The treaty having been ratified, the bills in the Senate and the House providing for the practical work of constructing the canal become of present importance.
Both Senator Morgan and Congressman Hepburn have introduced such measures. The Senate and House bills are alike in assuming that the Nicaragua route is to be used. They are alike in authousing the President to conclude the necessary arrangements with Nicaragua and Costa Rica. They agree in putting the maximum of cost for which contracts can be made at $180,000,000. The Morgan bill appropriates $5,000,000 as a beginning, while the Hepburn bill appropria ates $10,000,000; but this is unimport~ ant.
The main point of difference between the two measures is this: Senator Morgan's bill proposes to intrust the work of construction to a Board consisting of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.