Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-01-21
CANAL Bill PASSES.
HOUSE ADOPTS THE HEPBURN
WATERWAY MEASURE.
Party Lines ObIitcratcd in First Bal
lot ON Nicaraguan Message One Re
publican and One Democrat Oppose
the Project-Panama Route Rejected.

By the extraordinary record vote of
30S to the House of Representatives.
Thursday afternoon passed the Nicara-
qua canal bill without any amendment
except that suggested by the committee.
Every effort to introduce the Panama
canal scheme as a 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 Investigate
ed, moved to reconnit the Nicaragua bill
to the committee with instructions TO re-
port a new measure giving TIE president
authority to decide upon the route.
Mr.. Cannon's mot on was defeated by
the overwhelming vote Of POS TO Al. 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 a
great national undertaking involving the
expenditure Of more than hundred mill
ion dollars being passed through the
House with a monotonouS chorus of af-
frmative votes.
Not even under the stimulus of the war
excitement did The House throw away
partisanship to such an extent. The two
votes in the negative were east by one
Republican and one Democrat, Mr..
Fletcher Of Minnesota and Mr. Lasster
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 62ht thai all
amendments must be considered as hos
tile to the main purpose of the canal.
1t was fel5 that if the proposals of the
Panama company should prove to be
made in good faith and il 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 to adapt it to the purposes of
the Panama route il 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 bill as passed authorizes
the President to acquire the necessary
territory from the States of Costa Rica
and Nicaragua through which to build
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 $10000,000 is
appropriated to begin the work, and the
Secretary Of War is authorized to enter
into contracts for the completion Of the
work. the limit of cost Of which is fixed
at $1S0,ed0,000.