The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-19
AT NATIONAL CAPITAL
Congress Takes Up Consideration of
Nicaragua Canal Bill.
Decisions Handed Down by
Supreme Court.
Presidents Letter on Dcso Waterways
Report

Washington. Jan. 1.-THE senate
agreed to take up t..e Nicaragua canal
bill This gives tie measure the par
liamentary Advantage Of being the un-
finished business Of the senate. 80 that
1t will be considered from day to day.
until final action is secured.
The prospect is that linal vote will
be reached at an early day. and the
test vote yesterday on taking up this
bill, yeas 36, nays IA. foreshadowed its
rassage. Senator Morgan of Alabama
opened the debate with a lengthy speech
in favor of the measure. He said he
desired action before the senate took
up the new Anglo American treaty of
arbitration. This covered certain diff
ferences," and Mr.. Morgan said IL should
be- determined whether American con-
troll of the Nicaragua canal or the up
holding Of the Monroe doctrine was to
be included among the differences to be
submitted to arbitration.
The canal bill provides for an issue
OF 800, 900 of Maritime Canal COM
pany stock, Of which the secretary Of
the treasury, in behalf of the United
States, is to subscribe for $4,000, 900
worth of shares. The company is to is
sue bonds up to $100. .000, 900. these to be
guaranteed by the United States. The
building and control Of the canal are
given to American engineers and
board OF IL directors, of whom five are to
be appointed by the president. 1t is
substantially the measure passed by the
senate in the last congress.
During the day. Mr.. Chandler Of New
Hampshire introduced the Republican
caucus bill for an international none
tary conference, and state that 1T would
be called up today. Among the resolu-
tions offered was one from Mr.. Pet
tigrew Of South Dakota, calling on the
secretary of state for a statement Of the
status of the Venezuelan question, and
for the agreement made between the
United States and Great Britain.
The house passed three bills of public
Importance, and devoted the remainder
OF the day to District Of Columbia bust
ness. One prohibited the sale of in
toxicating liquors TO the Indians, one
amended the existing patent laws, in
conformity with the recommendations
of the American Bar association, and
another provided for the use by the gov
ernment of patents secured by naval
officers, compensation to be fixed by
a board Of three officers.
Report Of waterways Commission.
Washington, Jan. 19.-The report of
the deep water way commission was
read before the senate and house, with
the following from the president: .
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives: aa-. [e4LeHf l.Fg raLs sssg y
transmit herewith the report OF
Messrs. James b. Angel OF Michigan,
John +. Russell Of Massachusetts, and
Lyman e. Cooley Of Illinois, who were
appointed commissioners under the au
thority of a law passed March g 1889, to
make inquiry and report after confer
ence with such similar commissioners as
might be appointed on behalf of Great
Britain or the Dominion of Canada,
concerning the feasibility Of the con-
struction of such canals as will enable
vessels engaged in ocean commerce to
PASS between the Great Lakes and the
Atlantic ocean, and the most convenient
location and probable cost Of such can
ais, together with other facts and infor-
nation in said act specified relating TO
their construction and use.
The commissioners have prosecuted
the work a igned them with great zeal
and intelligence, resulting in the collec-
ton Of a mass of information embodied
in their report and it's accompanying ar
ticles, which is of goat Importance and
ed to their examination.
The advantages of direct and un-
broken water transportation OF the
products of our Un ed States and ter
ritories, from conven. ent points of ship
ment to orr seaboard ports. are plainly
pa lpable. The report of the commission
ers contains, in my opinion. demonstra-
ton of the feasibility of securing such
transportation, and gives ground for tie
anticipation shat better and more unin-
terrupted commerce through the plan
suggested between the west and for
eign ports, with the increase of national
prosperity which must follow in it's turn,
will not escape American enterprise and
activity.
II will be observed that the report of
the commissioners, though as compre-
bensive as the time and facilities at their
disposal permitted. does not definitely
deal with the cost of the work they were
called upon To consider, and omits some
Of the details related to it, Thus far,
they have labored without compensa-
ton. and part of the small sum appro-
priated for the payment of their ex-
pcnses still remains unexpended.
suggest to the congress che pro-
priety of making economical provision
for such further prosecution Of their
work as will more fully develop the in
formation necessary to an exact and
complete understanding of this interest
iHB dIu itlpOTtdnt Subject.
Signed Grover Cleveland.
The conclusions of the commission fol-
low:
/. That It is entirely feasible to con-
struct such canals and develop such
channels as will be adequate OF any
scale OF navigation that may be de-
sired between the Great Lakes and the
seaboard, and to conduct through the
same domestic and foreign commerce.
and that II will be wise to provide for
securing a channel Of a navigable depth
cf not less than % feet.
2. That, starting from the heads of
Lakes Michigan and Superior. themost
eligible route In through the severap
Great Lakes and their intermediate chan
rels and the proposed Niagara ship
canal (Tonawanda to Olcott) }, Lake Onta-
RIO; and that the Canadian seaboard
may be reached from Lake Ontario by
the way of the ST. Lawrence river, and
the American seaboard may be reached
from Lake ontario by way OF the ST.
Lawrence and Lake Champlain. and the