. An amendment striking out the bond
ing provision of the bill was next offered
by Williams and was defeated.
Williams offered an amendment making
it discretionary instead Of mandatory for
the secretary or the treasury to reimburse
the treasury by the bond sale for the
amount carried in the bill. This amend
ment was also lost.
An amendment giving the secretary OF
war authority to fortify the cana, ~ a.ch
terminal was offered by Burgess and was
Continued on Page Two1