Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-11-17
Nicaragua Canal.

While the Democratic Congress has been
chasing will-o-th -wisps through the
slough of despond, questions of pressing
have been slighted. Practical
problems, which decided Alright would
have added to the country's marvellous
attained before the Democratic
party took the helm, were neglected in the
scramble to tear down that prosperity in
order, it was supposed, to build up theo-
ries Among these pressing problems is
that pertaining to Nicaragua canal
We believe enough evidence has been had
outside the national Legislature to demon
strate the desire on the part of the major
ity of the people to have that canal built,
to have it built with American
capital and remain under American con-
troll Indeed to the average public spirited
citizen it is impossible to see how any
other policy can find support among us.
Under efficient administration the desire
of the large majority will be brought
about, though just how is likely to be
quite extensively discussed before any de-
finite plan is adopted.
In this connection 1t is of interest to
note that the Manufacturers Record has
collected and publishes about 80 letters
from United States senators and congress-
men in which they give their views as to
the government should give
financial aid to secure early construction
of the Nicaragua canal. The letters are
about equally divided between the Demo-
Gratis and the Republicans, and with only
a few exceptions take strong ground in
favor of the importance OF the canal and
of its control by the United States govern
ment, either by government construction
or by lending such financial aid to its con-
struction as will insure it's control by the
government.
Senator Sherman Of Ohio says that he
is committed to the construction of the
Nicaragua canal, and emphasizes the re-
port he made to the Senate in favor OF
government aid. Senator Walsh of Geor
gia says that the Nicaragua canal is the
greatest enterprise now before the business
world. He believes that it should be built
and controlled by the United States gov
ernment, and he adds that there is no
other great enterprise that would so GER
tainly afford new and profitable fields for
Americas S commerce. The Hon. s. f.
Payne of New York says that he cannot ex-
aggerate the Importance Of the Nicaragua
canal. 1t is of as much Importance today
as was the Pacific railroad a generation
ago. He is in favor Of such government
aid as will insure it's early completion.
The Hon. j. j. Belden of New York
thinks that the canal should be promptly
constructed by the government itself, pre-
ferring this to government aid to cor
poration. William F. Draper of Massa-
chusetts favors the outright building of
the canal by the government if suitable
arrangements can be made, and if not,
he thinks that it should be done by gov
crnment aid to a private enterprise Sena-
tor Allison Of Iowa thinks that it should
either be built by the government or by
such government aid as will give the
United States control of its management.
j. H. Walker of Massachusetts believes in
taking every honorable measure that good
Judgment approves to secure the imme-
date construction of the canal. He favols
a government loan of 75 per cent. for a
corporation that shall construct the canal,
and If this should eventually result in the
government coming into possession of
the canal, he believes its pecuniary advan-
tage would be more than double its cost.
Charles H. Morgan of Missouri thinks
it folly to construct the canal while we
continue 'the wicked tariff restrictions
upon our trade" c. H. Grosvenor OF
Ohio says that he is in favor of the com.
pletion of the canal by the United States
and has always voted in that direction and