The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-02
ON CROMWELL'S TRAIL.
Senator Morgan Continues Relentless
Pursuit of Canal Promoter.

/ Washington, March 2.@The letter
from William Nelson Cromwell to the
4 late Secretary of State Hay, under date
! Of December 8, 1893, was taken up by
/ Senator Morgan today In the examina-
ton Of Mr. Cromwell before the SEN
4 ate committee on interoceanic canals.
! The period covered by the letter was
when the Panama Canal company was
seeking a prolongation of It's cOnces-
sions on the fsthmus. The letter re-
( ferred to an inclosure and Mr.. Crom
well repeatedly declined to state the
nature of the incloSure or to discuss
/ the correspondence in any manner Ex-
traordinary political conditions in Bo-
gotta were referred to in the letter and
Mr.. Morgan asked concerning this
reference and when the witness de-
clined to discuss it, the senator asked
whether the witness felt that he was
obliged to conceal any actions that
would be against the interests Of the
United States.
II refuse to answer such hypotheti-
cal and impertinent questions said
Mr. Cromwell.
Il am compelled by the attitude Of
this committee to accept your unusual
and indecent replies" said Mr.. Nor
gan.
They are no more unusual or in
decent than your questions. asserted
the witness
Senator Taliaferro interrupted and
demanded to know wherein the cues
I'm wa AlluGC6nL ana the witness said
the lndecency was in the assumption
that he had been employed to do any
lning against the interests of the
United States. Mr. Taliaferro then
demanded that the witness be instruct
ed not to make insulting replies to in
quiries.
Chairman 0IiIlard said he thought
the character Of the reply BY the wit
ness was uncalled for and Senator KITE
redge suggested that the questions
Z could hn r0T1rha6 IN II,
This is not the first time have noticed
an inclination on the part Of the wit
ness to Insult this interrogation" said
/ Mr.. Talfaferro
/ The colloQuy between the members
Of the committee was brought to a close
/ by Nj Morgan who said he retained 10
| resentment of insults from the witness,
/ that he had too much self-resDect for
that- He counseled his colleagues not
! to concern themselves in his behalf
In resuming the examination Mr.
/ Morgan had read the testimony of the
/ secretary Of the Panama Canal com
4 pany before the canal committee four
] years ago, discussing the desire of the
/ company to surrender the canal project
/ to the United States. Mr.. Cromwell
/ refused to testify on this subject, tax
/ ing shelter behind his professional re-
! lations 10 the company.
As Mr.. Morgan construed the testi-
mOny Of the secretary, Mr.. Iampre, he
said the company planned to take the
canal project out of the republic of
! Colombia and Americanize it. Mr..
+ Cromwell refused to arsw err any cues
] tiOns on the subject but Mr.. Morgan
/ pursued the inquiry, asking the witness
/ If he had not himself drawn the plan
! Again the senator asked Mr.. Cromwell
/ If he had not shown this plan to a num-
Der of persons. Mr.. Cromwell said he
had outlined a different plan to the
( rivers ard harb0rs committee of the
house, but he refused to state the diff
/ ference between the Isampre scheme, and
that submitted to the house committee.
/ Mr.. Taliaferro appealed to the chair
man to know whether the witness could
refer to the plan offered to the house
/ committee and then refuse to explain
I it's provisions on the grounds that pro-
fessiOnaI secrets we're involved. M.
Cromwli said the document would
speak for itself but Mr.. Taliaferro in
sisted that the witness should not die
tate the manner in which the commit
tee gets its Information. After cOnsid-
cradle discussion between the members
Of the committee the witness outlined
the house committee Elan briefly. Tt
was determined that the question of
compelling the witness to answer
should he considered by the committee
at an executive session.
Throughout the examination Of Mr..
Cromwell Mr.. Morgan kent close to the
civil war in Colombia, which was the
forerunner of the organization of the
Panama republic. He appeared to be
trying to connect Mr.. Cromwell with
the International disturbances Of this
South American republic. Mr.. Kit
ridges objections disturbed this exam
nation At u o'clock a recess was
taken until 2 o'clock to hear J. F. Mar
KEEL Of Omaha.