Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-13
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.

tiopal work is manifest IN some quar-
tcrs. notably among the members of the
Populist party, who affect to believe
that it is being made the subject of
finance aud contract company or credit
mobilier scheme. And hence it is that
the very class who are worst overtaxed
in getting their products to market, are
being arrayed by their leaders against
the only scheme by which they can hope
to be afforded cheaper transportation
hence to the business centers Of the
universe. They also cay that our rich
and powerful country would be the
sufferer, instead of Nicaragua, should
the latter dlminutive power feel herself
aggrieved at US and threaten to abolish
commercial relations between the two
republics.
Perhaps a bit of history in reference
to the diplomatic intercourse between
the two countries might not be uninter-
estiDg reading at this time. The sub
| ject of canal, about two fifths of which
is already built by nature, has been
mooted for nearly half century, but
nothing tending to any definite conclu-
sions took place till the closing days OF
Mr.. Arthur's administration, when Mr..
Frelinghuysen was secretary of state.
That gentleman concluded treaty with
Senior Zervella. then minister from
Nicaragua, which was promptly ratified
by the government of that republic.
Before it could get back to Washing
| ton for confirmation by our own govern
ment, there had been change of ad-
ministration. Mr.. Arthur had become
a private citizen and Cleveland was
seated il the executive chair. Mr.. Bay
ard, always timidly conservative man
and dreadfully afraid of giving offence
to England, declined to ratify the treaty
as being liable to lead up to foreign COM
plications. The Nicaraguan government
did not like this because they had made
some unusual concessions-one being
! Joint sovereignty of two and One-half
miles on each side of the canal; and the
other provided for its construction by
the United States and its occupation by
the Americans as a military measure.
Considering these concessions, made us
without any material solicitations on
our part, the Nicaraguans could not
help thinking they had been treated
with lack of courtesy.
Mr.. Cleveland, however, was good
deal more equal to the emergency than
Mr.. Bayard, who is and always has been
ovsrrated as q statesman. Mr.. Cleve-
land said it was simply an impossibllity
for the United States to build the canal
as an undertaking by the government.
He favored proposition for the build
ing Of the canal under the joint scrutiny
of the three governments, the United
States, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. as the
canal for some miles passes through the
territory of that republic. Such a
treaty was then made, by which
certain amount of bonds is
held in escrow by each coun-
try. to be issued only as the work
progresses; and this is an assurance
that no money will be wasted, as the
estimates have to pass the scrutiny OF
three boards of engineers before any
bonds can be issued to any contractor
whomsoever. Therefore it is plainly to
be eeen that any such steal as that OF
the credit mobilier is, under the terms
OF this treaty, both impracticable and
impossible. The Nicaragua canal is
measure of which the American people
are expected to reap the prime benefit;
and for that reason no man who desires
the we'll being of the Pacific states, will
throw obstructions in it's way.