The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-04
The Ntcaraeua Canal Ell.


! 1t Is probable that vigorous effort will
be made In the next congress to pass the
/ Nicaragua canal bill. TIE impression seems
to be getting stronger that this country
ought to coatrol the canal, and that it can
do only by holding majority Of its stock.
There does not seem to be any doubt that
the enterprise is practicable vne. Senator
Sherman, in an article in the cur
rent number Of the Forum. saws that "the
Nicaragua route, though bGrdened with the
delays Of lockage, is now conceded to be
more practical, far less costly, and more
useful than tue one at Panama, and will
accomplish the same object"
One Of the strongest arguments in behalf
Of the Nicaragua bill is that if the United
States guarantees the canal compauy's
bonds the canal can be built for less than
Sl00,O00,000. If the company has TO de-
pend upon its own resources the cost OF the
enterprise will be probably four times that
sum, and it may become more than that.
If the cost should be only 300, 100000 the
burden upon shipping passing through the
canal would be comparatively light.
There is no doubt that the canal would be
Of vast benefit to this country. Senator
Sherman in his Forum. article, speaking on
this point. says: The more l reflect upon
the transcendent importance of the work
proposed, upon the international difficulties
which formerly surrounded the subject,
upon the objection of large portion of our
citizens 10 the direct construction of the
work by the United States according to the
plan proposed by the treaty, and upon the
just claims Of the American promoters of
this enterprise who have been engaged in it.
the more | am convinced that the aid to be
given by the United States, if the bill should
become a law, would be wise act of pub
lie policy, second in Importance to no other
in the history of our country, and Of gen
eral benefit in promoting our commerce
and industry in every section. No doubt
the cities along the Gulf of Mexico and the
southern Atlantic coast will first feel the
beneficial effect of this improvement, but
it will extend to the people of every state,
by the increase Of their commerce and pro-
auctions.
ITO reject or neglect the opportunity now
offered, would leave this enterprise to the
chances of failure, or transfer its control to
commercial rivals whose interests and fixed
policy would lead them to convert a great
highway of nations into dependency moro
formidable than Gibraltar and more
troublesome than Canada. A commercial
company in India has been converted into a
vast empire; the single port of Hong K ong
is made to dominate great population in
China; the control OF the Suez Canal and of
Egypt has been purchased in the stock
market-these are sufficient warnings to the
American people to avail themselves of the
opportunity now open to them to protect
their coastwlse trade, and at the same time
with little cost and no risks, to contribute
to the world one Of the greatest achieve
ments Of mind over matter that has ever
been undertaken"
Whatever ooposition there will be to the
bill, will, of course, come from the interior
of the country, because the interior would
not be so much benefited by the canal as
the coast, but, Senator Sherman points out,
all parts Of the country would be benefited
to greater or less extent The South
Atlantic and Gulf cities especially would be
benefited by it. There is no doubt that 1t
would give great impetus to their trade.