Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-01-28
UNCLE SAM is TO BUILD It.
Tie Nicaraguan Canal Bill Is Pass
ed by the Senate.
ONLY SIX NEGATIVE VOTES

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-The Senate
passed the Nicaragua canal bill Satur-
d ay by vote of yeas As. nays 6.
Those voting in the negative were
Senators Gallery, Bate, Mantle, Cock
a surprise to even the most sanguine
advocates of the bill.
The bill, which was introduced by
Senator Morg4n of Alabama. chair
man of the Senate committee on the
construction of the Nicaragua canal
was subjected to many important
changes in the committee, and it was
further altered by amendments SO
that, as it passed. it is widely differ
ent from the original measure. Its
most important features are as fellows:
1t provides for the appointment of
three commissioners by the President
to ascert ain the value of the property
of the Maritime canal company. These
commissioners are to report to the
President direct. When they have
made their report and the Maritime
Canal company has called in all of its
outstanding stock and scrip for stock
and freed itself from obligations OF
every character, the secretary of the
treasury is to issue warrants to the
amount of the value of the property,
ascertained by the commissioners, not
to exceed So. 900, 600. Then the Mari
time Canal company is to transfer 90
the United States government S92. 5O0,
600 of its stock, to Nicaragua S6,OOO,-
900, and to Costa Rica 1850, 200, as
required by concessions from those
countries.
The President is to appoint five
directors whose nominations shall be
confirmed by the Senate and who shall
be paid a salary of IS, 900 year, Mic
aragua and Costa Rica each to be en-
titled to one director to be paid by
those govern ments, respectively. The
President is also authorized to enter
into negotiations with the govern
ments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua for
whatever changes in the concessions
he may consider necessary. He is
further authorized to negotiate with
any power for the abrOgation Of any
treaty which may conflict or interfere
with the right to own and control the
canal.
In the event of his inability to OBJ
such changes in the concessions for
constructing the canal along the line
of the San Juan river and Lake Mica
ragua, the President is authorized to
negotiate for any other route from
any other power that may in his judg-
ment seem desirable. No money is to
be paid to the Maritime Canal company
until it shall be fully determined and
decided to build the canal under it's
concessions and along the route pre-
scribed thereby.
The President may direct the detail
of army engineers for the construc-
tion of the work and the government
of the United States will agree with
Nicaragua and Costa Rica to guaran-
tee the neutrality of the canal and to
protect it from any and all Interrupt
ton. In the negotiations, the Presi-
dent, if he sees fit, may require per-
petual ownership to be granted the
United States.
The Nicaraguan canal bill was in
troduced in the Senate June 20 by Sen
ator Morgan, who has since constantly
urged its passage. The chief point OF
difference between it and other Mic
aragua canal bills which have been be-
fore Congress is that the present
measure secures for this government
absolute ownership of the canal BY
its provisions the United States be-
comes in fact the canal company. The
present bill does not permit Of the
slightest joint interest or anything in