The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-03
THE DEBATE WAS STORMY
Words Defense Provisions" Substitu-
ted For Notifications.
HEPBURN WINS A COMPLETE VICTORY
eDburn and Cannon Almost Come to Blows,
and For Time the House is in Rio
tous Confusion, But Peace
Follows Storm.

WASHINGTON. Nav 2.-The House to-
day at the conclusion of the most
stormy debate of the present session
of Congress passed the Nicaraguan
Canal Bill by the overwhelming ma
iority vote of 225 to 81. All attempts
to retain in the bill the language OF
the original bill for the fertilization
Of the canal and to still further
strengthen the language on that line
were baked and the victory OF Mr..
Hepburn and the committee was com
plete. A motion to re-commit the bill
with instructions to report back
another bill leaving the selection OF
the route to the President was buried
under an adverse ma iority of so TO III.
Mr.. Cannon. Chairman of the APP
preparation Committee and Mr. Bur-
ton. OF Ohio, Chairman of the River
and Harbor Committee, made game
fight to stall off action at tins SEES
sion, but their appeals were IN VAN
and the members rode rough shod
over all their arguments ana pro
tests. Much excitement reigned
throughout the day and several times
bitter words were used.
The excitement reached its climax
in a highly dramatic scene between
Mr.. Hepburn and Mr.. Cannon. when
the former used the word lie and
liar as he denounced the distin-
guished Chairman of the Appropria-
ton Committee Tor attempting 10
.'dishonor" him. The House was in
riotous confusion during the quarrel.
Members crowded the aisles and the
situation at one time was so threaten
ing that Mr.. Wheeler, of Kentucky,
sought to pour oil on the waters by
raising point of order. But he was
not upheld and the two irate members
carried their war to the very hit.
There was show Of peace at the
close of the incident. but the feeling
between the two men ran so high
that the mutual retractions with
which such incidents generally end
were but the cloaks for the keenest
and most cutting sarcasm.
The bill as 1t passed the House IS as
follows:
'sBe it enacted. etc. that the Presi-
dent of the United States be. and is
hereby authorized to acquire from the
States of Costa Rica and Nicaragua,
for in behalf of the United States,
control of such portion of territory
now belonging to Costa Rica and Me
arao1la as NAV be desirable and necns-
sary on which to eXcavate, construct,
and protect a canal of such depth and
capacity as will be sufficient for the
movement of ships of the greatest
draft and tonnage and draft now in
use. from point near Greytown: on
the Caribbean Sea, via Lake Nicarag-
lIa to Breto. on The Pacific ocean and
such sum as may be necessary to Sc
cure such control is hereby appro-
priated.
.'Section .. That when the Presi-
dent has secured full control over the
territory referred to he shall direct
the Secretary Of War to eXcavate and
construct canal and waterway from
a point on the shores of the caribbean
Sea near Grey town by way of Lake
Nicaragua to point near Broto. on
the Pacific ocean Such canal shall
be of sufficient capacity and depth as
that it mag be used by vessels OF the
largest tonnage and greatest drS~ft
now in use, and shall be supplied with
all necessary locks and other ap.
pliances to meet the necessitiec of YES
sells passing from Greytown to Breton:
and the Secretary of War shall also
construct such safe and commodious
harbors at the termini of said sanal