New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-02-03
QUE NICARAGUA DIPLOMACY.

One year ago an American company organized
with large powers and composed OF prominent
and trust worthy men, held concession from
the Government of Nicaragua for the construc-
ton of an interoceanic canal. They had sur
veyed their route in part, and were prepared to
go forward in their important work.
The Nicaaguan Government had wisely en-
cOuraced the enterprise in the confident belief
that the United States would aid this American
company. No bonus was exacted from the in
corporators for the privilege granted; no land
damages were demanded and when the canal
was completed the Government of Nicaragua
was to receive one-t tenth of the net revenue.
Instead of encouraging this American COM
pany. Mr.. Frelnghuysen dr0ve it out of ex-
istence, compelled forfeiture of its franchise,
aud then set to work to negotiate the treaty
which has just been defeated in the Senate.
In this rejected treaty Mr.. Frellnghuysen
offered TO pay four millions of dollars to the
Government of Nicaragua generally suspected
to be corruption fund.- for the same privileges
which that Government had granted to the
American company for nothing. Mr.. Freling-
huyseD further agreed to an arrangement by
which enormous land damages would be paid
by Our Government where none had been de
manded from the American company. Finally
Mr.. Frelinghuysen agreed to pay Nicaragua one
third of the net revenues of the canal when only
0pe-tenth had been asked from the American
company. Still further after Obligating our
Government to pay bonus, land damages, and
one-third of the net canal revenue, Mr. Frcing-
huysen secured far less complete control OF the
canal than had voluntarily been conceded to the
American company. Whatever may be the
merits or dement's of Mr.. Frelinghuysen's gen.
eral diplomacy, he is evidently not skilled in
making treaty with Nicaragua for the con-
structon of a canal.
Every one knows that the most expensive
mode yet devised for constructing great en-
gineering Improvement is to leave it to Govern
mentensineers with full treasury behind them
to comply with their exact and bountiful esti-
mates Would it not be a far wiser thing to
leave the interoceanc canal to an American
company, and aid them with aGovernment loan,
taking therefor a mortgage which should carry
with it the right to fix the tolls The Govern
ment did just that with the original Pacific rail-
road, and succeeded in spanning the continent
with an outlay of fifty-four million dollars
advanced as loan and sure in the end to be
repaid-in addition to the numberless advant-
Does any sane man believe that the United
States Government would have built a railroad
from the Missouri River to San Francisco Bay
for fifty -four millions of dollars or for the
double of it Does any man believe that the
United States Government could have built
canal across Nicaragua for less than two hum
dred millions under such a treaty as Mr.. Frcling
huysen has negotiated And yet the American
company, whose concession Mr. Freinghuysen
destroyed, offered the most complete guarantee
to build it if the United States would advance
fifty millions in its bonds to be paid in install
memts, as the work was completed, on mort
gage to be given which would cover the whole
work.
In view of all these facts the public will con-
clude that the Senate did wisely in defeating
Mr.. Frelnghuysen's treaty. Its adoption
would probably have resulted in scandal
which would have proved to the body polite
what running sore is to the human body.