The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-20
SEES PLOT OF DELAY
aimed At ). THE | | !. CANAL Anal !.
Washington Correspondent De-
clares sea-Level Vote Ind- &
Gates Opposition to Ditch.

BY Publishers Press. IS. 81 - ~ ~. !,
Chicago, ILL.,, May 19.--Expressing the
sentiments of senators and congressman
on the recent action Of the senate COM
Panama, Edward B. Clark, special cor
respondent at Washington for the Chi
cago Evening Post says: - :
Suspicion that a systematic effort is
being made in the United States senate
to delay indefinitely the digging Of the
Panama canal has become conviction:
There is anger among the friends Of
rapid work on the isthmus, and well.
defined and freely expressed belief that
Influences are at work to jeopardize the
whole project. -
There has been democratic disaffec-
ton because of the recent personal con-
troversies in which certain prominent
ones of the party have part. But q
new element Of opposition has presented
itself in the senate and its aim seems TO
be delay or neutrality-suspicious.
destruction. The republican members
of the committee on interoceanlc CANALS
who voted for a lock type Of waterway
are as angry as If, Hike some others,
there had been personal controversies
which had gone to the limit.
...a Change Game Hastily. bel.
Republicans who voted for the type
Of canal to which the president ana
the secretary Of war are committed are
Willard of Nebraska, Dryden Of New
Jersey, Hopkins Of Illinois and Knox
of PENNSYLVANIA. Their feeling over
the action of their republican commit
tee colleagues and the action OF three
Of the four democratic committeeman is
too bitter to be concealed.
It is declared freely in Washington
that while 1t was supposed that the
,&o4S ~
porate interests who have been at the
Capital during the last few months
were here for the purpose Of watching
railroad rate legislation, in reality
most Of them were here with the set IN
tention of using what influence was at
their command to defeat the attempt to
obtain a favorable report for a lock
canal.
It was believed at the beginning of
the committees discussion of the mat
ter that the only republican member
who favored sea-level canal was Sen
ator Kittredge of South Dakota. One
by one it was reported that the mem.
bers were experiencing a change OF
heart and the first whisper went abroad
that the whole Panama canal project
was to be dealt blow. 49,
Platt for Sealevel.
Senator Thomas G. Plat Of New
York voted for a sea-level canal. 1t is
stated that Mr.. Plat did not attend
one committee meeting at which the
fype Of waterway or the matter Of en-
cheering problems was discussed. Mr.
Plat seems to have made up his mine
on the matter without regard 20 The
opinions OF experts.
to the very time of the voting was sup
posed to be in favor of a lock canal. Ht
Joined Senator Platt in casting his bal
lot for a waterway which engineers sa,
will take twenty-five years to complete
and will cost 5000, 100000.
Senator Carmack of Tennessee ha
been in his home state nearly all WIN
ter on electioneering bent. He kneV
little or nothing of the arguments, II
types. Mr.. ,Carmack voted for the sea
~. Would, Mean Long Wait.
- Everybody knows why John T. MOI
Sganrof Alabama voted in favor of
sea-level plan Mr.. Morgan is "bluntl
honest. He doesn It want canal du
across the isthmus of Panama. and h
for the sea-level project because
canal Of that kind would be the hardes
to dig. % 1915. ,,
= The movement which began in IL
senate committee to get a sea-levs
canal has behind it, however, tremel
1ous force, and it is the intention {
powerful senators to endeavor not onl
TO get the sanction Of the senate itsel
but to bring every possible pressure
cede from the position it took in fave
of lock type. If the powerful ont
succeed, the day Of canal digging is Fl
In the distance. The people may
obliged to speak on this matter In I
uncertain way. =.