The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1902-01-10
CANAL BILL IS PASSED
Only Two Members of House
Oppose Nicaragua Ditch.
HEPsuRN AND CANNON CLASH

Amendment Providing for considera-
tion OF Rival Route Is Voted Down.
Aggregate Cost Of Canal is Fixed at
$1so,ooo,ooo.
Washington, Jan. 10.-The Hepburn
Nicaraguan canal bill passed the
house late yesterday afternoon by
practically a unanimous vote. Only
two members out of $40 voted against
1t. Fletcher (Rep., Mimi and l.assi-
ter Dem., Va.) were the two voting
In the negative. The opposition to
committing the government to the
Nicaraguan route attempted to secure
amendments to lodge with the presi-
dent the discretionary power to pur-
chase and complete the Panama canal,
If it could be purchased for S4O,000,-
900. The test came on the first vote,
when the advocates of an alternative
route polled 102, against 10 votes.
AT each succeeding vote their
strength dwindled until Cannon (Ills.),
under whose leadership the fight was
made, was unable to get the yeas and
nays on a motion to recommit. All
passed exactly as it came from the
committee. None of the votes except
that on the final passage of the bill
was a record vote.
The debate which preceded the talk
ing of final vote was made memorable
by a clash between Hepburn, the au-
thor of the bill, and Cannon, chair
man Of the appropriations committee.
On several previous occasions they
have measured swords over canal leg
tslation.
Two years ago a similar bill was
passed by a vote of 224 to SO. The
bill as passed yesterday authorized
the president to secure from the
states Of Costa Rica and Nicaragua,
m behalf of the United States, such
q portion Of the territory belonging
10 said states as may be desirable and
necessary to excavate, construct and
protect a canal suitable to the wants
of modern navigation and commerce
and appropriates such a sum as is
made necessary to secure the control
OF said territory.
Section authorizes the president,
after securing control of the needed
territory, to authorize the secretary
of war to construct such canal from
the Caribbean sea at point near
iGreytown, in Nicaragua, by way Of
Lake Nicaragua, to a point on the Pa
ci6c ocean, near Brito, and also to con-
Struct proper harbors at the termini
OF said canal and to make necessary
provisions for the defense of the canal
and harbors.
Sections and 4 authorize the presi-
dent to make such surveys and en-
ploy such persons in constructing the
canal as to him may seem necessary
and directs that in the construction
of the canal the river San Juan and
Lake Nicaragua shall be used as far
as they are available.
Section authorizes the president
TO guarantee to the states of Costa
Rica and Nicaragua the use of the
canal and harbors upon terms to be
agreed upon for all vessels owned by
said states and by citizens thereof.
The last section makes a present
appropriation Of $10,000,00 to carry on
This work and authorizes the secretary
OF war to enter into proper contracts
FOR material and work as may be
heemed necessary therefor, such work
and material to be paid for as appro,
priations may be made from time to
time. The section fixes the aggre-
gate cost at s1SO,OOO,0OO to be drawn
from the treasury on warrants of the
president.