The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-10-04
A sourn PACIFIC shoRr LINE.

Which Nation Is TO Build little Panama Canal
and the Tehuantepec Ship Hallway In Their
Political aud Commercial Aspccts-The Reported
Bribery OF President Cardenas by N. De Lesseps.
National Press Intelligence Company's Spccal.l
NEW YORK, September 90, 1885.
The story recently published here, alleging the
bribery Of President Cardenas, of Nicaragua by the
Panama Canal Company, by which the former was
paid to discourage the construction OF the Nicaragua
Canal was generally pronounced by Central Ameri-
can residents here, and by firms largely engaged in
trade with Central and South America, as absurd,
and probably the outcome Of local nrigues against
President Cardenas. 1t was thought by some that
the purpose was to make Carleuas unpopular ut
home; by others that the design was to create dis
trust OF him In the United States, with which he
yalnly sought to make a treaty which covered the
building OF canal; st others considered 1t simply
as an intimation to the Panama capitalists that those
In charge OF the exploded Nicaragua Canal scheme
were willing to sell the concession. This latter view
was strengthened by the fact that some months after
The rejection OF the Nicaragua treaty by the United
states the Nicaragua Canal concession was offered
to NJ. De Lessepss Panama Company, and that ne
goiiatons for the sale AMI absorption of that conces
sion are Still pending In Paris. How The owners can
hope to sell the concession to De Lesseps puzzles
everybody with whom the reporter talked. 1t was
conceded that Nicaragua could not build the expen-
siye canal across the territory unaidcd. The United
q
saes mad refused all In rejecting the treaty Of last
year. NO ald could he expected from Europe as
iohB as DC chseps, inspiring confidence by his SUE
cess Oh Inc Suez is'mns, promised short route by
rahaha' WIN european domination OF the isihmus;
lof everybody held that II Europe built the Panama
Cahai WIN her own capital she would never yield
domination mere, Monroe Doctrine or no Monroe
Doc'rihe.
capl. James u. Eads, OF Mississippi jetty fame
anu me engineer VINO designed the projected
Iehuantepcc ship-Ralway, was asked what he
thoughf OF the story as printed.
VI read IL with considerable amusement" }" he said,
smiling vt was not worth printing. 1t Ia proba-
Dy part OF some OF the petty political intrigues Of
tue rival leaders In Nicaragua. ltcan have no other
slghihcance' NJ. dc Lesseps ls too wise man and
100 great genius 10 lndugein such stupid scheme
AZ revealed IN lhs story ii ne wanted to buy of
rival scheme and display that fact in order to
arouse new enthusiasm at home and raise more
money for his own Panama enterprise, he would not
go about 1t In this bungling way. Besides he knows
that without the aid OF the United States the Mica
ragua Canal is dead before being born; and Re
publican United States Senate last year rejected
treaty submitted by Republican President, which
Is safe 70 say Democratic President Will not sub
nl' W seoohu one pe Lesseps KNOWS thls as wen
dS we 10, ahu ne knows the Nicaragua Canal con-
cession u NOT worth obtaining by purchase, ana
inuen ieSs py orioery''
"Iheh theIe IL no IWai canai scheme 10 oppose
Tue Iahaiha scheiheT y
rfac'ica,y nome out ne mas obstacles on The
is'nilus oi ranama which ne cannot overcome on
ms present pah-ha,uIa oo)ecls' mean. NJ dc
nesscps s'a onn ensneer; II ne had been, he