The Washington times., 1902-06-20

The text of the canal bill as finally
passed. except for slight verbal changes,
is as follows:
To Acquire Panama Rights.
Section l. That the President of the
United States Is hereby authorized to ac-
quire. for and on behalf of the United
States, at a cost not exceeding $40, 100000,
all of the rights. privileges, fraEchis 5,
concessions. grants of land, right Of way,
unfinished work, plants and other proper
ty. real, personal, and mixed, of every
name and nature, owned by the New
Panama Canal Company of France, on
the Isthmus of Panama, and all its
maps. plans, drawings, records on the
Isthmus of Panama and in Paris, in
cluding all the capital stock, not less,
however, than 6S S63 shares of the Pana
ma Railroad Company, owned by or held
for the use Of said canal company. pro
vided n satisfactory title to all OF said
property can be obtained.
Negotiations With Colombia.
Sec. 2. That the President is here
by authorized to acquire from the re-
public of Colombia. fer and on behalf Of
the United States. upon such terms as
he may deem reasonable, exclusive and
perpetual control of strip of land the
territory Of the republic Of Colombia.
not less than six miles in width, eI-
tending frcm the Caribbean Sea to the
Pacific Ocean, and the right to use
and dispose of the waters thereon, and
to cxcavate, construct and perpetually
maintain, operate and protect thereon
a canal, of such depth and capacity as
will afford convenient passage OF ships
of the greatest tonnage and draft now in
use, from the Caribbean Sea to the Pa
cifc Ocean, which control snail include
the right to perpetually maintain and
operate the Panama Railroad, il the
ownership thereof, or controlling in
tercst therein. shall have been acquired
By the United States, and also jurisdic-
ticn over said strip and the ports at the
ends thereof to make such police ana
sanitary rules and regulations as snail
be necessary TO preserve order and pre-
serve the public health thereon, and TO
establish such judicial tribunals there
en- as may he necessary to enforce such
rules and regulations.
The President may acquire such add'-
tional TERRITORY and rights from Colom-
bia as in his judgment will facilitate the
general purpose hereof.
Payment for Rights.
Sec. 8. That when the President shall
have arranged to secure satisfactory
title TO the property of the New Panama
Canal Company, as provided in section
/ hereof, and shall have obtained by
treaty control OF the necessary territory
from the republic OF Colombia, as pro-
vided in section 2 hereof he is author
lied to pay for the property Of the New
Panama Canal Company forty millions of
dollars, and to the republic OF Colombia
such sum as shall have been agreed upon,
and a sum sufficient for both said pur
poses is hereby appropriated, out OF any
money in the Treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated. to be paid on warrant or war
rants drawn By the President
The President shall then, through the
Isthmian Canal Commission. hereinafter
authorized cause to be excavated, con-
structed and completed. utilizing TO that
end as far as practicable. the work here
| tofore done by the New Panama Canal
Company OF France, and its predecessor
company, a ship canal from the Carib-
bean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Such
canal shall be OF sufficient capacity and
depth as shall afford convenient passage
for vessels OF the largest tonnage and
greatest draft now in use, or such as may
be reasonably anticipated, and shall be
supplied with all necessary locks and
other appliances to meet the necessities
of vessels passing through the same from
ocean to ocean; and he shall also cause
| to be constructed such safe and commo-
dious harbors at the termini of said
canal. and make such provisions for de-
fense as may be necessary for the safety
ard protection of said canal and harbors.
That the President is authorized for the
purposes aforesaid to employ such per-
sons as he may deem necessary and TO fix
their compensation.
An Alternative Canal.
Sec. 4. That should the President
be unable to obtain for the United
States a satisfactory title to the proper
ty of the new Panama Canal Company.
and the control OF the necessary terri
tory OF the Republic Of Colombia and the
rights mentioned in sections one and two
of this act, within a reasonable time and
upon reasonable terms, then the Presi-
dent. having first obtained for the United
States exclusive and perpetual control by
treaty of the necessary territory from
Costa Rica and Nicaragua, upon terms
which he may consider reasonable, for