Connecticut western news., 1902-01-16
CANAL BILL PASSED
GETS PRACTICALLY A UNANIMOUS
 VOTE IN THE HOUSE.

BS May He Held Up For Some Time
 In the Senate to Allow the Conaid-
 erntion of the Panama Company
 Oner.
 In congress Wednesday and Thurs. day the house debated the Hepburn Nicaragua canal bill. The senate trans. acted no business of importance be. yond confirming on Thursday the nom. nations of Leslie M. Shaw as secre tary of the treasury and Henry c Payne as postmaster general.
 The Hepburn canal bill passed the house Thursday afternoon by practical, ly unanimous vote. Only two members out of BIO voted against 1t. Messrs Fletcher (Rep., Minn) and LassiteI (Dem., Va.) were the two voting in the negative.
 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 DOT. ton of the territory belonging to said states as may be desirable and neces- sary on which to excavate. construct and protect a canal suitable to the want of modern navigation and com. merce and appropriates such a sum as may be necessary to secure the con trol of said territory.
 Section 2 authorizes the president, after securing control of the needed territory, to direct the secretary of war to construct such a canal from the Ca rtbbean sea at a point near Greytown, in Nicaragua, by way of Lake Nicara- qua, to a point on the Pacific ocean near Brito and also to construct prop CT harbors at the termini of said canal and to make necessary provisions for the defense of the canal and harbors.
 Sections 3 and authorize the presi- dent to make such surveys as may be In constructing the canal as may to him seem wise and directs that in the construction of the canal the river San Juan and Lake Nicaragua shall be used as far as they are available.
 Section authorizes the president to guarantee to the governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua the use of the ca nal and harbors upon terms to be agreed upon for all vessels owned by said states and by citizens thereof
 The last section makes a present ap- propriation of $10,0O0,0 900 to carry on this work and authorizes the secretary of war to enter into proper contracts for material and work as may be deem ed necessary therefor, such work and material to be paid for as appropria- dons may be made from time to time. The section fixes the aggregate cost at $180, ,000, 900, to be drawn from the treasury on warrants of the president.
 The canal bill was on Tuesday re ceived by the senate from the house and referred to the committee on inter oceanic canals.
 Reporters have boiled the senate to ascertain the sentiment on the pending offer of the Panama Canal company to sell its property and concessions to this government for 10000, 900.
 This poll shows these three things that there Is an overwhelming senti. ment in the senate in favor of the thorizing the construction of an isth- milan canal; that while a very large majority of the senators were in favor of the Nicaragua canal prior to the offer of the French company a clear majority has since switched in favor of giving the Panama offer full consid- eration before decisive action is taken; that any effort by friends of the Eica- ragua canal to force bill through be- fore the whole matter, Panama offer and all, has been considered by the committee would meet with failure.