The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-02-10

We will appeal to the patriotism Of
our people to have the vessels bull,
at home, even if it costs, four times
as much as it ought So he calls
his secretary and draws up the new
bill. The democrats intend to call
it by its right man,. but it may get
through for all that.
Reference has been made before
to the shrcwdness with which the
house Nicaragua canal committee is
holding up that Legislation. The
Morgan bill, which passed the SEN
ate was killed by the house commit
tee and the Hepburn bill substitute
ed. The principal features of the
Hepburn bill are as follows:
The President of the United
States is to be authorized to acquire
the exclusive right from the states
of Costa Rica and Nicaragua for
such portion of territory now be-
longing to those two states as may
be desirable and necessary for the
construction Of the Nicaragua canal.
with this concession must 20
the right to defend the canal af-
ter it is constructed.
The United States will waive
sovereignty and jurisdlcation as orig
inally contemplated in the Hepburn
bill.
"President Mckinley may at his
discretion acquire any desirable
rights that have passed to any in
dividuals or corporations.
"The construction of the canal is
to be under the direct supervision
Of the United States army corps,
and continuing payments are to be
paid on the system Of appropriations
for river and harbor work IN the
United States.
The sum of $40, 600, 900 or so
much as may be necessary, is to be
appropriated and drawn from the
treasury from time to time, as it
shall b. needed, upon warrants of
the president, based ON estimates
made and verified by the chief engi-
neer in charge Of the work and ap-
proved by the secretary of war.
"ln any negotiations with the
states Of Costa RIGA and Nicaragua
'he President is authorized to
guarantee to said states the use of
the canals and harbors upon such
terms as may be agreed to for all
vessels owned by those states or
citizens thereof
If the Hepburn bill does rot get
through the house it will 90 to a
conference committee and then
there will be "a long and vexatious
contest between the house and sen.
ate.
1t i, right here that the republi.
ans hope the bill will stick. TIE
senate won t care about accepting
the Hepburn bill when it has already
declared its s%rntilnrDts in the Nor
gan bill.
Even if the bill should pass the
work could not beyin until tn,
president Lad negotiated with Costa
RIGA ana Nicaragua. That would
delay things a Year or more. Costa
Rica is going to make losts of tr"u-
BILE about her concessions.
Robert P. Porter has gone to
Cuba as the envov of the President
to see what can be done about dis
banding the Cuban army. The
Cuban soldiers want their hack pay,
and it is said thay want SIS, 600, 600.
The ADMINISTRATION has offered 50, O0O,-
600 and may put up the fifteen.
1t is a ticklish problem. We are
under no obligation to pay them,
but the poor fellows are starving
and we will have to support them
for months if they are discharged
penniless. 1t looks as if we might
IS we'll put them on their feet by
giving them a reasonable amount Of
back pay and making it a tax on the
revenues of the island until it il
paid.
At any rate even $15, 600, 900 to
the Cuban soldiers would be far
more reasonable than $40. OOU, 900
for the Philippines.
NJ. H. J. BROWNE.
The STRAY Question