Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-21
CANAL TO COME UP.
House Will Take a Vote on the
Proposed Waterway Across
= the lsthmus.
BILL VERY MATERIALLY ALTERED
Fertilization Eliminated and Neutrali.
ty Put INA Minority Protest
- Question of Armor Plate.

Washington, April 21.-The feature
OF the days of cOgressmen here
yesterday was the announcement of
Hepburn that an agreement had been
| reached by which the Nicaragua canal
| bill would be considered this session
Of congress. the house to take it up
May l, debate it that day and the next
and then pass it. But it is not the
bill that so many of the statesmen
want for it eliminates all the provision
for fOrtification and that sort of thing
and provides for absolute neutrality.
But it also provides for negotiations
with Nicaragua and Costa Rica for the
purchase or lease for 30 or 999 years of
ship or territory right across the
ISthmuS wide enough to build the canal
in. The minority of the committee
opposes the changes and files 4 report.
ShackIeford States His Objections.
This report is filed by Shackleford
and says: The undersigned. while
concurring in the vigorous American
policy so ably and tersely stated by
Mr.. Hepburn on behalf of the majori-
ty of the committee. nevertheless do
not concur in the recommendation that
the bill do pass in the form presented.
The act of congress which authorizes
the building of the canal should con-
tain an explicit and direct assertion of
the right of the United States to build,
own and control said canal. absolutely
free from European dictatiOn.
Clayton Bulwer Treaty Again.
The CIayton-Bulwer treaty. as is
so clearly shown by Mr.. Hepburn, long
ago ceased to have any binding force
by reason OF the conduct of Great
Britain. That being true we should
strictly adhere to the Monroe doctrine
and stand by our traditional policy
that Europe will not be permitted to
intermeddle with CiS-Atlantic af-
fairs. 1t is to the Monroe doctrine
that we, as Il republic, must look for
safety. We should never under any
circumstances - even tacitly - admit
that Europe has the right to SO much
as interrOgate lis on American ques-
tiOnS much less TO limit our action"
Adamson Also To Oppose.
AdaIRSon says the changes in the
bill were suggested as he understands,
by the rules committee. in answer to
the petitions filed for Reconsideration
Of the Hepburn bill. But Adamsou
says the petition We're for the original
bill. Hepburn said that the rule for
consideration could he secured if the
amendments suggested We're author
lied by the committee. Under the cir
cumstanceS AdamSon says he will op-
pose on the floor of tie house the
amendments emitting the words ''de-
fend'' and ''fortification.' aS he says
the amendments emaSculate the bill
and surrender the case leaving the bill
consistent with the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty"
How They Feel in Nicaragua.
ApropsS of the provision in the
bill for the purchase or lease
of strip of territory from Nicaragua
and Costa Rica is the following from
Managua, Nicaragua. dated yesterday:
THE DiariO. the official organ of the
government, declares ed
itorially today that President Zelaya |
and the members of his cabinet in their |
with the members of the |
United States canal commission did |
not express any disposition to cede or |
sell sovereignty over any portion of |
territory for canal route.
The paper also asserts that the govern
ment is not disposed TO sell its sOyer- |
eighty over the route"