Omaha daily bee., 1888-12-08
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
Report of the House Committee on
the South Carolina Election Case.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL BILL
Considered by the House in Committee
fthe Whole, and Various Amend.
ments Adopted-Thc House
Adjourns Till Monday,
The House.

WASHINGTON, Dec. lit was ordered that
when the house adjourn to-day it be to meet
Monday next
The committee on merchant marine and
fisheries reported back and the house adopted
the resolution calling on the secretary of the
treasury for information as to what relief can
be furnished by the revenue cutter service
and life saving service to American whaling
and fishing vessels wrecked in Behring's sea
and the Arctic ocean.
The committee on appropriations reported
the invalid pension appropriation bill, and it
was referred to tho committee OF the whole.
The committee on elections submitted n re-
port in the South Carolina contested election
case of Smalls against Elliott, and 1T was
placed upon the calendar. 1t was in favor of
the contosloe, Elliott. a minority resou-
ton presented by Rowell of Illinois, was
placed upon the calendar. 1t provides for
the seating of Smalls.
The house then went into committee of the
whole on the private calendar, the pending
business being the senate bill to incorporate
the Nicaragua Canal company.
MIR. Spinola offered an amendment strik-
ing out the clause, which authorized the
company to exercise such powers as have
been conferred upon II by the government of
Nicaragua. If this was TO be u stock-jobbing
scheme, he sald the sooner it was known the
Dctuef. Alter considerable ueDaIC
amendment was rejected
Mr.. Holman offered the following amend
meEt: "Provided, that nothing in thus act
shall be so construed as to commit the United
be held in any wise liable, or responsible i'll
States to any liability whatever for,
or on account of, said COM
pany, nor shall the United States
any form, or by implication, for any debt or
liability which said company may incur nor
be held as guaranteeing any engagement or
pDIl nntn M oil nG hnNv sS
sumed any responsibility for the acts or pro-
ceedings of said company in any foreign
country, or contracts or engagements entered
into in the United States.n
Mr.. McAdoo of New Jersey, replying to a
suggestion thrown out by Mr.. Holman, that
the pending legislation might result in en-
tangling the United States in foreign com
plications, said the United States could not
remain Indifferent to the tremendous organi-
cations growing up on this continent. If any
canal was built under foreign patronage the
United States would find itself entanrled in
its efforts to protect the isthmus against for
eign influence.
Mr. Cobb moved to amend Mr. Holman's
amendment by adding to it the following:
"And this provlso shall be printed on every
blank or certificate of stock or other oblIga-
tion issued by said company" The amend
ment was adopted and MIR. Holman's amend
ment, so amended, was agreed to-
Mr.. Bland offered the following amend
ment, which was adopted: provided, that
congress reserves the right to alter, amend
or repeal this act, and TO regulate tolls or
tariff rates for transportation of persons or
property by the company or its assigns"
On motion of Mr.. Marsh, of Pennsylvania,
an amendment was adopted requiring the
construction of the canal to be begun within
three years.
An amendment requiring the canal to be
completed within ten years was voted down.
On molten of Mr.. Wilson, of Minnesota,
an amendment was adopted providing that no
certificates of stock shall be issued until at
least 10 per cent of the sum shall be fully
paid for in money at par value of the stock,
and the money deposited in the treasury of
the company. No payment on account of
the capital of the company shall be paid eX-
tied from returning or repaying any part OF
the money so paid. No bonds in excess of
the amount of capital paid in shall
be authorized until such cap
ital shall amount to s5,0OO,000,
No part of the capital stock paid in shall
at any time be returned to the stockholders
or diverted from the proper uses of the cor
poraton. A violation of any OF these provis-
ions is punishable by fine of $4,000 and
Imprisonment for five years.
Mr.. Stockdalei of Mississippi offered an
amendment providing that the concessions
of the Nicaraguan government shall not be
changed, nor shall the company release the
Nicaragua government from any of the con-
cessons without the consent Of the United
States and any violation of this provision
shall operate as a forfeiture of the franchise
of the company.
Pending a vote the committee rose and
the house took recess.
An evening session is to be held for the
consideration of private pension bills.
AT the evening session the house passed
ten pension bills and at 10 o'clock adjourned
until Monday.