The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-10
Japan WANTS NICARAGUA
Negotiations Upon the Sub
jeet Now Pending.
IT is AN AuDAcIoUs PLOT
The United States Is to Be Completely
Ignored-It Is Suspected That Eng
land Has a Hand in 1t.

New York, Sept. GA special to
the Herald from Washington says:
Japan, not content with an interference
in President McKinley's Hawaiian an
nexation policy, now has designs upon
the Nicarauga canal. According to
unofficial advices just received here
from Nicaragua. the Japanese govern
Ement is secretly negotiating. with the
diet of the Greater Republic of Central
America, which recently met in Saliva
dor, for the construction of the Nicara-
qua canal, independently and in def
ance of the interests of the United
States or other nations.
This action of Japan, taken in con-
nection with her recent attitude in re-
gard to Hawaiian annexation is of the
greatest significance, showing as it does
to the authorities that there is no limit
to the ambition of the nation, and that
her aggressive policy may yet get her
into trouble with the United States.
That the administration will resent
any interference with the Nicaragua
canal project as it did in the case of
the Hawaiian annexation treaty goes
without saying.
If Japan can encompass it, according
to the Nicaraguan advices received
here, she would like to obtain the abro
CATION of all treaty rights possessed by
the United States in relation to inter-
oceanic transit and the forfeiture of the
American canal concessions from Mic
aragua, and to Immediately make a
treaty with the diet of the Greater Re
public of Central American giving her
control of the route through Nicaragua.
In the negotiations Costa Rica has
not been consulted, it being we'll known
that she would not assent to violation
of treaty right. 1t has been suspected
in some quarters that England, which
has always been anxious to acquire at
least joint control of the canal, might
be working in collusion with Japan in
the ''dickering" with the diet now un-
derstood to be in progress, but nothing
has yet come to the surface to Indicate
that she has encouraged Japan in the
move.
1t is said that the agent of the Mic
aragua canal here has laid the facts be-
fore Mr.. Hitchcock, president of the
canal company in New York, with the
suggestion that the department be ap-
prised of the secret negotiations that
are now being carried on between Japan
and the diet.
Senior Zelaya, the president of Mic
aragua, it is understood, has admitted
teaclese personal friends that Japan is
now negotiating with the diet, but in
each case he advised the strictest Sec
recy.
A private letter just received in this
city from Nicaragua says:
'sAmong Americans in Central
America the belief is general that the
Greater Republic of Central America,
which is represented in diplomatic
affairs by diet composed of three
members, one each from Nicaragua,
Salvador and Honduras, was organized
principally in order that Nicaragua
might absolve herself from individual
responsibility as nation, and thereby
abrogate her interoceanic transit treaty
with the United States. The so-called
Greater Republic, resenting the failure
of the United States to recognize the
Greater Republic (receiving Senior Rod
riguez) and in failing to accredit
United States minister to the Greater
Republic, is likely to make a treaty
with Japan granting her concession
for the construction of the canal.
"The United States minister here
believes that when this news reaches
Washington the state department will
send note to Japan asking if she is
seeking to interfere with our treaty
rights in the premises. The Americans
in Nicaragua believe that the United
States government will insist that her
interoceanic treaties with Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, Honduras and Colombia are
yet in force, although the diet claims
that Nicaragua and Honduras are no
longer separate and individual nations
and are therefore irresponsible.
Although state department officials
will not admit that any official news
has come to confirm the private advices,
there are reasons for believing that the
authorities have been watching Japan's
movements in Central America with
more or less suspicion for some time
past.