Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-20
PROVISIONS OF CANAL BILL
President is Authorized to Acquire,
IL Possible, Concessions for
Panama Route.

-
WASHINGTON, June lathe Isthmian
canal bill passed by the senate today pro
vides substantially as follows:
Section l authorizes the president to ac-
quire for the United States at a cost not
exceeding SAC, 100000 all of the rights, priVi-
land, right OF way, unfinished work. plants
and other property owned by the new Pan
anna Canal company of France, on the
isthmus of Panama and all its maps,
plans, dra wings, records on the isthmus of
Panama and In Paris, including all the
Sssp ia stock, Bot less BsWTroad' c oman nv
owned or held for the Use Of said canal
company. provided satisfactory title to all
of said property can be obtained.
Section 2 authorizes. the president TO &C
quire from the republic of Colombia eXclu-
sive and perpetual control OF a strip OF
land not less than six miles wide from the
Caribbean sea to the Pacific coast, and the
right to use and dispose of the waters
thereon and to e~XCaVate, construct and per-
| petually to maintain, operate and protect
thereupon a canal of such depth and ca
pacity as will afford convenient passage
for ships of the greatest tonnage ana
draft now in use from the sea to the ocean,
this control to include the right perpetually
to maintain and operate the Panama rail-
road If the ownership thereof or CON
trolling interest therein shall have been
acquired by the United states, also Juris-
diction over the strip and the ports at the
ends thereof. TO make the necessary ponce
and sanitary rules and regulations and 10
establish judiciary tribunals to enforce the
same. The president may also acquire such
additional territory and rights. from Co
lombia as in his judgment will facilitate
the general purpose of the act.
Bye section 3 $40 oO,0 coo is appropriated to
pay for the property of the new Panama
Canal company and a sutlclent amTunI
from that country for building the canal
To Proceed with Construction.
The president is then, through the 18TH
milan Canal commission, authorized TO pro-
coed with the construction Of the canal,
utilizing as far as possible the Work t9 9aatr
as possible, supplied with American LOCKS
and other appliances. Provision Is made for
the construction of safe and commodlous
harbors at the erminus of the canal and
for such works of defense as may be
necessary for the safety and protection of
By the provision of the law the presi-
dent Is given authority for the construc-
ton of a canal by what is known as the
Nicaragua route in the event that ne is
unable to secure satisfactory title TO the
property of the Panama Canal company
and the control of the necessary territory
from Colombia, and after first having OBJ
tanned for the United states perpetual CON
from Costa Rica and Nicaragua the pro-
visions as to tonnage and draft OF vessels
as to harbors and as to works of defense,
the same as in the section relating to the
Panam route. An appropriation is made
of such sums as may be agreed upon py
treaty as compensation to Nicaragua and
Costa Rica for concessions and rights
granted to the United States.
section D d~ppTOpTldleS elu,VOO,OOu lOWaiu
the project contemplated and provides thai
appropriations are not to exceed the ag'
gregate additional sum of Sl35, OOO,OOO If the
| Panama route be adopted, or SlSO,OOO,OV
should the Nicaragua route be selected.
BY section 6 provision is made that IL
any agreement with Colombia, or witt
Nicaragua or Costa Rica, the president |:
authorized to guarantee them the use o.
| the canal and harbors upon such terms al
may be arranged for all vessels owned by
those countries or by their citizens.
Creates Canal Commission.
Section I creates an isthmian canal com
mission of seven members to be nominated
by the president and confirmed by tn
senate. They are to have charge of con
struction of the canal and are to be sub
ject to the direction and control of tn,
At least four of the seven are to b.
skilled in the science of engineering; a
least one is to be an officer of the regula
army and one other an officer of the navy
Authority is given for the employment o
engineers from the army and civil life an
other necessary persons. The commission
is to make reports to the president and L
give to congress such as ma,
be required.
Under section s authority is given for tn
issue OF $3.50, 600. 900 2 per cent gold bonds (
meet the expenditures authorized by tn
act. They are to be issued from time {
time as the proceeds may be required; ar
to be in denominations of $40 or som
multiple of that sum-, redeemable after teI
years and payable in twenty years, the in
terest to be payable quarterly in gold Coir
They are to be exempt from taxation, ar
to be disposed of at not less than par an
are TO be open to popular subscription
None of these bonds are to be sold to pa
the sums appropriated in sections / or 2 o
the act, or the $l0,OO0,OOO appropriated b