The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-21
NICARAGUA CANAL BONDS
TIE BILL TO GUARANTEE THEM
BEFORE THE SENATE.

Senator Vest Leads the Opposition to
the Proposition-He Claims That Gov
ernment Control is in Violation of
the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty-No Ac-
ton Reached
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.-On motion of
Mr.. Davis the Senate this morning, after
the transaction of the routine morning busi-
ness, proceeded to consideration of pension
bills unobiected TO. One hundred and thirty
pension bills were passed in forty-five min
utes. Among them was one giving a pen-
sion OF 500 month TO the widow Of Rear
Admiral SteedRan.
The Senate then proceeded to considera-
tion of the Nicaragua canal bill, giving the
guarantees Of the United States government
to the oompany's per cent. bonds to the
amount Of 500 100000.
The bill was read in full, and Mr.. Ed
munds announced that in the absence Of
the chairman of the committee on foreign
relations (Mr. Sherman, it became his duty
to take charge of the bill.
VEST AGAINST IT.
Mr.. Vest took the floor in opposition to
the bill, not, he said. from any hostility to
the sNicaragua canal, but because he
thought it Of importance that In consider
Ing the pending bill, the rela-
tiors between Great Britain and
the United States in regard to
inter-oceanic Communication across the
isthmus, should be considered 1t was easy
enough to denounoe the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty; and he joined in that denunciation,
for he never could understand why the
Unitsd States should go into partnership
with Great Britain tn the management and
control of line of transit between the two
oceans. He said that there was no differ
ence of opinion between intelligent men in
the United States as to the improperly of
MIR. Clayton's ever having made the treaty
of 1850.
THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.
But the question was not as to whether 1t
should have been made or not. The ques-
tion before the Senate was now as to the at
tiJude of Great Britain in relation to that
treaty, and as to what would be the result
of the United States assuming the
treaty not to be in existence,
and without any conference what
ever with Great Britain proceed
ing to legislate as If that treaty had never
been made. If the senators would place
themselves in the position of officers of the
British government they would appreciate
what he said when he declared that the
question was most important one to the
people OF the United States.
MIGHT MEAN WAR.
In the face of the question which he was
considering. it did not matter as TO public
opinion in the United States, except as to
whether the American people would justify
war with Great Britain in order to pass the
pending bill. Would Great Britain, he
asked, be satisfied when told from the halls
of congress that her conduct as to
Belize had destroyed the Clayton-Bu
wer treaty, and that congress might
proceed to legislate as if the treaty had no
existeucei He did not propose to elaborate
that proposition. 1t stood at the threshold
of the whole question. 1t was to be deter
mined by the action on the pending bill.
MIR. Vest argued that the bill throughout,
from beginning to end, goes upon the as
sumption that the United States is to con-
troll that canal.
VIOLATION OF OBLIGATIONS.
Mr.. Edmunds-Does the senator from
Missouri think that this bill, as it stands, Is
q violation Of any obligation of the United
States toward Great Britain or any other
foreign countryl
Mr. Vest-I think that, unless Great
Britain has itself abrogated the treaty, this
bill does. The argument of the committees
report is 10 the effect that the treaty is not
in force; that Great Britain has thrown it
aside by her settlement in Belize and her
colonies on the Mosquito coast, and the bill
gives the control of the canal to the United
States without reference to the Clayton
Bulwer treaty or the Wishes of Great
Britain in the matter. think that that is
distinct enough.
Mr.. Vest entered into long analysis of
the bill and the argument that the interests
of the United States were sacrificed by it
TO those Of the conce5Sionaires of tie canal
company, who had organized among them
selves construction company with which
the maritime company made contract.
EFFECT OF THE GUARANTEE.
Mr.. Morgan explained that that coudi-
tion of things was one Of the principal
reasons why the committee reported the
bill. II the work had to be done by the
company, it would cost las its bonds would
have to be sold at 60 per cent,
and as the interest would have
the work was in progress) $240, 900, 900;
while under the pending bill the cost would
not exceed $l00, 100000. So that, instead of
shippers having to pay 50 50 ton they
would not have to pay more than 81 a ton.
GEORGES SUMMING Up.
Mr.. George summed up the latter part Of
Mr.. Vests argument by an intsrroGative
statement to the effect that every cent paid
out by the company would be paid back to
it; that the company would be allowed to
retain all its valuable lands, and with gold
and silver and coal mines, and that the gov
ernment would furnish money to build the
camel, which would afterward revert to the
company.
Mr.. Vest assented, but Mr. Dolph denied
the correctness Of tle statement.
GOVERNMENT CONSTRUCTION PROPOSED.
Mr.. Davis opposed the bill for the reason,
among others, that the instrumentalities by
which it was proposed to have the canal
constructed were Objectionable. It was his
opinion that if the canal was TO ba cou-
structed at all it should be done by the gov
ernment directly, in its sovereign capacity,
through its corps OF engineers.
Mr.. Edmunds replied to what he called
the earthquake theory of the opposition to
the bill. The committee had not been OBJ
livious TO the danger from earthquakes.
The committee knew that earthquakes
occurred in Central America, as
they occurred in San Francisco and
Washington and Charleston, 8. Q. None
had ever hesltated to go into any public
work that was deemed useful on account of
the possible danger Of cataclysm OF nature
that might overthrow 1t. He concluded his
remarks with general defense and advo-
cacy Of the bill.
Without any action upon 1t the Senate,
after a short executive session, adjourned.
A Receiver For a Publishing Union.
LONDON, Feb. 20.-A receiver has been