The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-27
THE NIGARAGUAN CANAL.
Compromise Amendments TO the Hep
burn Bill-Bill to be Taken Up on
May End

Washington, April 20.-The house
committee on Interstate and foreign
today made an important
change in the Hepburn Nicaragua ca
bill, striking out n provision for
the '.fortihcation" and thus providing
what is expected to be a compromise
which will aid in bringing the meas
ure to an early consideration. The
amendment was proposed by Represen
tative Barham, of California
The chairman OF the committee was
instructed to offer 1t as on considera-
ton of the bill at the prope time as
a committee amendment thereto.
The amendment was agreed to, not
without some expression Of reluctance,
but with a view to overcoming oppo-
sition and securing action In its new
form the section reads as follows:
Section L. Be ii enacted, etc, that
the president of the United States be
and is hereby authorized to acquire
from the states of Costa Rica and Nj
caragua for and in behalf of the United
States, control of such portion Of ter
ritory now belonging to Costa RIGA
and Nicaragua as may be desirable and
necessary on which to excavate, con-
struct and protect a n of such
depth and capacity as will be suffi-
cient for the movement of ships OF the
greatest onnag and draft now in use,
from a point near Greytown, on the
Caribbean ca, via lake Nicaragua to
Breto, on the Pacific ocean n such
sum as may be necessary TO secure
such control is hereby appropriated
out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated.
"Sec. 2. That when the president has
secured full control over the territory
in section one referred to he shall cause
the secretary of war to excavate and
construct a canal and waterway from
a point on the shore of the caribbean
sea, near Greytown, by way of lake
Nicaragua, TO a point near Breto, on
the Pacific ocean,. Such canal shall
be of sufficient capacity n depth as
that it may be used by vessels Of the
largest tonnage and greatest depth
now in use, and shall be supplied with
all necessary locks and other appli-
ances to e the necessities of ves-
sells passing from G~reytown to Breto,
n the secretary of war shall also
construct such safe and commodious
harbors at the terminus of said canal
and such provision for defense as may
be necessary for the safety and pro-
lection of said canal and harborS."
Mr.. Hepburn then announced that 1t
had been definitely arranged that the
house would take up the canal bill on
May LIST and End. Mr.. Hepburn says
the passage of the bill is unquestion-
able.
The main dissent ITO the change in
the bill came from Mr.. Adamson, Of
Georgia, who desired TO have the words
"fortify" and defend" retained as
against any doubtful or compromising
p~hraseology.
The minority report filed by Mr..
ShacklefOrd, of Missouri. says:
ETn 80
n direct assertion of the right of the
United States to build, own and control
said canal, absolutely free from Eu-
ropean dictation. The Clayton-Bulwer
treaty, 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 permit
ted to intermeddle with cis-Atlantic
affairs. LIT is to the Monroe doctrine
that We as a republic, must Iook for
safety"