The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-13
NICARAGUA FAVORED
Senate Committee Chooses
That Canal Route
BY VOTE OF Z TO 4
CoIombia'S Hardness in Pre-
Sentation Causes Her the Loss

Washington. March I2.-The- senate
committee on isthmian canal has decided,
by a vote of to 4. to report the Hepburn
bill providing for the construction of an
isthmian canal via the Nicaraguan route.
The action of the committee was taken
at called meeting held during the af-
ternoon, and came after a brief report
by Senator Morgan, chairman Of the com
mittee, detailing the result of a confer
ence with Secretary Hay as to the status
of diplomatic negotiations with the Cen
tral American republics concerning the
canal He stated that the secretary
had told him that there are no nego-
tiations in progress between the United
States and Colombia concerning the Pan
ANA route and that the minister from
Colombia 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 agreed upon
practically all the points to be covered
in concession treaties, nothing really be-
ing left in that connection but to put
the agreements in writing. He said that
the governments Of those two countries
had manifested a disposition to make all
the concessions the United States could
ask TO aid the construction of canal.
and that among those concessions is one
for perpetual right Of way.
When the recitation of the report had
been completed. Senator Hanna suggest
ed that probably the Colombian minister
had been detained by untoward circum-
stances. and proposed that action be de-
fetred by the committee until an oppor-
tunity could be had TO ascertain Colon-
bias proposition. This suggestion met
with strong protest from the friends
of the Nicaragua route. and Senator
Mitchell moved to report the Hepburn
bill as it passed the house.
Senator Fdttredge moved TO amend by
postponing action until next Monday, but
his motion was voted down. to Z.
Senator Mitchers motion was carried
by the same vote, reversed. Some of the
members of the committee were absent.
but as thir positions were UNDERSTOOD
their votes were counted. The vote for
the Hepburn bin stood:
Yeas-Morgan, Mitchell, Hawley. Platt
q. y. Harris. Turner. Foster Oa).
Nays-Hanns. Pritchard, Willard Kit
tredge
Senator Morgan. after the adjournment
of the committee, said that he probably
would report the Snl TO the senate to-
morrow. While he would use all due
diligence in securing consideration of
the measure. he had had no conference
with the Republican leaders of the SEN
ate as to when the measure should be
takn up for consideration. he had not
been authorized to present written
report and would not present any, be-
yond submitting the testimony taken dur
ing the committee hearings.
The Hepburn bin authorizes the pres
ident to acquire territory for right of
way for canal from Costa Rica and
Nicaragua; directs the construction of a
canal of sufficient capacity to accommo-
date 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 appropriated 100000 for beginning
the work.