Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-28
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.

anu uihlCultleS WnlCh VIII SeTlouSiy eIh- barrass any rapid construction of the work, with or without government aid.
 The people of this country are very inn patient at the delay manifested by those who have or ought to have charge of this great work. Forty years ago General Walker was president of Nicaragua, and if the United States had stood by him we would long since have seen that coun- try one of the states of this union. In that event we would have had possession of the canal to the exclusion of all the world But we let General Walker fall into the hands of a British gunboat, which delivered him to the other side for execution. It has been almost half cen tury since we hoped for the annexation of Nicaragua. The south wanted It then as one more possible slave state, to preserve the balance of power, just as Mr Calhoun and General Quitman want ed Cuba. The reason that then prevailed no longer exists, but there are graver reasons why those southern states should wish closer relations with both Nicara- qua and Cuba It is important that we should have a free market for our pro- ducts in Cuba and that we should have gateway through Nicaragua for our cot ton to China and Japan.
 If the New York Herald is correct in it's statement of the contents of the re- port of the commission, the commission have found that the natural difficulties to be overcome are very much more seri- ous than the prospectus of the canal company. would seem to indicate. The probable cost of constructing the canal is placed at $139, ,472000 which is nearly twice ss much as the estimates of the Nicaragua Canal company call for
 The report is said to advocate an ap- propriation by congress for a thorough survey, lasting eighteen months, to map out a feasible route and to thoroughly master the engineering difficulties which the proposed route presents. According to the Herald( therefore, the commission does not condemn the proposed route, but merely asks for more time to make a further examination, and estimates that the cost of constructing the canal will be considerably greater than the ear ly estimates called for.
 Before any one should permit himself to be discouraged by this alleged report he should first become fully assured that the information made public is accurate. Even should the Herald's version of the report be correct the worst that it indi- cates is that the probable cost of con- structing the canal has been underesti- mated. If success is at all probable, even at the cost mentioned by the Her aid, the expenditure of the money would be as nothing in comparison with the im- mense beneficial results which would be sure to accrue to American trade. In or der to build the canal and make a suc- cess of it the United States could readily afford to spend $200O00,0O0.
 Notwithstanding this statement of the commission MT. Warner Miller, president of the company, is inclined to think that the canal can be built for the $100, ,000, 900 asked for, but if it should cost as much as $133, ,000, ,O00 or one-third more than his estimate, it would be we'll worth the cost.
 No matter what the London report may show, it is certain that congress is in a mood to push the work through. It is not improbable that Senator Morgan and others will take issue with the Lud- low report, arguing that the time con stunned by the commission in it's investi- gation was too short for a fair comparf- son to be made between it's conclusions and the report by Civil Engineer Meno- cal and other experts, who spent months in making surveys and maps.
 Senator Mitchell of Oregon is in favor of going right on with the work of con struction, regardless of the difficulties pointed out by the commission. He says: e.. tl canal under American control whatever may be the cost and however great the obstacles may be that are in the way. I regard the project as one of the grand est that has ever been brought to the attention of congress and its completion would be of incalculable commercial val ue to the whole country, and especially. to that section which I represent in the senate My constituents are heartily in favor of pushing the work on the canal as rapidly as possible
 'I have no patience with these delays. There have been no less than eleven sur veys of this route already and there is no necessity for any further survey, un- less provisions should be made in bill providing for the construction of a canal K. I am in favor of going right ahead and constructing the canal and overcoming any obstacles that may be found in the way'
 Representative Henderson of Iowa, who will probably be chairman of the committee on appropriations in the house. says: T am in favor, and I be- lieve the people of the country generally are in favor of the construction of the canal and its operation under American control, but I believe congress will want to know where its money is going before any appropriations are made. l do not know whether I shall favor the appro- priation recommended for a new survey or not, because I have not yet looked into that question. The report of the commission is a good thing in that it will promote discussion and will help congress to get at the facts regarding the canal and its cost. Tn these times we cannot afford to make any appropria- ton unless we know exactly where the money is going.