The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-23

ity, Mr.. Ross CoLQuuoUr, In that In two
years after its opening the net income will
be about $4,000, 900, or 9 per cant. on
the $3.50, 900, 900 which he thinks II will
cost, there is nothing discouraging In the
figures Of our own experts.
It will be recalled that these Government
experts, sent out TO gather information for
Congress, found that the time and the re.
sources at their disposal did not allow them
to complete their work. At one or two points
prolonged tests were required to determine
whether the existing plan Of the canal Is
practicable at all. Such a pivotal point, for
example, was at the Ochoa dam, and the
question OF the approaches to the canal was
also Important. The engineers therefore
advised Congress to send to Nicaragua an
other commission with ample resources to
make clear whatever remained In doubt.
Had that advice been followed, we should
probably be a whole year nearer to the con-
struction Of the canal to-day. But the i'm.
patience Of some Of its more ardent friends
could not brook this delay, and. being conf.
lent that the proposed investigation would
result favorably, they tried to dispense with
II and to force the project through at once.
The result was that both the bill to author
lie the canal and the project to make the
preliminary survey fell to the ground.
Now the question is, whether that expert
ence Is to be repeated. 1t may be said that
the recent protest Of Nicaragua renders ad-
visable negotiations with her and Costa
RIGA, before finishing the examination
which the Government, as q proposed pur-
chaser Of the canal, should make But
while the arrangements with those
tries can be made at any time, since they
have everything to gain from a canal, the
engineering problem will require, according
to the experts, two successive rainy seasons
for Its examination, besides work involving
perhaps a quarter of a million Of dollars.
1t seems to us Of the highest practical
Importance, therefore, that this last should
be provided for forthwith. The friends Of
the project need not fear the investigation,
although some OF them think 1t needless.
That, however, might so appear to the COM
pany which Is to sell the enterprise, and
yet not to the Government which 10 to pur-
chase 1t. The prodigious losses resulting
from the way in which the Panama Canal
was undertaken would alone counsel due
care for the interests Of the people, SO that
the Government may be sure that 1t has
found the right plan before going ahead.
As to the objection based on laying out 80
large a sum In a mere preliminary investi-
CATION, 1t is enough to say that a still larger
outlay would be justified for a project from
which such great benefits may be expected
to flow. II the purchase is effected, every
dollar Of it will have been we'll laid out,
and tens of millions may be saved by adopt
ing the best plans. We have already lost a
year by not adopting common sense views
In this matter, INT Congress should take
care not to throw away another year now.
An item for the appointment Of a new com-
mission, which would be intrusted to
President MCKINLEY, could be inserted in
one of the great appropriation bills which
remain to be passed.