The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1908-12-18
PANAMA CANAL MATTER
SOME FACTS in THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE
PRESIDENT and HTS CRITICS

sincerely hoped that when this government bought
the French stockholders the Panama did
also fall heir the miasma of scandal which nveoped every
Europe who had anything do with the undertaking.
This project dragged down the of great France
sending some graves prison
dreds into bankruptcy says the Butte Miner
The New York World its reply President Roosevels
upon subject Of the manner which this nation
qured waterway makes what may be
termed probable believe that there something
in the deal.
That newspaper this from the testimony obtained the
hearing by congressional commission investigate this
subject
According to the New York newspapers statement of
the the French company promoted by Mr.
William Nelson Cromwell and associates who had picked the
of the company Paris for next nothing and then sold
o the American nation for S400o00o0.
There very suspicious circumstance this connection which
World does upon and that the fact that at the
beginning of the canal agitation the Nicaragua route the ap
proved and had the support the most feasible plan OF all the
leading engineers.
Upon May g. 1900 the Hepburn bill deciding upon the Near
aqua route passed the house by vote of 225 to 30
In the senate reported by Mr. Morgan but
being the close Of the that body refused to take it from
the table by vote p made the bill special order for
Dec. 10 of the next session
When the first session OF the Fifsi congress adjourned
looked that the Nicaragua would be adopted but few
months later when the much the surprise of
everyone developed that Senator Hanna who then great
power in the senate changed his views upon the question and
he became an unring advocate purchasing the French title
Senator Morgan and number of other senator's supported by
the reports engineers good faith held out for the
Nicaragua route.
Hanna, however out and this government paid Out
100000 900 the French interest in the Panama undertaking.
Now the question naturally arises whether the advocacy Of the
Nicaragua place by number OF senator's who after
ward changed minds not brought about by clever work on
the part of Mr. Cromwell and his associates
The French stockholders like the American people, were led
to believe after of the Fsh congress adjourned
that the Nicaragua route virtually decided upon.
This would naturally impress the French interests that their
holding in the Panama undertaking had become worthless for was
m of the question canals should be built close together
as these
1t can be readily believed that the action Of congress in the mat
ter would easy acquire the French stock IN the Panama
canal at very reduced figure for if the other route were selected
the Panama scheme would become absolutely worthless
The Worlds that congress fully investigate this matter
appears to be justified recalled that Mr. Cromwell declined
answer some very vital question upon the witness stand at the
previous investigation and the whole subject virtually dropped
after the death of Senator Morgan
II there was not steal in this transfer in justice to thosse who
promoted the proposition should be clearly brought out and
it, on the other deal those involved in should
be exposed