| Show CANAL BILL amendment limits selection to nicaragua route washington may 2 when the house met today on motion of mr hepburn of iowa in charge of the alc araguas canal bill general debate on that bill was closed and the bill was read for amendment under the five minute rule mr hepburn offered the committee amendment to substitute the word protect for defend in tho first section mr mann of illinois a member of tho interstate inter state commerce committee said he favored a canal built owned and fortified by tho united states mr underwood of alabama said he favored me building of the canal no gentlemen could be found on the floor who would come out openly he said and declare his opposition to the project yet he said there was opposition strenuous and dangerous but concealed and indirect the amendment was then adopted mr parker of new jersey than offered an amendment to strike out that portion of the bill limiting the presidents selection to the nicaragua route but this amendment called forth a protest from mr hepburn who declared that it was intended to revive interest in the panama route which had caused one of the foulest scandals in the history of the world he charged that the emissaries of this discredited corporation were seeking to unload the enterprise on the american people much as he trusted the president he would not trust any chief executive with unlimited means at his disposal to make such a choice of the routes for the canal mr burton of ohio declared emphatically that be was not in favor of the panama route but business sense demanded a proper investigation of both routes the parker amendment was defeated 31 to 87 the house has agreed to the committee amendment striking out the fortification of the canal yeas nays mr bartons motion to recommit the canal bill with instructions to report a bill giving the president full instructions to select a canal route was defeated 52 to the yea and nay vote on the passage of the then begun |
