The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-01-16
HOUSE IS FOR CANAL
Hepburn Bill Is Approved By An
Overwhelming Vote.
ALL AMENDMENTS KNOCKED OUT
Only Two Negatives Were Recorded
Friends of the Panama Route
Will Make Fight In
the Senate.

scene which has probably had no
parallel save the passage of the bill
carrying the $5O,000,0O0 appropria-
ton for war with Spain was enacted
enacted in the house of representa-
tives Thursday evening when, with
but two negative votes, the Hepburn
bill, providing for the construction OF
| the Nicaraguan canal, was passed by
that body. The negative votes were
cast by Representative Lasstter, OF
Virginia, and Fletcher, Of Minnesota.
Mr.. Bishop, Of Michigan, declined to
vote. After the test of the Morris
amendment for the purchase OF the
Panama property, which received 1O2
votes, these members, who had made
a gallant effort to inject their ideas
into the bill, joined hands with the
supporters of the committee bill and
| put it through practically unanimous.
ly. There was great interest in the
contest over the Morris amendment
and great enthusiasm over the final
vote which carried the bill through in
a. way to serve notice to the world of
the sincerity of this governments de-
termination to put through the great
project which means SO much to the
commerce of the world.
The opposition to committing the
government to the Nicaraguan route
attempted to secure amendments to
lodge with the president tie discre-
tionary power to purchase and COM
plete the Panama canal, if it could be
purchased for s40,000,000. The test
came on the first vote, when the advo'
Gates Of an alternative route polled
102 against 10 votes. At each sue
ceeding vote their strength dwindled
until Mr.. Cannon, Of Illinois, under
whose leadership the fight was made,
was unable to get the ayes and noes
on q motion to recoInmit. All other
amendments failed and the bill passed
exactly as it came from the commit
tee. None of the votes, except on
the final passage of the bill, was a
record vote.
What the Bill Authorizes.
The bill as passed authorizes the
president to secure from the states Of
Costa Rica and Nicaragua, in behalf
of the United States, control Of such a
portion Of the territory belonging to
said states as may be desirable and
necessary on which to excavate, con-
struct and protect canal suitable to
the wants Of modern navigation and
commerce, and appropriates such
sum as may be necessary to secure
the control of said territory.
Section 2 authorizes the president
after securing control Of the needed
territory, to direct the secretary OF
war to construct such canal from tho
Caribbean sea, at point near Grey
town, in Nicaragua, by way Of Lake
Nicaragua, to a point on tho Pacific
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 authorizes the
president to make such surveys as
may be necessary and to employ
such persons in constructing the ca.
nal as may to him seem wise, and d.
rects that in the construction OF the
canal the river San Juan and Lake
Nicaragua shall be used as far as they
are available.
Section 5 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 an appro-
priation of s10,000,00O to carry on
this work, and authorizes the secre-
tary of war to enter into proper con-
tracts for material and work as may
be deemed necessary, such work and
material to be paid for as appropria.
tions may be made from time to time.
The section fixes the aggregate cost
at $1s0,OO0,000, to be drawn from the
treasury on warrants Of the presi-
dent.