Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-12-22
CONGRESS- AT WORK AGAIN.

Rep. Corliss, of Michigan, introduced
a comprehensive bill providing for the
acquisition of right OF way and the
construction Of an inter-oceanic canal
by the United States. The bill pro-
vides that the United States shall ac-
quire from Costa Rica and Nicaragua a
strip Of land sufficient for right of
way for the canal and the necessary
ports and harbors, and authorizes the
payment of So, 900, 900 to the Maritime
Canal Co. in full compensation for the
concession which that company now
holds. 1t guarantees to Costa Rica
and Nicaragua the use of the canal
and harbors and authorizes the issu-
ance by the United States OF Sl20, 0O0,-
900 in bonds of denominations from
$50 to 81 900 at per cent interest.
The President is authorized to extend
to all nations the use of the Nicaragua
canal on equal terms as to tolls and
the privileges of navigation, provided
said nations respectively enter into a
treaty providing for the neutrality of
the said canal, together with the ports
of entry therein in the Pacific ocean
and the Caribbean sea for at least the
distance Of 200 miles from said respec-
tive harbors.
Senator Proctor (Rep., Ver.) intro
duced a resolution providing for the
appointment of committee of five
senators to visit the islands of Cuba and
Porto Rico for the purpose of ''inquir-
ing into the military require
ments necessary to establish and main
tain order IN those islands until civil
government is inaugurated. Mr.. Hale
(Rep., Me- opposed the measure.
Senator Turpie Dem, Ind.), made
strong speech in opposition to the Mic
aragua canal bill, attacking it on the
ground that 1t is in the interest of the
Maritime Canal Co., which he charac-
terized as n fraud and bankrupt. Mr.
Morgan defended the bill and the Mar
thine Co. Messrs. Berry and Rawlins
both offered amendments materially
affecting the bill.
The urgent deficiency appropriation
bill, making provision for the army
and navy for the next six months, dis
placed the Nicaragua canal bill in the
senate for one day. The deficiency bill
was passed after spirited discussion
turning principally on the point of
keeping the volunteer soldiers in the
| service.
The house for the second time during
| this congress has refused to consider
| the Lodge immigration bill, which has
passed the Senate. At the last session
an attempt was made to take it from
the speakers table, but it was defeated
by large majority. This time the
vote was 100 to 1913.
During the discussion of the Nicara-
qua canal bill Mr.. Money urged post
| ponement of the question in order to
permit an opportunity for negotiations
with Great Britain for modification
of the Clayton ulwer treaty, and Mr..
Morgan antagonized the proposition.
The house surpassed all previous re-
cords in the expedition with which it
passed the pension appropriation bill,
without word of criticism. The bill
carries total of S145, 233, $50.
! The bill to incorporate the Interna-
tional American banlS-to facilitate ex-
change with Central and South Amer
lean countries-was buried under an
overwhelming adverse majority in the
| house.
The pension appropriation bill re-
| ported to the house carries S145, 233, $50,
being 81, 200, 900 more than carried by
the current act The total number of
pensioners on the rolls is 993,714
The house passed the District of Col
umbia appropriation bill, which car
ries Sc, 259, 95O-Sl76, 600 less than the
last bill and S2,s71, s57 less than the
estimates.
The bill to extend the customs and
internal revenue laws of the United
States over the Hawaiian islands was
passed by the house.
The senate passed bill authorizing
the purchase of a site for supreme
court building east of the capitol
The house refused to concur in the
senate amendments to the army and
navy deficiency bill.