Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1902 — CANAL BILL PASSES. [ARTICLE]

CANAL BILL PASSES.

HOUSE ADOPTS THE HEPBURN WATERWAY MEASURE. Party Line* Obliterated in First Ballot on Nicaraguan Message—One Republican and One Democrat Oppose the Project—Panama Route Rejected. By the extraordinary record vote of 808 to 2 the House of Representatives Thursday afternoon passed the Nicaragua canal pill without any amendment except that suggested by the committee. Every effort to introduce the Panama canal scheme as a factor regarding transit through the isthmus was defeated by an overwhelming majority. Mr. Cannon of Illinois, who has opposed the Nicaragua canal bill because he believes the proposition of the Panama company should be thoroughly investigated, moved to recommit the Nicaragua bill to the committee with instructions to report a new measure giving the President authority to decide upen the route. Mr. Cannon’s motion was defeated by the overwhelming vote of 206 to 41. 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 a hundred million dollars being passed through the House with a monotonous chorus of affirmative 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 cast by one Republican and one Democrat, Mr. Fletcher of Minnesota and Mr. Lassiter 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 170 to 102. Friends of the Nicaragua canal took the ground early in the fight that all amendments must be considered as hostile to the main purpose of the canal. It was felt that if the proposals of the Panama company should prove to be made in good faith and if satisfactory treaty arrangements can be made with Colombia, through which the Panama canal would pass, there would be abundance of time while the bill is still in the Senate to adapt it to the purposes of the Panama route if that should be deemed desirable. There is scarcely any doubt that the canal, bill will pass the Senate, although it is likely that there will be copsidexable delay to permit of an examination of the status of the Panama canal project. The Hepburn bill as passed authorizes the President to acquire the necessary territory from the States of Costa ILica and Nicaragua through which to build a 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 $10,000,000 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 $180,000,000.