The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-04
CANAL BILL ACCEPTED
MIR. HEPBURN'S NICARAGUA MEAS
URE AGREED UPON BY HOUSE
COMMERCE COMMITTEE
SOME CHANGES WERE MADE
Appropriation Is Reduced From
$14O,OOO,OO0 to $4,000, 900
Measure Will Have the Parlia-
mentary Status of a Senate Bill,
Thus Expediting Final Results
Text of the Bill as Accepted.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The house
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce today directed a favorable
report upon the Hepburn Nicaragua
canal bill, with amendments as a
substitute for the Morgan bill passed
by the senate.
When the subject was taken up at
the meeting of the commerce commit
tee today it was first determined wi h
out the formality of a vote, that Chair
man Hepburn's bill should be reported
as embodying the sense of the COM
mtttee. The main question was as to
expediting the legislation. For this
purpose Mr.. Lowering, of Massachu-
sets, moved that the Morgan senate
bill be taken up, all after the enacting
clause struck out and the Hepburn
bill substituted. This was approved
and the substitute bill was then
changed in some particulars.
On motion of Mr.. Barham, of Cali
fornia, the requirement for full own
ership and sovereignty over the route
was struck out.
An amendment by Mr.. Sherman, of
New. York, authorizing the president
to negotiate with private companies
or associations for concessions, rights,
ETC., was defeated.
Mr.. Hinrichsen, Of Illinois, secured
the adoption of an amendment reduc-
ing the total appropriation from s140,-
100000 to s115, 5,OO0,0 900.
AS thus amended, the substitute bill
was agreed to by a practically unani-
nous vote, and Mr.. Hepburn was di-
rected to make their report to the
house. The bill, in its amended form,
is as follows:
That the president of the Urited States
be and Is hereby authorized to acquire by
purchase from the states Of Costa Rica and
Nicaragua, for and in behalf of the United
States, Of such portion Of territory now be-
longing to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. or
either of them. as may be desirable and neces-
sary on which to excavate construction and
defend canal of such depth and capacity as
will be sufficient for the movement of ships
of the greatest tonnage and draught now IN
use from point near Greytown, on the
caribbean sea, via Lake Nicaragua, to Bre-
to, on the Pacific ocean; and such sum as may
be necessary to make such purchase is hereby
appropriated out Of any money in the treas
ury not otherwise appropriated
Section 2. That when the president has Sc
cured the territory in section l, referred to,
he shall direct the secretary Of war to ex-
cavate and construct a canal and waterway
from a point the shore of the caribbean
sea, near Greytown, by way of Lake Nicara-
qua, to point near Breto, on the Pacific
ocean. Such canal shall be of sufficient ca
pacity that it may be used by vessels of the
largest tonnage, and greatest depth now in
use, and shall be supplied with all the
necessary locks and other appliances to meet
the necessities Of vessels passing from Grey
town to Breto, and the secretary Of shall
also construct such safe and commodious
harbors at the terminals of said canal and
such Notifications for defense as will be
required for the convenience and safety of all
vessels desiring the use of said canal.
Section 8. That in making survey of said
canal and harbors the secretary of war shall
detail sucn number of officers of the army
navy and civil service may be necessary,
and require of them the performance of
such professional duties as he may desire.
Section 4. That in the excavation and con-
struction Of said canal the San Juan river
and Lake Nicaragua, such parts of each
as may be made available, shall be used.
Section 5. That in any negotiations with
the states of Costa Rica or Nicaragua the
president may have, the president is author
lied to guarantee to said states the use of
said canal and harbors upon such terms as
may be agreed upon, for all vessels owned
by said states or by citizens thereof
Section 6. That the sum of s115, ,O00, ,OOe, or
so much as may be necessary, is hereby ap-
propriated out of any money in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated for the compile
ton Of the work herein authorized said money
to be drawn from the treasury from time to
time as the same shall be needed, upon war
rants of the president, based on estimates
made and verified by the chief engineer in
charge of the work and approved by the sec
retary of war.
When reported, the bill will have
the parliamentary status of a senate
bill, so that, if the substitute is agreed
to, the subject will go to a conference
committee, and final results to be ex-
pedited.
Chairman Hepburn says his reports
will be filed on Monday. His plan is
to ask the committee on rules for a
day to consider the measure. This is
not likely to be next week, as many
other measures are pressing for at
tention and are regarded as having
priority.
Mr.. Mann gave notice that he would
make minority report.
On the question of taking into consid-
GRAFTON the private concessions. it is
understood Messrs. Sherman, Bennett
and Hawley were the only members ia