Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-19
N|CARAGUAN PACT
GETS SENATE'S0.K.
Party Lines Not Closely Drawn
in Vote, Which Stands
SIS to 10.

BY a vote of SIS to Is. the Senate late
yesterday afternoon ratified the long
pending Nicaraguan treaty. under the
provisions Of which the United States
is to pay Nicaragua 100000 for a
ninety-nine-year option on the Mica
raguan canal route and a naval base in
the Gulf of Fonseca.
Five democratic senators and thirteen
republicans voted against the treaty.
Fifteen republicans Joined with the
democrats supporting the treaty.
Immediately after the Senate had
acted. Senior Chamorro. the Nicara-
guam minister, said he would at once
communicate with his government.
and that he expected ratification OF the
soon follow and exchanges made to put
the treaty in force.
Haitian Treaty Is Next.
Senator Stone. chairman of the for
eign relations committee, will call up
the Haitian financial protectorate
amended Colombian treaty. Regarding
the Colombian treaty, there is grave
doubt whether it can receive the nee
essary two-thirds vote for ratification.
During the long debate on the Mica
raguan treaty declarations were made
in the Senate that Germany had Of
fered Nicaragua more than had the
United States for the canal route OPP
ton, and this is said to have been used
as an argument for ratification.
Provisions Of Treaty.
The treaty is as follows:
ARTICLE l.
THE government Of Nicaragua grants
In perpetuity to the government of the
United States, forever free from all
taxation or other public charge. the
exclusive proprietary rights necessary
and convenient for the construction,
operation and maintenance of an inter-
oceanic canal by way Of the San Juan
river and the great Lake of Nicaragua.
or by way of any route over Nicara-
guam territory. and details Of the terms
upon which such canal shall be con-
structed. operated and maintained to
be agreed to by the two governments
whenever the government of the Unit
ed States shall notify the government
Of Nicaragua Of its desire or intention
to construct such canal.
Rights for Ninety-Nine Years.
ARTICLE IL
ITO enable the government Of the
United States to protect the Panama
canal and the proprietary rights grant
ed to the government of the United
States by the foregoing article, and
also to enable the government of the
United States to take any measure
necessary to the end contemplated
herein. the government OF Nicaragua
hereby leases for q term Of ninety-nine
years to the government of the United
States the islands In the Caribbean
sea known as Great Corn Island and
Little Corn Island, and the government
of Nicaragua further grants to the
government Of the United States. for a
like period of ninety-nine years. the
right to establish, operate and maintain
naval base at such place on the ter
ritory of Nicaragua bordering upon the
Gulf Of Fonseca as the government of
the United States may select. The gov
eminent Of the United States shall have
the option of renewing for a further
term Of ninety-nine years the above
leases and grants upon the expiration
of their respective terms. it being ex-
pressly agreed that the territory here
by leased and the naval base which
may be maintained under the grant
aforesaid shall be subject exclusively
to the laws and sovereign authority of
the Unitsd States during the terms OF
such lease and grant and of any re-
newals thereof.