New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-05
NICARAGUA CANAL BILL.
THE MEASURE PASSES THE HOUSE WITH
AMENDMENTS.
SCOPE AND FORCE OF THE NopiriSAiloNe-
FRIENDS OF THE ELL DEFEND UPON
THE SENATE.
TpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TnIBuNE.l

ny TELEGRAPH TO THE fkIBONh'l
Washin gtoD Jan. 4.-The House ,o-uay lasseo
the Nicaragua Canal bill by 'ouc oi io' To
"a There was no debate, and All 'hc amend
ments adopted by the Committee OF the Whole
were ratified by the House except one ohered
hv Mr.. Baker, of Illinois, which reserved 10
the United States the right to purchase 'he
property of the Canal Company at any ,ime py
navinr the actual cost of the property, plus
interest thereon at the rate OF . per cent oh
the amendments yea and nay votes were taKen.
The first one which was carried ny II vote OF
I45 TO 80. provides that nothing in the act snail
he construed TO commit the United STATES TO any
liability on account of the Nicaragua Company
and recurring this provis0 TO be pnhueu OH every
bond. certificate of stock. or other oohgauoh
issued by the company.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Wison' OF MIN
nesota providing that no certlhei'c vi s,och
shall be issued until at least % per cent snail
be paid for in money; that stock siiiii not DC
assignable until the whole Of the same snail nc
paid in: that no bonds in excess Of the amount
of capital shall be issued until such paid capital
shall amount TO 81, 700, 900, was agreed to-yeas
102, nays -.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Bland, OF Mis-
souri,, reServing 10 Congress the rlght 10 altcr'
amend or repeal this act and TO regulate the toils
for the transportation Of persons ana properly,
was agreed to-yeas, 80; nays, 80, opeaker
Carlisle voting in the negative III order TO make
quorum. A.. tho plord
amendment VIII survive the ordeal oil confer
enee in committee, and the same fatc may over
take the Wilson amendment.
The other amendments provide thab MI p0nds'
stocks and certificates OF capital STOCK sEiIt DIG
issued in the city of New York, ana, eAceW as 10
bonds or securities issued under aruce - oi INC
concession by Nicaragua, shall be nspOseu OIL 9niy
for cash: that the president and vice prsiuehI
Of the company shall be citizens OF the on IN
States; that majority OF the directors snlii DC
citizens OF the United States, ana the resucItIchs
of Nicaragua; that no change OF cNoncessiohs
heretofore or hereafter granted by tle Nlcarhsut
and Costa Rica Governments for or IN Dehaii Oh
the construction of said canal, which In any man
nor affects the rights of American citizens TO the
use of said canal or which affects the rghb OF
the Government of the United States 10 pave
voice in the governmental control or use OF saplr,
shall be made until the consent OF thc uOVerhmehO
Of the United States TO such change shall have
first been given thereto: that nolhliig IN tie acu
shall be construed TO estop the Unieu oOates from
asserting at any time any rights Ut powers oIiO
NAV no eXis; by virtue of the laws OF nations,
or that may he acquired tllrough treaty stipuih-
tions with respect TO the right Of uahSpora1loii
Of the citizens OF the United StaRS or thclI PIot-
eftv over this canal or the country through
which the same may be constructed, OF
10 transport troops or munitions Oh wa. ~ .'"c ~
peace or war; and nothing in thlsact snail D htl',
OF be construed to in any manner Involve the Ontei
States in any pecunary Obligation whatever, other
than in RESPECT of the payment of tolls as pro,
vided for in this article; that the company shall
make report on the first Monday OF December IN
each year TO the Secretary of the Interior, when
shall be duly verified by the president ana secre-
tary thereof giving such detailed statement OF its
affairs and OF It's assets and liabilities as may be
required by the Secretary of the Int rior and any
false statement so made shall b. deemed perjury
and punishable as such And il shall De the duty OF
the Secretary of the Interior to require such annual
statement and 10 prescribe the form thereof and
the particulars TO be given ther3by; that the con,
struGtion of said ship canal shall be begun in good
faith within three years.
Some OF the amendments were not fayoLaDiy
regarded by the committee h1ving the bill IN
charge but the friends of the measure were willing
TO accept them in view OF the active and de-
termined hostility of the minority, and with the
hope that the Senate or confernc' committee VIII
eliminate the most Objectionable Of them