The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-04-29
Cutting Through The Isthmus.

The Nicaraguan canal scheme has re-
ceiyed ample discussion at the hands of
the trans Mississippi congress. The over
whelming majority of sentiment appears
to be in favor of the United States govern
ment building and owning the canal
Whether that kind of work is one OF the
functions of republican government is a
question not easily answered in the af-
tirmative. by people who believe in
strict construction OF the Constitution
of the United States. But that the open
ing of water way between the two
oceans would be of vast benefit to this
country and to the whole civilized world,
there can be no question. And no one
would be interested. we should think, in
retarding such a movement unless it
might be the great trans-continental rail
roads.
An attempt is being made to revive the
Panama project. The canal concession
has been extended by the United States of
Colombia until October, 1894, aud it is
promised that if new and solid company
can be organized, as claimed by the pro-
iectors, ten years additional time viii be
granted.
This has brought Count De KERArRY,
who is at the head of the new scheme, to
this country and he hopes to raise 2OO,-
600, 900 francs to place it on its feet. One
fourth of this is offered to American
bankers and capitalists. This will leave
15O, 900, 900 francs to be raised in Europe.
Surprising guarantees for this amount
can be procured, viii that be sufficient
warrant for the investment Of SO, 900, 900
francs by American financiers? We are
inclined to think that it will not, after
the Partisan revelations of affairs under
poor, unfortunate De LEssEPs.
No doubt the old company will make
desperate efforts to keep the project alive
that some value may be left to their
assets. Bat it is not very probable that
the national credit OF France will be ad-
vanced to aid the concern, nor that
American capital will be coaxed into its
support.
The Nicaraguan route has advantages
over the Panama plan and is an American
enterprise. That will be strongly against
the success of De KERATRY's mission.
Nicaragua is five hundred miles nearer
to the United States than Panama is, and
is therefore OF that much more advantage
to our commercial interests. The natural
obstacles to the construction Of the water
way are not so formidable in the former
as IN the latter route. The depth of the
vegetable mold in the swamps of eastern
Nicaragua is but two feet, against the
fifteen to twenty feet thickness OF the
miasmatic mold on the Panama route.
And there is no such sliding mountain in
the way as binders the work in the latter.
The Nicaraguan route is certainly the
United States route and the canal ought
to be built. Whether this should be done
BY private enterprise or by government
aid and public money is a question for
statesmen to decide. The canal is ne
cessity to trade facilities and must prove
OF vast advantage to the whole CONNER
cial world. 1t ought not to be controlled
BY any European power. It should be
built and owned by Americans. The
Panama scheme is as dead as thousands OF
the laborers who succumbed to the feyers
OF the isthmus, and as the reputation Of
some Of some Of its manipulators. Mic