New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-01
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
OPENING OF TIE NEw-ORLEANS CON
VENTION.
THE SPEAKERS URGE THE NEED AND M
PoETANCE OF GOVERNMENT AID TO TIE
ENTERPRISE-IT MUST BE UNDER AMEEl'
CAN OR FOREIGN CONTROL.
rSp,eiaI 10 he Annotated Trefst

New. Orleans. nov 3O-The Nicaragua Canal Con-
vention met this morning In odd Fellows Hall with
delegates present from every state and Territory IN
the Union. Tie hall decorated with Nlcaiae"ah
flags and the standards Of the forty four H'a'c>'
When the convention opened George h. converse
president Of the convention. took his seat with Gov
ernor Foster, Of Louisiana Governor Fleming Oh
Florida. and Governor Mckinley, Of Virginia. on the
platform. The proceedings were begun by the play
ing OF d" Hail Columbia and new air dedicated I"
Nicaragua President Odendah, Of the New-Orl'anS
Board Of Trade made "A speech Of welcome, AFTER
which DR.. Palmer. the wcll.Enown southern preacher
offered a prayer. Then city Attorney sullivan"
welcomed the delegates on behalf OF the Mayor.
Governor Fosters speech stirred the convention
deeply. He Is one of the most conservative men Ill
the state, and has refused. mp to the present tme
10 express any opinion upon the NicainSuan project
II gives me peculiar pleasure said the Governor
to know that IN this smnll hall is represented The
Northern patriotic satcsman'hi Of this country ana
the deliberations Of this body ought 20 and will carry
force and carncstncss 10 the mind Of the whole
country. The question OF an inter-weanc CANAL
across the 'sthmus Is longer problcmatic qIcs
lion. Its feasibility and utility Is now ACKNOWLEDGED
every where" The Governor then read the lndorS"-
mcnts and opinions OF Presidents Grant, Harrison
and Cleveland. The great question for commerce IT,
day, he said, is shorter routes bringing the pr'ucer
and consumer together, and saving them the
Of transportation This project proposes 10 briis
New orleans 1000 miles nearer to san Francisco " BY
whom shall this canal he built" asked the Governor
Ijy Americans. BY whom should it be controlled
BY Americans. Who will build and control II
Americans, Americans, Americans! The enterprise
aud genius Of American commerce will never let this
opportunity slip from Their grasp. We are living In
commercial age II America does n0t build cnnal
across the Isthmus may rest assured that the de-
Inands OF commerce will build Il. even If foreign
power has t. do il. Right within our sight lies the
wealth Of China. India Japan. Australia and The
Islands Of the Pacific But this IS not local Or
southern enterprise. II touches every section 81 tn"
country and every that shines In IN" ha-. whether
il represents the Empire State the people Of
Loui.iana.'
Mr. Converse. n responding to Governor Fosters
speech referred the Tremendous growth oi the United
state, and It's allcmbrncing producrivences. This
giant" he said "must have room to reach It's arms
out 10 India and the orient our mission Is peace" ana
we must have this intcroccanc ship canal. The
Atlantic and Pacific must DC rcnchcd. 80 that The
mouth OF the Mississippi River will be On the margin
Of the Pacific Ocean. We If the Norih have our com
mon interests with Won ~ the sOnth not only In COM
mrrce. but In the defence Of the country. Win
this canal thirty ships Of would b. worth 100
ships without IT, II Is necessary for defence. for
tho defence II the Union. not only that, but 1t
Will assist this Christian country 70 extend IL IN
finances - the direct coast 81 >Onth America ana 1"
the Far East Th, seem, to be the destiny OF Acf'a
We 10 be- the restored lsih"i SPOKEN u III INC
scriptures
After short reces Judge j. T. Jones made speech
on the diplomatic aspects Of the responsibility which
II IS proposed "a put on tAe Federal Government
Tbs speech intended 70 extent. NJ an ahs"cr
10 the criticisms II southern Democrats. Judge Jones
aid: "n.e Nicaragua Canal Will effect The productive
and Industrial Interests Of this country more han any
rr,hlen that can come before the American people
for the next century. 40 country can remain grn'
In which the people are no, made strong hy prductv"
and Industrial pursuits. Commerce Is TIC Mc-bood al
the Nation: but commerce cannot b. sustained without
markets sufficient 20 stimulate INC encrfic' 81 'Ae
people. Tie canal VIII Dilhs 10 uH 'H' "''''
kets Of oOOOOO.OOO people. II VIII double our com
merce between our Ia tern. GUT and Pacific coasts
II nill place the wheat grown on our Pacific coast
10000 miles nearer 10 Liverpool. II will place san
Francisco 10000 mlos nearer 10 N"w-iork II VIII
place Ncw.O rcans 900 miles nearer TO Hin Franc SEQ
on coast cities will Dee Influenced as The coast dc~ "i
Europe were by the ocean trade OF Tie oH'N'"
Countries
The speaker reviewed the ClaytDn-Bulwer treaty
and dwcl at length the powers aud obligations oil
the United states Government IN the matter. lie said
among other things "Nicorafua, having granted 70
the Government concessions during the administrations
Of both POLK aud Grant without results. grew urea
u the haung policy on the part "f tho Government
but sim sought 20 give control 81 the cana! 10 Amer
cans bv granting the concession 70 citizens ~ the
II the Government ever obtains control Of he canal
now II must be done by contract with this company
| understand the company f. willing I" give 70 inc
Government control Il the stock oi IN" company on any
fair and cqultnblc terms. The Committee on for.i
Relations In the senate Of tne United Ntat's ia
vesgn,od tho subject and introduced a Dill that
believe IS fair to both the Government ard - IN"
COMPANY II not let better MEASURE be presented
The subject is with Congress and the company -
settle This company the concession ana H''
expended about sG.OOO,OOO. The Government car
afford 10 deal fairly and literally with IT, lh'
public can safely rely Oh Congress ~
nrotect the Government in the contrnct
II this cnnnl BE- constructed under "oV'rhhi'h'
control 1t VIII cost less and be stocked ana Doha'u
and commerce taxed with tolls only on the cost.
If constructed b. private company ii VIII Oc ~" "e"
and bonded nj several times It's cost ana 'on,l'IIW
may by crippled by uid'nsome tolI,' ~ ,VrS -,
re-, ,onabe tolls without determination. II BY the
private company. International conplicauoh, may
under Government control. the canal VIII bc to.
mnrhnrry VII II By private company, with foreign
money ard il may le cOrstuclcd WIN iteis' l.U0
n nn },rcgn nrotcctlon necessarily follows ~"
money and might breed International complications iir
more 81 ious than anything that can arise no" VIII"
The convention al The clo.c = this speech. On mo
a' 20 ' n W. ~ Mr Ftter saG al the evening session.
arguing That The rnl,ei state shF@l lr'G c,pei VII
have l." sought for. unless our Government S''Ph
f., and aid. thc work The highest onicipl IS impt"s
Of f., cost by the most dit'ngui -lcl nrers II or
fine is IL 1000 .OOO In view + cpn'lngrnc'". hpi
fully known e. place the hghest cost at TlVlo'D'V,p
II fhc blll before Congress PASSED TO-DAY II "'nu
he three wears before tho GOvHnm"lt wouh pay ~
Interest On these sl0oopoooo Of bonds m.r, nan
~ 300 OOp annually. l"cais" not moro than -"p''''
600 could be u"c1 within that period 81 nIh"' 'hi
when the whole 9looooo0op thus provided f2r sinii
have been issrcd the annual Interest viii he bui
20 .C0OtOO- -,
The nrht .cs lon WIS opcrcl With the reading Of The
a., Cred If y. &.
RAYMOND. ~ Detroit. chairman. ). g. GA ih' 81
Alnlama. read long pap"r. giving r'h flr WY in'
canal ,houlG be- built ~ the tovcrnmcnt. and arrinc
ON the advantage, To- be- derived. william ID. tHp'll
~ the District Of Columbia sp1k" "Nlau-tvrS oi ''
work and urged the delegates 10 take decisive aci In
the matter.