We have bought and paid for the rights of the French company In Panama. and with the money that we have expended it has already cost us 60 per cent of the estimated cost of the Nicaraguan Canal. I do not believe that the charges that have been made of corruption or extravagance are warranted. for I do not believe that under governmental regulation. with the red tape that necessarily exists and the cost that comes to the Government in the performance of all duties. that the expense could have been much less even if angels instead of meu had control of it. Why. just the other day we had before this body a measure to expedite the work. to make It possible to build that canal by repeal of the alien labor law. permitting the aliens engaged in manual labor there to work more than eight- hours a day.. and. if I remember correctly. there were but eight or ten of a majority for the passage of the bill. Oh. some very distinguished gentlemen on both sides of this Chamber begged to be excused. not but that they believed it to be right and proper. but they were afraid of the influence It would have upon the labor unions of their districts and tile result of it would be manifest at the polls next November. It was not much of a majority.
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alien labor