Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-01-15
CANAL BILL PASSES.
HOUSE ADOPTS THE HEPBURN
WATERWAY MEASURE.
Party Lines obIiterated in First Bal
lot on Nicaraguan MessaGe-one Re
publican and One Democrat Oppose

BY tine extraordinary record vote Of
sos 10 the House OF Representatives
Thursday afternoon passed the Nieara-
qua canal bin without any amendment
eAcep: that suggested 10y the committee.
Every effort to introduce the Panama
canal scheme as factor regarding tran
sit through the isthmus was defeated by
an Overwhelming majority.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois. who has oppos-
ed the Nicaragua canal bill because he
believes the proposition Of the Panama
company should be thoroughly investigat-
ed. moved to recommit the Nicaragua bill
to the committee with instructions to re-
port a new measure giving the President
authority to decide upon the route.
Mr.. Canuon's motion was defeated by
the overwhelming vote of POS to II. He
could not even secure enough to have the
yeas and nays taken. and. in fact, the
only record vote was on the final passage
of the bill. On this even Mr.. Cannon
voted in the affirmative.
Party lines were absolutely obliterated
and the spectacle was presented of
great national undertaking involving the
expenditure of more than Il hundred mill
ion dollars being passed through the
House with monotonous chorus - af-
frmative votes.
Not even under the stimulus of the war
excitement did the House throw away
partisanship 10 such an extent. The two
votes in the negative We're cast by one
Republican and ore Democrat, Mr.
Fletcher of Minnesota and Mr.. Lassiter
of Virginia. The House was suspicious
of all amendments and voted them all
down with the regularity of clockwork
The vote on the original proposition for
the Panama canal was 40 to 102.
Friends of the Nicaragua canal took
the ground early in the fight that all
amendments must be considered as hos
tile TO the main purpose of the canal.
1t was felt that If the proposals of the
Panama company should prove 10 be
made in good faith and if satisfactory
treaty arrangements can be made with
| Colombia through which the Panama
canal would pass, there would be album
dance of time while the bill is still in
the Senate 10 adapt it TO the purposes of
| the Panama route if that should be
deemed desirable. There is scarcely any
doubt that the canal bin will pass the
| Senate, although it is likely that there
will be considerable delay to permit Of
an examination of the status of the Pan
anna canal project,
The Hepburn bin as passed authorizes
the President 70 acquire the necessary
territory from the States of Costa Rica
| and Nicaragua through which to build a
| canal sufficient to accommodate ships of
the greatest tonnage from a point near
Greytown on the Caribbean sea via Lake
| Nicaragua to Brito ON the Pacific ocean.
| He is given authority to use as much
money as may be necessary to secure the
necessary concessions. When. control
over the territory has been obtained the
| Secretary of War is directed TO construct
the canal. The sum of $10.000,o0o is
appropriated to begin the work, and the
| Secretary of War is authofized TO enter
! into contracts for the completion of the
work, the limit of cost Of which is fixed
at $1S0,000,000.