Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-23
CRITICISED IN HOUSE
ARRANGEMENT OF ADMINISTRA-
TON OF CANAL AFFAIRS.

A rather lively line Of debate was devel-
oped in the House yesterday during consid-
Grafton of the canal paragraph in the
urgent deficiency appropriation bill. There
was a good deal of criticism directed at the
methods pursued in connection with the
preliminary work Of the Panama canal, and
Representative John Sharp Williams of
Mississippi, the minority floor leader, made
a spirited speech, asserting there was dan
ger of a. repetition of the French Panama
Canal Company scandals. Representatives
Madden of Iowa and Wiley of New Jersey
advocated the digging Of the canal by con-
tract. The canal defenders were Repre-
sentatives Littauer of New York, Hepburn
of Iowa and Burton of Ohio.
Likened to the French Canal.
Mr.. Williams opposed the item Of $1,000
GOO in the bill to carry along the work on
the canal until the beginning Of the next
fiscal year He declared the item was not
a deficiency, but should be brought before
the House as separate measure ana not
as a rider on an appropriation Dill. he
said no man more than he and no section
of the country more than his wanted the
canal completed, but he did not think the
work was being conducted properly. He
ridiculed the statement by the Secretary
of War as a detailed statement of what
the appropriation was needed for
Already" said Mr.; Williams, the Pan
anna canal is beginning to- smell Ike the
old French canal did until its rottenness
was exposed by the French republic.
eve are getting politicians and office
holders to dig q ditch, instead of going
continued. IF a man wants a canal dug,
he usually goes to men who know some
thing of digging canals. He does not con-
Of Iowa and Burton of ONO;
1--WE are about to begin the construction
ne the canal. I say about to begin, because
about is the most indefinite word In the
English language and because indefinite
terms only can be empoyed in discussing
this matter.
"What we want Is a plan for the canal.
It Is not known yet whether we are to con-
struct a sea-level or lock canal, yet we
go right on purchasing great quantlues or
material If the work is to be done by con-
tract. as Chairman Shonts has intimated
In a speech, why should we keep on buying
expensive excavating machinery? What Will
we do with 1t after we let the contracts
Maybe If we compel the contractors to use
the machinery there they will charge more
for their work.
'sThe Panama canal is now a stencil in the
notsrils of the American people, who want
to see men digging dirt instead of this mis-
cradle Washington red tape. The odors
from the canal are already such as to be
shifted at and smelled at in Congress.
I'm the entire detailed statement submit
one item in salaries on the isthmus. $1,000. :
coo. that favor. That Is for digging and l
am heartily in favor of it.
Favors a Contract.
1.-THE government already has demon
strated its inability and failure to do the
work itself, and the best plan now is to let
1t out by contract to experienced men.
working under the supervision of the gov
ernmenr's experts.
81 have received innumerable letters from
the isthnus concerning graft and corruption
and mtsananagement, but I have not used
any of this information, for the reason that
I have not investigated 1t. But the sugges-
ton of graft and corruption is in the air
everywhere"
Representative Wiley Endorsed Mr.. Will
liams remarks and the canal defenders
then took hand in the game
Representative Littauer in the course of
his remarks made the statement that the
actual construction of the canal would be-
gin some time between April and July. The
discussion continued until 5 O'clock, when
general debate on the canal paragraph was
closed