Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-12-31
Uncle Sam as an Improver of Foreign
Countries.

Countries.
Two more treaties have recently
been submitted by President Arthur
to the Senate, which he arranged, OF
as it is termed, negotiated, some time
during the late Presidential canvass.
One is a sort of free trade treaty be-
tween the United States and the small
West India island, Hayti or San Do
mingo.
The other is treaty or bargain be-
tween the United States and the Re-
public of Nicaragua, one Of the Cen
trail American countries. This Nicar-
aguan treaty is very important one
to the burdened taxpayers of the
United States. 1t provides for digging
a ship canal from the caribbean Sea
to the Pacific Ocean. The work is to
commence at Greytown, on the Car
ribean sea, and a canal some thirty
six miles long is to be dug. This
brings the work to the San Juan
river, up which the vessels are to go
until Lake Nicaragua is reached.
The lake is 10 miles long and 40
miles wide, and is 10 feet above the
level Of the sea. The lake will be
used for distance of sixty-three
miles, and then another canal seven
teen and half miles long will have
to be dug. The total length of the
canal will be 119 miles-including
the part in the San Juan river and
Lake Nicaragua. The total length of
the canal that will have to be dug.
is fifty-three and a half miles. AS
the vessel going across will have to
reach height of at least 10 feet
it is very evident that a number of
large ship locks will have to be built.
President Arthur says five locks will
be needed on the side nearest to the
Caribbean sea, and six locks on the
side nearest the Pacific ocean. This
makes eleven locks that will have to
be built, and each one will have to be
large enough to allow the mammoth
ocean steamships to enter and be
raised or lowered as the case may be.
Now, let us see what are the condi-
tons of the canal contract. Uncle
Sam, or rather the taxpayers of the
United States, are to build this ocean
canal at their own expense. That was
very kind of the Nicaragua people to
be sure. When the canal is built,
Nicaragua is to have a share of the
receipts. and is to appoint three of
the six men who are to manage the
canal, fix tolls, etc., but in case of a
tie vote, this country is to have the
casting vote. Let us repeat. The
United States pays the expense of
building the canal, and agrees to have
it completed in ten years, and then
when the canal is built, it is to be
owned by both countries. That seems
to us a very good bargain-for Near
aqua. The actual expense of build
ing the canal is not all that will be
required from the patient, long suffer-
ing taxpayers of this country. The
ditch contract provides that this coun-
try shall lend Git would be truer to
say give) 100000 to Nicaragua.
Then Uncle Sam is to buy all the
land on the canal route that is owned
by private parties. This strip of land
is two and half miles wide, and
about two hundred miles long. By
the time Uncle Sam comes to pay for
these lands he will find nearly every
foot owned by private parties, and
the value of the tropical swamps very
much greater than they are now.
Here is a regular paradise for jobs.
How the American tax payers will
have to be loaded. Add this Near
aqua ditch speculation to his already
excessive burdens, and the great
American tax payer had better sell
out, and 60 somewhere. This country
pledges herself to defend the canal
from all enemies. This will require
more taxes to build forts at the two
entrances of the canal, to provide
soldiers, guns, ammunition, and fifty
million dollar navy. Delightful, is it
not?
Now, supposing this country should
finish the canal in FIVE years and have
it in readiness for vessels, what then :
Just this. A man named +. A. Pei
las has contract with the Nicaragu-
an government by which, for the next
ten years, he has the sole right of
navigating vessels on Lake Nicaragua
and the San Juan river, and after
Uncle Sam has built the canal and
paid the expenses of the same, he
cannot allow any vessel to 20 thereon
without interfering with Mr.. Pellas'
monopoly, and, consequently, will
have to pay Mr.. Pellas bonus, or
else buy his right, at, no doubt, Mr..