The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-06
TRADES NEW ROUTE.
Congressman Realize Import
ance Of Nicaragua Canal.
MR.. ooollTTLE's RESOLUTION.
washingtep. Which Would BE I'm
msnseiy Helped by the Canal. 10
Advocating It

The favorable report which Representative
Doolitsie has obtained from the house
committee on interstate and foreign COM
meree will quite likely result in the passage
of his Joint resolution for a committee Of
three senators and six representatives. to
proceed 10 Greytoxn. on the Eastern coast
of Nicaragua, and thence over the line OF
the Nicaragua canal As surveyed. for the
purpose of obtaining information relative
10 what progress has been made in con-
struesion. the present status OF the work.
and such other information IS may be de-
sirable to enable congress TO inteiIigently
pass upon the merits of the plan TO lend
government aid 10 this enterprise.
The com nittee did not need much time
10 decide upon this resolution, and were
unanimous in their Recommendation for
Its passage. Almost from the time when
the committee first met. in the opening
days of the extra session. il has had under
consideration the whole subject of the
Nicaragua canal Every source of in
formation has been drawn upon. and just
before its report was made . special hear
ing was given Mr.. Doolittle's resolution.
Senators and representatives. from widely
different localities were present. each rep
resenting widely different interests and
equally divergent political views. and yet,
remarkable to say, all presented practic-
ally the same sentiments upon and argu-
ments in favor Of the completion of this
great work.
Chairman Wise states that the entire
committee is of one mind; that the con-
struction OF the Nicaragua canal is of
prime importance to the commerce. for.
eign and domestic, of the United States.
and that this canal. once in operation, will
open up to that commerce opportunities
as practical as they are splendid. He also
believes that this waterway would tend to
solve the burning question OF foreign
market for home production as much or
more than any regulation or reformation
OF the tariff laws that now have or ever
can be devised.
While Mr.. Wise does not wish to be IN
derstood as committing himself to q doc
trine Of paternalism in government he
thinks that one of the best arguments
offered before the committee was that an
opportunity would be at once afforded to
thousands of stalwart mechanics and
laboring men who have been thrust by
existing threatening conditions ont of the
workshops of the land and while seeking
work are absolutely unable to obtain it.
Another argument advanced before the
committee was relative TO the superior ad-
vantages enjoyed at the present time BY
the United States greatest rival in trade,
England. When that nation aided in
building the Suez canal it did so simply
for the reason that it saved her ships
voyage fully 5000 miles in their voyages
to China, Japan and Australia. At the
same time England acquired an advantage
over the United States in trade with these
countries of over 1900 miles. Should the
Nicaragua canal be built the great manu-.
featuring and shipping centers of the At
lantic coast will be as near to Hongkong
as Liverpool now is, /. 200 miles nearer Iii
the northern ports of China, 1900 miles
nearer to Japan. 1000 miles nearer Aus
tralia. and 9. 200 miles nearer the western
ports of South America.
When Senator Frye delivered a speech
in the senate last February upon the sub
ject of the Nicaragua canal he set forth
somewhat similar facts. and also pointed
out that the shortened route so obtained
would bring the United States into supe-
rior and dominating contact with China,
Japan, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand,
Hawaii. Ecuador. Bolivia, Peru, Chile, etc.
According TO unquestionable information
which the senator had gathered, these
states have 800, 000, 900 people within their
borders, possessing a commerce of over
81, 200. 000, 900 annually, ever expanding
and now in the throes of an active multi
plication. They need, for interior use and
development, locomotives, cars, steel rails
many forms of iron, cotton and the cheaper
manufactures of il, coal (2,O0o, coo ton.
merely for the ships that Will pass through
the canaD and much else. whether raw OF
manufactured, that We can produce a.
cheaply as or more cheaply than England
| which she sells them in dominating pro
! portion that might be ours for the grasp
| ing-grasping by our short line. Nicaragua
| as agains, Engiand's long line, the Suei
| canal"
Even the ships of England, while they
| could not hone TO compete in time with
| those of the United States. would save b.
| the Nicaragua route 1.20o miles on tn,
voyage 10 Hongkong. 1900 miles 10 Japan
| 5000 miles to the Sandwich islands ane
| over 1000 miles to San Francisco auS
| Puget sound. 1t will be readily seen
| therefore. that no small part OF the com
| merce that will pass through the Nicara
qua canal as soon as it is completed vii
| come from England and other countries o
| Europe.
| ROW TIRE PACIFIC COAST rs INTERESTED
| The committee in making their report |;
| the house on Mr.. Doohttie's resolution
| quote in support thereof at some lengt1
| from Senator Frye's remarks That DO,
| ton relating to the Pacific coast is of IS
| peciaI interest, and IS considered one O
| the strongest arguments that has been O
! can be in the future advanced in behalf Q
| this enterprise.
"The benefits of this canal tn our dome:
tic com merce must be even greater tha
! ~ our foreign. Today the products of III
| East seek the great states of California
| Oregon and Washington. and Of the Wes,
| the Atlantic ports through the transcon
| iinental railroads, subject TO a freigh
! charge Of from So TO $50 ton: or h
| steamer. through the strait of Magellan
/ at a rate of $40 N si2 ton, or by sal
/ around the Horn Nov the time betw eel
I New York and san Francisco for freigh
! nv rail - from fifteen To twenty DAYS
senator FELTON, saws longer. from twenty
i've 10 thirty days; hy steamer, forty-fiv
10 fifty days: BY sail. from no 10 10 day,
When The canal is com pletei the Iengtl
| OF the voyage between the same points b
steam vii be reduced 10 eighteen o
twenty days: By sail. 10 thirty or fort
! DAYS, with a reduction Of about one nirJ
on freight charges. san Francisco, RI
! mouth OF the Columbia river and Page
sound will be more than I0.6o0 mile
nearer Nes York than nox. 1000 mile
nearer our Gulf ports: by water. too. xher'
the cost Of freight carriage IL about one
hfth of that by rail.
Remember, too. that The cost Of freizh: