The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-01-20
Senate Committee Decides Not
to Dignity the Offense
MORGAN DEFENDS THE SOUTH
Says More Southern Coal Would Be
Used In Panama If Companies
Were Given an Opportunity
to Bid on It.

Washington. January 19.-Poultney Bige-
lows defiance of the Senate committee
on interoceanic canals in refusing to di-
vulge the sources of certain information
he alleged to have that many eminent en-
gineers had declined to go to the isthmus
OF Panama to engage in the construction
of the canal because of the physical con-
ditions probably will go unpunished This
was made apparent today by the post
ponement of the consideration of his re-
calcitrancy until after he has gone on
with his testimony which will be Mon
day or Tuesday.
The committee had set Monday as the
date for his examination, but Mr.. Bige-
low has asked that 1t go over until Tues
day. While no definite action was taken
1t is generally understood that proceed
tngS against the witness will not be be-
gun. Before the meeting several members
said that they had slept over the case
and are now disposed not to make d
martyr of a witness whose testi-
mony appeared to be of too little value to
dignity his conduct with summary pun
ishment"
Hopkins Withdraws Resolution.
The committee held an executive ses-
sion of two hours today. Senator Hop
Blgelows contumasy to the vice president
for action in the courts, and asked that
IL be adopted. Several democratic sena-
tors opposed this course and Senator
Simmons addressed he committee at
length. He declared that 1t was an ex-
traordinary penalty that was proposed
ana contrary to common law. He Sug-
gested the courts might refuse to act on
the certification which he asserted would
prove most embarrassing Concerning Mr..
Blgelows article, the senator said that
there had been many other articles writ
ten against the canal management by
other writer's equally bitter who have not
been called into disrepute, and that this
one appeared to have been singled out by
the President for denunciatory reply.
The course of the committed If 1t should
proceed against Mr. Bfgelow, said the sem
ator. would be to intimdate witnesses and
would be bad policy so early in the
canal investigation. He said that much of
the news printed by newspaper men en-
ployed at the capital is obtained from
confidential sources. and if the committee
Is to declare that these condolences are
TO be violated. 1t would at once array the
press of the country against the commit
tee. He closed with the statement that he
would sign a resolution to certify the
case to the courts, and he was joined in
this by Senators German and Taliferrio.
Several other senators expressing a doubt
was of sufficient value to justify the COM
mittee in making a martyr of him, Sem
ator Hopkins withdrew his resolution.
Purchasing Agent Heard.
At the afternoon session of the canal
committee when Maj. Hugh Gallagher, as
sistant general purchasing agent of the
Panama canal commission was heard, it
developed that the commission had an
agreement with the United Fruit COM
pany for the shipment Of purchases to
the island when the amounts of ship
ments was in excess of what could be
carried by the ships of the Panama Rail-
road company. The rate paid was the
regular charge to other shoppers Major
Gallagher said eighteen or twenty clerks
were employed at an average of $125O a
year. and four assistant purchasing agents
receiving a total of $4,000 a year. The gen
eral purchasing agent receives $4,000 and
the assistant general purchasing agent
s60S0, including his pay major Pig lead
and Portland cement, he said, have been
secured from foreign countries, although
supplied by American firms at less cost
than the same articles could have been
obtained In the United States
On account of the great variety of ma
terials purchased, the major said, the
practice of sending out proposals for bids
had been discontinued. Proposals were
advertised in the principal newspapers, he
said, and specifications were furnished only
to the firms applying for them Senator
German asked If that were not reversal
of the methods practiced by nearly all
firms purchasing large supplies, to which
the major replied that he believed the
system to be necessary.
Morgan Defends Southern Markets.
Inquiries by Senator Morgan brought
out the statements that coal was purchas-
ed by the commission from the Panama
railroad and that iron was purchased in
southern markets because 1t was the
cheapest and best.
THAT is where the coal would be pur-
chased also if the mines had an oppor-
tunity to bid" said the senator. 1t was
brought cut that there were many articles
which could be obtained abroad at much
less figure than the same articles may
be obtained in the United States and he
wanted to know why more goods had not
been bought in the foreign markets. Ma
jor Gallagher said 1t was because they
could be handled better in the United
States.
Senator Morgan pointed out that it was
provided by law that more than six
months supplies should be carried. He
asked Major Gallagher If he knew there
were supplies of lumber on hand sufficient
to last one or two years. which is rotting
on the ground The witness said he knew
the purchases had been extensive, but
that he supposed the requisitions were
for material for immediate use
The committee in executive session de-
cided to meet Monday at 2:9O p. m. to
hear Auditor e. S. Benson OF the canal
commission and to postpone the hearing
of Poultney Bigelow until Wednesday at
2:30 o'clock.
John w. Wallace. formerly chief engfn-
eer of the commission, will be heard next
week. but no date has been fixed.