, 1888-12-08
The Nicaragua Canal.

lOuot
went into a committee of the whole on the
private calendar, the pending business
being the senate bill to incorporate the
Nicaragua Canal company. Spinola of
New York offered an amendment striking
out the clause which authorized the COM
pany to exercise such powers as has been
conferred upon it by the government of
Nicaragua. If this was to be a stock
iobbing affair, he said, the sooner it was
known the better. No one knew what
the agreement between Nicaragua and
the company was.
Cox of New York expressed Ignorance
OF the facts upon which his colleague pre-
dicted the statement that it was a stock
iobbing affair. He urged the importance
OF its passage from a commercial stand
point.
Farquhar of New York declared that it
would place in the hands of the United
States the key of the South American and
Indian trade. Let the United States
show to the congress of the three Ameri
cas-, which would soon meet in this city.
that instead of tho empty phraseology of a
resolution of comfy and good will, this
government had opened to the two Amer.
icas south of the United States a highway
costing 800, 900, 600 backed up by the
sentiment Of the tiftieth congress. Ap.
plause.
Adams of Illinois commended that the
clause which the amendment proposed to
strike ont did not confer very dangerous
authority and that it was necessary in
order that the work be successfully accom-
plished.
Mr.. Spinola said that all he desired in
regard to this bill was that it should be
protected. He did not want to lend him
self to the pa sage of a bill which would
one day rise up and haunt congress. 1t
might make this government financially
responsible.
After considerable debate Spinola's
amendment was rejected and HOLMAN
offered the following amendment.
PrOU1ded, That nothing in this act
shall be so construed as to commit the
United States to any liability whatever for
or on account of said company, nor shall
the United States be held in anywise LA.
BILE or responsible in any form or by im.
plication for n debt or liability which
said company may incur, nor be held as
guaranteeing any engagement or contract
of said company, or as having assumed
any responsibility for the acts or proceed
ings OF said committee or any foreign
country, or contracts or engagements en-
tered into in the United States.
McAdoo Of New Jersey, replying to
a suggestion thrown out by Holman that
the pending legislation might result in
entangling the United States in foreign
complications, said the United States
could not remain Indifferent to the ire
mendous foreign interests growing up on
this continent. If any canal was built
under foreign patronage the United States
would find itself entangled in its efforts to
protect the isthmus against foreign infu-
ence.
Coble moved to amend Holman's
amendment by adding to it the following:
And this proviso shall be printed on every
bond, contract, certificate of stock or other
obligation issued by said company. The
amendment was adopted and Holmes
amendment as amended was agreed to.
Bland offered the following amendment
which was adopted;
ProUtded, 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.
An amendment was also adopted re-
curing the construction of the canal to be
begun within three years.
Stockdale of Mississippi offered an
amendment providing that the concessions
of the N%icarauguan government shall not
be changed nor shall the company release
the government of Nicaragua from any
of its concessions without consent of the
United States, and in violation of this
provision shall operate as a forfeiture the
franchise of the company. Pending a vote
the committee rose and the house took a
recess, the evening session to be 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.