The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-10
Contract Plan May Be Knocked
Out by Nations Law
makers. .
FOUND LITTLE FAVOR
Z. AT THE LAST SESSION
Committee Decided It Best for
Commission to Dig
. Ditch.
Nv w. w, Jermane.

Washington, Oct. 1c.-There is a pos
sibility that the plans Of Chairman
Shonts and Chief Engineer Stevens to
have the Panama canal constructed by
contract may be vetoed by congress:
These new plans were discussed TOR
several hours yesterday by Representa-
tive Tawney, chairman Of the com
mittee on appropriations, and Mr..
Sbonts at the president s request. Mr..
Tawney went to the White House early
in the day to present some friends, and
was Immediately bounced upon and
asked by Mr.. Roosevelt to talk the
matter over with the head Of the canal
commission. E.
At the conclusion Of the conference
Il was arranged that r. Shonts would
prepare a statement Of just what the
Commission hopes to accomplish by
the new plan of construction by con-
tract, which he will submit to Mr.. Taw.
ney in New York next week, when 1t
Is possible that some agreement may
be reached by which the Minnesota
member will do all that he can to have
congress approve the new plan.
Tawney Opposed It.
II Mr.. Tawney continues in the frame
Of mind he was in at the end IT the
last session Of congress, however, the
Did plan Of having the work done by the
commission and it's subordinates will
be adhered to.
by contract before the committee last
Einter,' said Mr.. Tawney, ''and at first
was favorably impressed with 1t.
Upon further study, however, I con-
cluded, and the committee on appropri-
ations concurred with ME, that it would
be better to have the commission con-
ST. he he, Is lnf - rN1i-
vate parties. IL
81 based my conclusion on the fact
that the government already had spent
and was continuing to expend, large
Bums Of money to bring about sanitary
conditions on the isthmus, and to pre-
serve the health Of employees. It had
also established a large construction
plant and there was a question as to
what would be done with it under the
contract. .--...s,. .fFl
Supervision Expensive.
ga third consideration was the fact
that there would have to be close and
expensive government supervision OF
the work under the contract plan. The
removal Of the eight-hour restriction
was another factor.
ssIn view Of all these, It was thought
best to continue under the old plan
BuG uO udGGGE Wudb Gu6
may say about the way the canal shall
be constructed, the final decision rests
with congress. The commission has II
in it's power to recommend construction
by contract, but congress can say thai
it shall not adopt that plan, and what
ever congress says will dispose OF thu
question. -,
convince me that the contract plan was
best, nor am yet prepared to say tina
it isn't the best way to get results
/ am simply giving the reasons whlcl
actuated the committee on appropria
lions and the house and, senate whel
they decided last session that the cana
construction should continue under tn
old plan.'
The canal commission claims It has I
right under the Spooner act to proceed
to advertise for bids for the construc
ton Of the canal and its members init
mate that Tawney is all wrong In hi
statement that congress has it In it
power to decide this question, an
whether Tawney or the commission
right will be ascertained in time.
Should Tawney find a strong follow
there may be a clash between congress
and the commission over the questio
next winter. -.
SUGpU6Iu HS6S W11SOUs
Mr.. Tawney was accompanied I
Washington by Mr.. and Mrs. R.
Shepherd Of Austin, MINI. Shepherd
interested in packing house in Aust
which came under the supervision {
the federal government when the mea
inspection law went into effect. II
= department Of agriculture had failed I
provide enough inspectors to handle tt
product, and not enough labels wei
available for cans. Mr.. Tawney an
Mr.. Shepherd took the matter up wit
Secretary Wilson and he promised 1
provide facilities for putting the Oh
put into interstate commerce. H..
:; Mr.. Shepherd is also interested
some private irrigation projects in Mo
tana, involving right Of way over /
dian lands, and they called at the int
rior department and Strengthened Of
several tangles in relation to the su
yeys of these lands,
Mr.. Tawney went to New York la
night to remain week. He will retu7
to Minnesota in time to open the cal
paign in his district on the 3D. T
will make number Of speeches in t!
district and state in the closing wee
Of the campaign. u
INVITATION FOR PROPOSALS