New-York tribune., 1906-06-25
SHONTS NOT CONFIRMED.
j. b. BISHOP THE CAUSE.
Senate Not Likely to Aet on Canal
Nominations This Session.
From The Tribune Bureau.1

From The Tribune Bureau1
Washington. June 24-The Senate does not,
expect to confirm the nominations OF Chairman
shonts. Governor Magoon and Joseph B. Bishop.
of the Isthmian Canal Commission. before adj
iournment 1t will be remembered that Messrs.
Shonts and Magoon were confirmed Decem-,
Der 16 but that when the President nominated
Mr.. Bishop for the remaining vacancy on thu
commission the Senate, by unanimous consent.
reconsidered it's action on Messrs. Shonts and
Magoon and asked the President to return their
nominations This the President did. on Decem-
Der 81 and they were referred to the Committee
on Interoceanic Canals. along with the Bishop
nomination. There they still rest. in a slumber'
which will hardly be disturbed at this session
Failure TO confirm Messrs Shonts and Magoou
does not in any way reflect them. and the
Senates course in reconsidering their confrma-
tion was entirely the result of opposition to Mr.
Bishop. There is. of course nothing TO prevent
the President reappointing these men as recess
appointments as soon Congress adjoU-ns,
and that is probably the course he wifi pursue.
It is unlikely that the Committee on Ir-er-
oceanic Canals will hold another meeting at this
session. and doubtful whether it could obtain 4
quorum did it do So
The Committee on Interoceanic Canals has
held meetings throughout the session with great
regularity. but these have been devoted 10 an
examination Of the expenditures made by the
Canal Commission and 10 the question Of lock
as against sea level plans for the canal
Ever since the beginning of active WORK
toward an isthmian canal there has been soma
vital difference between the two houses of Con-
gress. First, it will be remembered, the Houss
voted almost unanimously for the Nfcaraugal
route while the Senate adopted the Panama
route. Finally the so-called Spooner compro-
mise was enacted. because insufficient time re-
the commission. etc. and 1t is under the Spooner
law that work on the isthmus is stin being
done
All this session it was known that the Houss
favored lock canal, while the Senate was sup
posed to favor sea level one. and in fact did so
until the testimony before the committee showed
the advisabiHty of adopting the lock plan. and
until Senators Knox Dryden ard Hopkins hal
explained 70 the fun Senate the reasons which
actuated them in bringing in minority report
in it's favor.
Now that the fundamental differences between
the House and the Senate have all been settled
it is assumed that Congress viii frame and enact
a comprehensive and efficient organic act recr-
ganizing the canal commission and providing for
the government of the canal zone. Senator Hop
kins who has already given some serious
thought to this subject. will study the matter
further during the recess of Congress. and next
winter will lay his Views before the committee.
In the mean time however. the President has
full authority under the SpOOner law 10 meet
all emergencies and as the Sundry Civil bill
carries an appropriation of over S250oO,OOO for
construction and administrative purposes. there
will not only be hitch in the work. which will
be prosecuted with all judicious vigor. but the
committee will have the advantage of almost a
years additional experience when IT comes 20
frame a permanent law dealing with the COM
mission and canal zone.