Watson's Weekly Jeffersonian, 1907-10-10

of the committee and talked with them on the subject. "The Panama interests made out a very strong case, and it was decided that before any further action was taken the committee should ask Con Congress - gress Congress to appropriate $1,000,000 to pay the expense of sending out a com commissio - missio commissio nos engineers and practical business men to examine into the whole subject, taking in the feasibil feasibility - ity feasibility and practicability of the two routes - the Panama and Nicaraguan. This feature appeared as an amend amendment. - ment. amendment. "When Mr. Burton reported the bill to the House from the committee, Representative Hepburn was very in indignant - dignant indignant at the action the committee had taken in adopting the amend amendment, - ment, amendment, as he felt assured that the Nicaragua bill would pass the House by a large majority. He immediate immediately - ly immediately repaid the visit which Mr. Burton made to his seat when that gentle gentleman - man gentleman was anxious to have the bill re referred - ferred referred to his committee, and said some things that could not have been pleasant for the Ohio man to hear. He was very indignant, and asked Burton what he meant by deceiving him in saying he should have full op opportunity - portunity opportunity in pressing the Nicaragua bill. Mr. Burton meekly replied that he was forced to take the course he had taken, and admitted that he had not done what he promised. Adopted Bill as Reported. "The bill came up and the report of the committee was adopted. Ac Accordingly - cordingly Accordingly the President appointed a commission and they visited both the Panama and the Nicaraguan terri territory - tory territory where it was planned to con construct - struct construct the great waterway. The com commissioners - missioners commissioners also gave a hearing to Mr. Cromwell and the Panama contingent, and these gentlemen, in presenting their case, thought they ought to have a hundred millions of money for the work that had already been per performed - formed performed under the De Lesseps man management. - agement. management. The members of the com commission - mission commission pondered a great deal over this demand, but in the end agreed that it was excessive and refused to give it further consideration. They accordingly recommended the Nicara Nicaragua - gua Nicaragua route to the President. "In the meantime the French holders of the bonds, under the in influence - fluence influence of their attorney (this same Mr. Cromwell) agreed to reduce the amount they wanted to be paid to them from one hundred millions to the sum of forty millions, which, in their opinion was, under the circum circumstances, - stances, circumstances, a paltry figure. The moment this was ascertained the commission commissioners - ers commissioners reversed their action and recom recommended - mended recommended the Panama route as the most feasible. The report was final finally - ly finally adopted by Congress, and thus the Panama route was agreed upon. "Senator Morgan and his friends were disappointed, and also indig indig(Continued - (Continued indig(Continued on Page Sixteen,)

mittee, and it was also well known in some quarters that a majority of the members of Mr. Hepburn's com committee - mittee committee also favored the Nicaraguan route. Hepburn Yielded to Burton. "When the bill reached the House Mr. Hepburn was thoroughly desirous of having it referred to his commit committee. - tee. committee. Representative Burton, of Ohio, chairman of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, backed by the members of that committee, decided that they would make a move to have the meas measure - ure measure referred to their committee. "Before the bill was called up Mr. Burton one day went over to Mr. Hepburn's seat and earnestly talked with him on the' subject of a proper reference of the Senate enactment. He assured Mr. Hepburn that if he would consent and allow the bill to be referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors he would exert himself to see that Hepburn should have a full and thorough oportunity of be being - ing being heard in the House, and would assure him of having the same oppor opportunity - tunity opportunity before hig committee. With this understanding Hepburn yielded and made no contention against the bill being sent to the Rivers and Har Harbors - bors Harbors Committee. "In the meantime whole lots of new' features were presenting themselves. As soon as the bill had passed the Senate the Panama contingent inter interested - ested interested in the matter and the French representatives of the plan, headed by Mr. Cromwell, the attorney of the French holders of the old Panama scheme, which was initiated under De Lesseps, appeared on the scene and had conferences with several of the leading Republicans, including Speak Speaker - er Speaker Reed. Mr. Cromwell declared to Mr. Reed that it would be a great out outrage - rage outrage to allow the bill providing for a Nicaragua route to pass, thus ig ignoring - noring ignoring the Panama design and the rights of the French holders of near nearly - ly nearly $100,000,000 which had been squan squandered - dered squandered and lost in that enterprise. As a result of his active work and earn earnest - est earnest arguments Cromwell enlisted Speaker Reed in his behalf. Reed Sent for Burton. "Then, when the bill was at last referred to the Committee on fivers and Harbors, Mr. Reed sent for Mr. Burton, chairman of the committee, and informed him that the Panama interests wanted to be heard before the committee, and the Speaker did not hesitate to express his opinion that these interests should have their requests assented to. % "Accordingly a day was set and Mr, Cromwell and his associates in the Panama scheme were invited be before - fore before the Rivers and Harbors Commit Committee, - tee, Committee, and vigorously presented their side of the case. I might say here," said the gentleman who related these incidents, *' that the Speaker had, pre previous - vious previous to the hearing before the com committee, - mittee, committee, sent for some of the members

Law Vetoed by Gov. Hughes Proves By Experience to Be Success. President Charles S. Mellen, of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, officially admits in his an annual - nual annual report that the two-cent passen passenger - ger passenger rate has proved a paying proposi proposition. - tion. proposition. During the year since its in installation - stallation installation Mr. Mellen finds that the gross earnings of the New Haven have increased 5 per cent. In New York State the bill calling for the same two-cent fare which Mr. Mellen finds so successful was vetoed by Governor Hughes after it had passed both houses. The Governor gave as his reason for the veto' that the two-cent rate was unfair to the railroad corporations, saying: "Injustice on the part of the rail railroads - roads railroads toward the public does not jus justify - tify justify injustice on the part of the State toward the railroads." Upon the same subject of railroad rates the Independence League last Saturday incorporated this plank in its State platform: "While we commend the Governor in this respect, we cannot but con condemn - demn condemn his veto of the two-cent fare bill; a measure advocated in the Inde Independence - pendence Independence League platform, in accord with public sentiment as expressed by the legislatures of many States, voluntarily put into practice by one great railroad system, and wherever tested by actual experience, an ap approved - proved approved success both from the stand standpoint - point standpoint of the railroads and of the public." Mr. Mellen's official report to his stockholders is a complete confirma confirmation - tion confirmation of the League platform state statement. - ment. statement. The report thus adds its testimony to the experience of the New York Central, # which has found the two twocent - cent twocent rate immensely profitable, and to the Erie, whose increase in passen passengers - gers passengers carried was 1,383,701, due, as the officials of that road admit, to the reduction of its commutation rate to the two-cent point or lower. The New Haven test of the success of the low rate fare was even further confirmed in advance last Sunday in the statement given to The American by Attorney General Hadley, of Mis Missouri. - souri. Missouri. Os its operation with the Western linos that have adopted this rate, the Attorney General wrote: "There is no question that the travel has been greatly increased since the two-cent fare law went in into - to into effect. I know that the receipts of the Kansas City Union Depot in the months of July and August were $2,000 a month in excess of the same receipts for the same months of 1906.

I am also reliably informed that the receipts of the St. Louis Union Depot are larger for the same months this year than in 1906." In spite of the frequent statements made that the New Haven would be forced to suspend improvements to make its sheets balance as soon as it adopted the two-cent fare, Presi President - dent President Mellen shows that tremendous improvements have been made with within - in within the year. The gross earnings were $55,601,- 936, against $52,984,322 for 1906. The gross expenses increased seven per cent, but Mr. Mellen does not attribute this increase to the reduced passenger rate. Instead, he says it was due to increase in wages, cost of material and an increase of 25 per cent in the per diem rate for the use of freight cars, against which the company indignantly protested. Net earnings of the company's street railroads this year were $3,- 619,899; from steamship lines, $635.- 127, and income from other sources, $2,077,874, making the total income for the year $24,080,755. Deductions from income this year were $15,187,. 714, as compared with $9,752,115 last year, and net income this year applicable to dividends $8,893,041, as compared with $10,185,377 last year. HOW PANAMA CANAL ADVO ADVOCATES - CATES ADVOCATES DEFEATED THE NICARAGUAN SCHEME. A very warm friend of the late Senator Morgan, a gentleman who has been associated for a long series of years with journalism, mentions some very interesting facts concerning the Isthmian Canal connecting the two great oceans. In referring to this great work he said recently: "It is well known to the public and to observers generally that in the beginning it was the impression of no few of the leading statesmen, scien scientists, - tists, scientists, military, and naval men and others who had given much thought to the subject that at some time or other a canal would undoubtedly be constructed. Not only Senator Mor Morgan - gan Morgan and a great many men in his par party, - ty, party, but a large majority of the Re Republicans - publicans Republicans favored a Nicaraguan route, and it was after a long and careful consideration of the subject in the Senate that that body passed what was known as the Nicaragua bill. "There was also a very strong en enlistment - listment enlistment in the House among the lead leading - ing leading Representatives in favor of the measure as it passed the Senate. Es Especially - pecially Especially strong was the support given to it by Mr. Hepburn of lowa, chair chairman - man chairman of the Interstate Commerce Com-