The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-21
Ii Is Amended by Striking Out the
Provision for Qualifications
Against Adamson's Protest.
WILL BE DEBATED MAY / AND 2
AND MIR. HEPBURN is CONFIDENT 1T
WILL BE ADOPTED.
Objections of the MinOrity-"The
Grand Army" Bill to Be Reported
by the House Committee.

| nal bill, announces that a definite arrange
ment has been reached by which the bill
will be considered by the House on May
| and 2. He says the bill will be passed.
| The House committee on interstate and
| foreign commerce to-day made an impor-
| tant change in the bill. striking out the
provision for the Notifications" the
| amendment proposed by Representative
| Barham of California. The chairman of
| the committee was instructed to offer the
| same on consideration of the bill at the
| proper time as a committee amendment
| thereto. The amendment agreed to,
| not without some expression of reluctance,
| but with a view of overcoming objection
| and securing action. In its new form the
| section reads:
| BE it enacted, ETC., That the President
| of the United States be. and is hereby, au-
| thoriZed to acquire from the states of Cos
| ia Rica and Nicaragua for and in behalf
| Of the United States control of such por-
| Ton of territory now belonging to Costa
| Rica and Nicaragua as may be desirable
| and necessary on which to excavate. con-
| sIruct and protect canal of such depth
| and capacity as will be sufficient for the
| movement of shipments of the greatest
1 tonnage and draft now in use, from point
| near Greytown on the Caribbean sea, ,ia
| Lake Nicaragua, to Breto. on the Pacific
| ocean; and such sun. as may he necessary
| to secure such control IS hereby appropri-
/ ated out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated.
| Sec. 2. That when the President has
secured full control of the territory in Sec
| ton l referred to shall direct the Sec
| rotary of war to excavate and construct
canal and waterway from point on the
shore of the Caribbean sea, near Greytown
| by way of LaEe Nicaragua. to point near
| Breto, on the Pacific ocean. Such canal
/ shall be of sufficient capacity and depth
| that 1t may be used by vessels of the larg-
est tonnage and greatest depth now In use,
| ard shall be supplied with all necessary
| locks and other appliances to meet the ne
Cessities of vessels passing from Greytown
| TO Breto; and the secretary of war shall
also construct such safe and commodious
| harbcrs at the termini of said canal, and
| such provision for defense as may be nee
| cssary for the safety and protection of
| said canal and harbors''
| The main dissent to the change in the
ill came from Mr. Adanson, of Georgia,
| who desired to have the words "fortify'
| and defense retained as against any
doubtful or compromising phraseology. Mr..
| Barham, on whose motion in committee
| the changes in the bill were effected, said:
| 1.-THE changes are designed to overcome
| objections which have been raised. and 1
| have reason to believe they will accomplish
| that end and make the bill generally ac-
| ceptable The words 'fortify' and defend
| appeared to invite controversy and diolo-
| matte complications, and in view of the
L
| the Hay-Pauncefote treaty ii appears en-
| tlrely needless to raise a diplomatic issue
| with England simply on the of words.
| IT. the amended form ample authority is
given TO police and protect the canal
| against destruction by evildoers. and by
the time the canal is completed, six or
eight years hence, there will be full oppor-
| tunity to demonstrate whether it should be
| permanently protected with Notifications
| or our navy. For the present We avoid a
| reedess issue in no way bearing upon the
main question of constructing the water
way
The minority report on the Nicaragua
canal bill, filed by Mr.. Shackleford, says:
THE undersigned, while concurring In the
tersely stated by Mr.. Hepburn on behalf
| of the majority of the committee, never
| theeSS do not concur in the recommends
ton that the bill do pass in the form pre-
| sented. The act of Congress which author
Ives the building of the canal should con-
tain explicit and direct assertion of the
right of the United States to build, own
and control said canal, absolutely free
from European dictation. The Clayton
Rulwer treaty, 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 intermedde with
ciSatlantic affairs. 1t is to the Monroe doc
trine that we, as a republic. must look for
safety. We should never under any cir
cumstances, even tacitly, admit that
Europe has the right 10 so much as inter-
rogate American questions. much
less to limit action" After citing Mr..
Blaine in support of this view, the report
adds: This is the fundamental principle
| of our national independence and no ext
gency should be sufficient to cause us TO
| even momentarily loss sight of it,
| Representative Adamson says the
changes in the bill were suggested, as he
understands, by the rules committee i'm
| answer to the petitions filed for the con-
sideration of the Hepburn bill. Mr.. Adam
son presented to the committee the petition
o. lbs Democratic members favorable TO
the original bill at the same time that Mr..
Hepburn presented the petition of Repub-
lican members. The only answer received
by Mr.. Adamson was the statement made
to him by Mr.. Hepburn that If the bill were
amended special rule for consideration
of the measure could be secured. To this
Mr.. Adamson dissented. stating that the
petition was for the original bill He again
objected to the change. Mr.. Hep
burn made known to-day that the rule for
consideration could be secured if the
amendments suggested were authorized by
the committee on interstate and foreign
commerce. Under the circumstances Mr.
Adamson says ne will oppose on the floor
of the House the amendments, emitting the
words defend and fertilization" as he
says, 1.-THE amendments emasculate the
bill and surrender the case, leaving the
bill consistent with the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty" ."
to-day reached agreement TO report the
bill for the reorganization of the army
| with a number of amendments. The bill
| confers the rank of lieutenant general on
| the senior major general and that of major
general on the adjutant general of the
| army. .
After extended conferences the House
committee on invalid pensions. of which
Representative Sulloway. of New Hamp-
shire, is chairman, finally determined to
! report to the House senate bill 1477 which
has attracted widespread attention in
| Grand Army circles and is known as the
| Grand Army bill The final draft of the
| bill aggregates the disabilities under which
| application may be made for pension I'M
der the act of June q, 1890. The other radi-
| cal change in existing law is the changing
| of the rate Of income of soldiers widow
| from the present rate of $50 per year to an
actual net income of $3.50 per year.
Attorney General Griggs was before the
House committee on public buildings and
| grounds to-day TO urge an additional $780,
| 900 appropriation for the proposed new De-
partment of Justice building.
| 1t was intended to hold a meeting of the
Senate committee privileges and cleo
tons to-day TO consider the report of the
committee In the case of Senator Clark.
of Montana. but owing TO the recent
- H. he f<.xf NJ he