The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-14
Telephone No. &C.
THE NICARAGUA COMMISSION

The Astorian was the first paper ON the
Pacific coast to point out the fact that
Mr.. Cleveland, for some unknown reason,
was hostile TO the Nicaragua canal, and
that not only would he refuse any aid
or encouragement to the project, but
there was reason to fear, following t4ya
lines of what is now known of his Ha-
waiian policy, he might deal It some Sc
cret and treacherous blow (Which would
seriously hinder and delay the next ad-
minsstrauon from acting on the NATTER
u he did not contrive to kill the whole
enterprise outright. There can be little
Doubt that the splendid bill pending be-
fore the last congress was defeated
through Mr.. Cleveland's influence. What
the motive Of the presidents opposition
to this great American scheme is 1t would
be hard to imagine. OF course no one
would suspect him OF being corrupted in
the interests Of the great transcontinental
railroad systems, and It may be that he
is actuated merely by stubborn and ego
tistical determination to prevent the con-
struction Of the canal because he does not
believe 1t to the best interests of the
country TO have 1t built at this time.
This paper has also often insisted that IL |
II had not been for Mr.. Cleveland's with
drawal of the Brelinghuysen treaty-in |
which act ne was instigated partly by
his malicious prejudice against the Ar
thur administration, and partly by Brit
ish infiuence-the canal would now be
in operation, and under full control OF
this government. Now comes the Clncin-
natl Enquirer, one of the staunchest DEM
ocratic papers in the country, and one
published in a section of the country
where 1t has been believed there was lit
tie sympathy for the canal project, and
bears out both these contentious Of the
Historian, in the following editorial, of a
recent date.
There Is q suspicious silence regarding
the conclusions at which the Nicaragua
commission has arrived considering the
feasibility OF the Nicaragua canal. This
Is the more ominous because there can
be no possible reason for secrecy IL the
report Is to be favorable. 1t Is only when
some un-American act is to be performed
that the purposes of the administration
are so carefully concealed There Is every
reason TO believe that President Cleve-
land is hostile to american interests In
Nicaragua. From the commencement OF
pis tirst administration ne mas seemed TO
act upon an understanding with Great
Britain
Under the administration OF President
Arthur, Secretary Frelinghuysen had ne
gotiated a treaty with Nicaragua by
which strip OF territory twelve miles
In width, from ocean to ocean, In that
country, was 70 pe under tne protection
Of the United States Within that terri
tory the United States was at all times TO
protect the sovereignty or Nicaragua
against foreign interference. This treaty
was pending In the senate when MI
Cleveland came into power In 1885 Be-
fore the senate could finally act upon IT,
he withdrew It from the consideration
OF that body, and threw 1t into MS waste
basket. 1t may be that the president mas
the power to withdraw treaty nego-
tiaued by his predecessor at any time be-
fore action upon It by the senate. II he
has such power, this was an exercise OF
It distinctly hostile to the interests OF
the United States. The frivolous pr'etext
given for the act was that Mr.. Cleveland
did not approve of policy of possession
by the United States Of any interest In
any territory not contiguous to Its own
From that time to this Mr.. Cleveland
as president, and Mr.. Bayard, both as
secretary OF state and ambassador TO
Great Britain, have sustained british
policy In Nicaragua as against a unqteu
states policy. The Clayton-bupwer trea-
ty. which Great Britain has abrogated by
her fragrant violations OF 1t. is adhsred 10
by them because the British foreign once
chooses to regard 1t as binding upon the
United States, though not upon Great
Britain. -
Had the treaty negotiaueu by MT Pre-
llnghuysen been ratified the Niearasua