Evening star., 1902-03-13
EOR THF HEPBURN BILL
SENATE CANAL COM16ITTEE
FAVORs NICARAGUA ROUTE.
Motion to Postpone Action in the In
terest Of the Panama Scheme
Defeated by 4 to z.

The Senate committee on interoceanic
canals late yesterday afternoon agreed to
report to the Senate the Hepburn BILL pro-
viding for the building of a canal through
Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The meeting OF
the committee at which this action was
taken was not called until yesterday after
noon.
The Right Of Way.
Favorable action on the Hepburn bill was
taken after a brief report by Senator Nor
gan, chairman of the committee, detailing
the result Of a conference with Secretary
Hay as to the status of diplomatic negotia-
tions with the Central American republics
concerning the canal. He stated that the
secretary had told him that there are no
negotiations in progress between the United
States and Colombia concerning the Pan
anna route and that the new minister from
that country to this had not even presented
his credentials; but that. on the other hand.
the representatives Of this country and
those of Nicaragua and Costa Rica had
been in consultation and had practically
agreed upon all the points to be covered in
concession treaties, nothing really being
left in that connection but to put the agree
mentS in writing. He said that the gov
ernments of those two countries had mani
tested "a disposition to make all the con-
cessions which the United States could ask
to aid in the construction Of canal and
that among these concessions is one for per-
petual right of way.
Motion to Report Carried.
When the recitation of the report had
been completed Senator Hanna suggested
that probably the Colombian minister had
been detained by untoward circumstances
and suggested that action by the commit
tee should be delayed until opportunity
could be had to ascertain Colombias posi-
ton In the matter
This suggestion was met with a strong
protest from the friends Of the Nicaragua
route and Senator Mitchell moved to re-
port the Hepburn bill as it passed the
House. Senator Kittredge moved to amend
by postponing action until next Monday,
but his motion was voted down. to Z.
The question then recurred on Senator
Mitcheli's motion, which was carried by
the same vote reversed. Some of the men,
bers of the committee were absent, but as
their positions were understood their votes
were counted. The vote for the Hepburn
bill stood: Yeas-Morgan, Mitchell. Hawley.
Platt IN y. Harris, Turner, Foster Q.ao
Nays-Hanna, Pritchard, Mllard, kittrdge
Senator Morgan said after the adjourn
ment of the committee that he probably
would report the bill to the Senate today
but that while he would use all due dill
gence in securing consideration of the
measure he had had no conference with the
republican leaders of the Senate as to when
the measure should be taken up for con-
sideration. He said he had not been au-
thoriZed to present a written report and
would not present any beyond submitting
the testimony taken during the committee
hearings.
The Hepburn Bill.
The Hepburn bill authorizes the President
to acquire territory for right Of way for a
canal from Costa Rica and Nicaragua: di-
rects the construction of a canal of sutfi-
cient capacity to accommodate the largest
ships from Greytown on the Atlantic via
Lake Nicaragua to Brito on the Pacific.
under the supervision Of the Secretary Of
War: authorizes surveys of the harbors at
the two ends Of the route; guarantees the
use Of the canal to vessels Of Costa Rica
and Nicaragua and appropriates $lO.0OO.OOO
for beginning the work.