Arizona republican., 1901-12-04
CANAL LEGISLATION
What the Present Congress
 May Do
Probability of the Passage of a Bill Differing Slightly From the Measure Passed at the Last Term.

Washington, Nov. 29.-(Special Cor respondence. 1.-The leaders of house and senate have not yet reached any agreement as to canal legislation. though the house will undoubtedly take the initiative with the Hepburn bill of the last session. This bill may be changed slightly from the form in which it passed last winter owing tu the new estimate to the cost of the Nicaragua canal, but any measure adopted will be approximately the same.
 The ship subsidy bill was largely re- sponsible in the last congress for the failure of a canal bill to reach a vote in the senate. A new ship subsidy bill will be brought forward this winter by Senators Frye and Hanna and two courses can be considered in the prob able handling of the measure. Allow ing that the new Hay-Pauncefote treaty will be promptly ratified which is generally believed. thus disposing of the objections of some to canal legisla- tion. it may be considered desirable to pass canal bill before Christmas so as to get it out of the way. or 1t may be withheld and used as club by the sub sidy advocates later in the session. There are those who are predicting that there will be no conclusive canal legislation this winter. but it is difl-' cult to adopt this view in the face o, the apparently unanimous sentiment of all members of congress now on the ground in favor of the immediate con- struction of a canal
 The canal bill of last winter passei the house by an overwhelming major ity. If some of the members voted for it with the understanding that the bill was to be killed in the senate, as was charged, the majority for ii at the com ing session will be smaller but sufti- ciently emphatic to satisfy those who favor a canal. Opposition to the canal will be concentrated upon the senate. This opposition will be felt in the pro posed treaty with England. in the con sideration of the Panama project. In contention over the proposed form of canal legislation, and finally in filibus- tering tactics. The canal will be an administr tion but not a party meas ure, and both republicans and demo- crats in their national platforms de- mRnd it's construction. The commis- sion report will be looked upon as final by a large majority and the Panama projectors will find few friends to de- fend it openly.
 The canal bill as passed by the house last winter authorized the president Q secure all the necessary rights and franchises, and after this was done to direct the secretary of var to proceed with the construction. Ten million dol lars was appropriated for the prelinl- mary work and the secretary was au- thoriZed to make construction con- tracts in a sum not exceeding $140000,- GOO. Advocates of the canal now pro pose to change the form of legislation president to secure such rights and franchises as are necessary and then to direct the secretary of war to pro ceed with the construction of the canal. This bill would be exceedingly brief and would set no limit to the appro- United States to the building of the canal and start the machinery if neces- sary for it's construction. Ii this bill was passed another would promptly follow which would be of considerable length and specify in detail how the the appropriation to the amount con- sidered necessary in the canal commis- sion's report.
 In this second measure a permanent canal board would be appointed. possi- bly by the president. and while this board would have a majority of army and navy engineers, opportunity would