The times., 1899-02-09
new MOVE FOR
THE CANAL BILL
To Be Attached to the River
and lIarbOr Measure.
TIE Sena' Commerce Committee
VIII Recommend 1t.
In This Way No Point of Order Cnn
lie Made Against Ii in
the House.

ent session Of Congress, in spite of the
tacit opposition of Speaker Reed, who has
refused to permit the subject TO be consid-
cred in the House.
According to this agreement. the Hep
burn bill. substantially as reported to the
House is TO be added to the River and
Iiarbor appropriation bill. now pending in
the Senate. This action. at one stroke,
secures for the canal all the privileges that
attach TO an appropriation bill, including
the right Of consideration practically when
ever the chairman of the committee re-
porting it may desire. Moreover. if adopt
ed. il places the canal on the continuing
contract" list, and secures annual appro-
priations for the work hereafter in the
sundry civil bill.
The objection that might be raised to
this is that it provides for work on water
ways outside the United States and there
fore has no place on the river and harbor
bill. This is answered by the citation of
the fact that an appropriation for the inl-
pTovement of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was
made in a river and harbor bill while that
island was foreign territory. and that an
appropriation was made for Psgo Pago
Bay, Samoa. and that other like appropria-
tions have been made in river and harboT
bills.
without some such action it has seemed
-tenths OF the members are not in IA |
vor of it, but because Speaker Reed is op- |
posed to it, and by his influence on the /
Committee on Rules has been able to refuse
the House Commerce Committee day f0r
consideration of the measure. Therefore 1t
is by the friends of the bill regarded as
fortunate that this plan of operation was
devised. It is said to have been suggested
by Representative Bsrham OF California
and to have been suggested to the Senate |
Committee BIZ Senator Perkins of the same
State.
Would Raise Points of Order.
Such an amendment could not have
been incorporated in the bill in the HOUSE |
as point of order would have lain against |
il On the ground that it was new legisla- |
ton. this being forbidden in appropriation |
bills by the rules Of the House. The Sen |
sIe. however, has no such rule, and points |
oi order cannot lie in the House against |
Senate amendments.
Canal legislation has BEEN under consid- |
Grafton all the session. The Morgan bill, |
which passed the Senate by vote |
q IS to ;. extends aid to tine Maritime Ca |
nal Company; the Hepburn bill. reported |
with only one opposing vote by the House |
Commerce Committee, proposed TO let the |
Government build the canal. Representa- |
tive Mann of Illinois objected to this b. !
cause il did not compensate any of the
companies already holding exclusive con-
oessions from Nicaragua. There are said
to be 1872 of these.
The House bill providing for Government
construction. and appropriating $ll5. .000.
r0O, is said to be the one adopted as an
amendment by the Senate Committee.
Senator Morgan has declared himself
favorable to the proposed amendment, as
he favors any measure that will secure the
building of the canal. Mr. Hepburn, when
told of the amendment. yesterday. said
that it was news TO him, but that he was
satisfied with il.
characterization TREATY.
The next point 10 be considered is the
position of England in regard to the canal.
The preamble of the Clayton Bulwer
treaty states that the two countries are
desirous Of setting forth and fixing in a
convention their views and intentions
with reference to any means of cOmmuni-
cation by ship canal which may be con-
structed between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, and either or both of the Lakes of
Nicaragua or Managua." By the first arti-
Gle. il is agreed that neither contracting
party shall ever obtain for itself any ex-
elusive control over any ship canal or
erect CT maintain fortiiicatioDs in its vi
cinity, or occupy or fortifv. or col
onize. or assume or exercise any dornin-
ion over Nicaragua. Costa Rica the Mos
quito Coast. or any part of Central Amer
lca. nor will either make use OF any pro-
lection which either affords or may af-
toFd for the purpose Of erecting
or maintaining any such fortiications. or
OF occupying. fortifying or coIonizing
Nicaragua. Costa Rica. the Mosquito Colst
or any part Of Central America
nor will take advantage of any intimacy
or use any alliance. connection. or infiu-
ence that either may possess with any state
or government through whose territory the
said canal may pass for the purpose Of
acquiring or holding directly or indirectly
for the citizens or subjects Of the one. any
rights or advantages in regard to COM
merce or navigation through the said
canal which shall not be offered on the
same terms 10 the citizens or subjects Of
the other
BY the the fifth article. both powers on
gage to protect the canal from interrup-
ficn, Seizure. or unjust coniiscation. and
10 guarantee its neutrality. conditlonaIIy
upon the management Of the canal moi
making any unfair determinations in favor
Of one or the other OF the contracting
parties. BY the eighth article-in order
TO establish a general principle" the
provisions Of the treaty are extended 10
any practical canal or railway across any
part OF the isthmus. and therefore coy
cred both Tehuantepec and Panama
This treaty was concluded tWeuty-sevep
years after The message Of President Mon
roe enunciating the famous doctrine.
The object OF the Americans was TO effect
Bn understanding that Great Britain should
not turn temporary protectorate over
British subjects engaged in timber opera
lions on the Mosquito Coast into n per-
manent lodgment on the mainland This
provision Great Britain has ignored and
violated. thereby nullifying the treaty.
ne object of Great Britain was
10 prevent the possibility OF any such
arrangement as that contemplated under
me Hise convention never ratified. by
which the United States were to be granted
ny the Nicaragua Government the -eyclu
siFe right to construct and operate a canal
through Nicaragua. 10 acquire Land bmiiJ
forts, aud 10 exclude the vessels of any
power with which either of the contracting
parties 1.-THE Republics OF the United States
snd OF Nicaragua might be at war.
EnGInnd May Not Object.
Great Britain is understood TO be mt
unwilling that the United States should
build and control the canal. As influential
journal rs the Spectator" recently
said:
u England were AZ war with any other p5Wcr
America would be neutral. and Therefore the
canal would be neutral. IL the canal grere under
the control oi Nicaragua or Colombia Trarcc
- Germany or Russia could seize ii in var
i'uI' America owning II. such seizure would he
iNp"ssible II We owned II jointly with America,
Ah1 were at wsr with her, si3e could seize il he
tore We could and il 10 our DISADVANTAGE
ilcreiore il The canal Is ever 10 &c made Amer
90, according 10 interests ought t. control
. new treaty should lee negotiated Iiv which
i.nglahd and America shall mutually bind them
no t-v;t