The San Francisco call., 1896-03-28
Report of the Government Com
mission Scored in Telling
Words.
THERE IS NO DISADVANTAGES.
The Government Asked to Take the
Construction Under Control or
Let It Alone.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 27.-Ex-
Senator Warner Miller of New York ap-
peared before the House Commerce Com
mittee this morning and gave history OF
the Nicaragua Canal Company from its
inception down to the present time. He
said his appearance was not for the pur-
pose of advocating any Nicaragua canal
bill. After travelling extensively in Eu-
rope and the United States in an endeavor
to educate the people to the necessity OF
the enterprise he said he found that capi-
talists believed the canal ought to
be a Government affair, and that
the Government would sooner or
later take possession of it, thus
leaving no profit to the private investors.
He related these experiences to the Senate
committee and suggested that the Govern
ment guarantee the bonds of the COM
pany, and for this guarantee take stock to
the amount of $70,000,0O0 and $4,000, 600,
the company being capitalized for $780,
100000. A bill to this effect was reported
and passed the Senate. The company
now felt that they have a grievance against
the Government, because from it's action
in the matter it has become impossible to
get the money to construct the canal,
either at home or abroad.
Mr.. Miller then paid his respects to the
Government commission, which went to
Nicaragua last summer to inspect the
route of the canal. He asserted without
qualification that the movement to ap-
point the commission was made by the
enemies of the canal enterprise. He as
serted that the commission had estimated
the cost of the canal not as practical husi-
ness men, but as men who had the great
wealth of the Nation behind them. The
company, on the other hand, estimated
the cost at its lowest figure and with a
view to keeping the expense within the
limits prescribed.
While the rainfall was great, Mr.. Miller
continued, the records show that there
has never been serious flood in Nicara-
qua. No danger from floods was to be ex-
pected. Referring to the reports of the
earthquakes, he said that in the knowledge
of men there had never been shock in the
neigh borhood of the canal which would
have damaged it.
The commission criticized the surveys of
the river and lake, but these, he said, were
made by officers of the United States navy
and not in the interest of the company.
Referring to the prospects of the canal,
he said commerce sought the cheapest
route, under which conditions he thought
the canal would get much business. The
canal would develop the industries of
the Pacific Coast, especially the wheat and
lum Der. and would double in short time
the population of that section of our
country.
He assumed that 4, 900 900 tons of freight
per year would pass through the canal
shortly after its completion. At tax of
81 so ton this would give $4,000, 900 per
year. And, after further argument, he
said, in concluding. that the company felt
that the Government should now say that
it would take the work under it's control,
or say to the world that it did not intend
to enter it. This should be done in fair
ness to the company. Ii the Government
did not take it the company would go
ahead and either complete the project
or fail.