The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-28
Crisis in Relation to Mica
ragua Project.
Why Great Britain is Opposed
to the Enterprise.
Drink Question in Congress- Efforts
of Temperance People.

WAShlNuIoN, JAN 2S. - Special. -
Among the important foreign matters
which President Mckinley will probably
have to attend TO Is the negotiation OF n
new treaty between this country and Mica.
ragua and Costa Rica with n view TO the
construction of the Nicaragua canal. There
arrived In Washington - few weeks ago
Minister Rodriguez, rep<S Scnting the new
ly formed "Grcatcr Republic of Central
America, " composed OF Nicaragua. Hon.
duras and salvador He was recognized
by the president and has already distin.
guishcd himself in the field of diplomacy.
He sent letter to the state department.
and through Secretary Olney to the senate
and the country, In which he hit the Mica
ragua canal schemeas 1t Is now pending in
congress very hard blow He pointed out
that the concession of the present canal
company had virtually lapscd through fail.
ure to comply with the requirements of the
contract made with the government of Mic.
aragua.
A Crisis at Hand.
The country is therefore brought 70 q
crisis in its relations to the Nicaragua On.
nal enterprise. The people Of Nicaragua
are apparently dissatisfied with the present
company. They have waited a long timo
| Tor iulilllment of the promises and obliga.
| tions OF that company and for the canal
which was 10 be built SO quickly, and their
| patience Is exhausted. They now propose
10 stand upon their rights. They are tired
Oh dealing with the ineffective company.
ana they want TO treat directly with tho
United States government. They want the
canal constructed, above all things, and
they think it can be done only by the
United States directly, without the inter
yention of company. In this their opin.
ion comedies with that of many prominent
public men in this country.
There can be no doubt that popular sen.
tlmcnt In the United States is i'm favor of
construction of the Nicaragua canal. But
there is widespread feeling that the gov.
ernment should build the canal directly
through It's own officers and not through n |
company The people do not want another |
Pacific railway job on their hands. They |
want no more Credit Mobilier scandals. |
While the present company appears TO be |
composed of honorable men, there arc |
many senator's and representatives who
think the principle bad ono. They object |
TO lending the credit of tho United States |
TO what Is primarily n private enterprise.
III the thing Is worth doing at all, they
say, 1t Is worth doing directly by the ma.
tion. For these reasons the probabilities
are that an effort will be made under the
Mckinley administration TO secure treaties
with Nicaragua and Costa Rica through
which the United States can go ahead and
build the canal. Senator Morgan and 9th.
ers think the general arbitration treaty
with Great Britain may prejudice our in
terests In tho canal, but state department
officials tell mo there is no danger of this.
Great Britain's Position.
Great Britain is not much in favor OF
the canal The reason IL obvious. II would
add more To the commercial activity of the |
United states in the western hemisphere
and increase the naval advantages of this
country. While the canal would have TO |
be perfectly neutral, though we were to
build it with our own money, we could
never hope to gain the consent of the ma
tons to placing Notifications upon it, While
we should not have tho right to do as wo
liked with our own and charge higher rates
OF tolls To the ships of foreign countries
Than were paid by our own vessels, Great
Britain fears the commercial effects of the
opening up of this great highway. The
ruth about it appears TO be, the British
ire Indifferent. The officials of our state {
|
'cheming 10 gain any advantage in Mica s
aqua through the arbitration treaty or 9th. s
'rwise.
Cablegrams from London tell us that the J
louse Of commons is having n great deal Q
II excitement over the discovery that lia-
lor Is sold in Westminster 1t is contrary
o law, and there is great ado about 1t
mong the temperance people But as the r
members OF the house of commons do not
ropose To give up their toddy, there is no
1ay out OF 10 save to license the hars at o
which they get their drinks 1t is awk- u
Tard to call public attention 10 tho pres
nee OF drinking saloons in the lobbies of y
no houses OF parliament, but any one who y
nows the bibulous habits OF English pub q
C men may easily imagine they are not d
DING &c reform themselves with any sur
rising suddcnness.
From the Sublime tn the Ridiculous.
key. Wilbur +. Crafts, who has promoted al
ie efforts recently made To suppress drink "a
" I'm the house OF representatives here IS
nj In the senate, tells me the temperance W
'oplc arc making concerted effort TO &C
op inc rum traffic in every national and ct
ate legislature In the world They have pi
far succeeded in New Zealand and in at
lnada. They arc making desperate Of 70
rt in London and i'm Washington. as well I'll
In many sta< capitals I'm the United 81
ates. AS wrote you somc time ago. the N
'usc OF representatives hero passed bill ci
the sale of liquor in the restau- m
mt underneath the house, but the senate ~
- 10 agree before the bill can become DC
W. 10 was rather cowardly I'm the mem tii
rs OF tho house 20 do this unless they In
ere In earnest, for they must have known TIC
senate would not agree. Tho senate al nj
ady has rule forbidding the sale of llq-
r IN it's restaurant, but there IL no pen.
y Tor violation of the rule, and no one
ms willing 10 enforce It, mo
illustrated journalism ia the fad Of tho en-
ne. Most Of the readers OF this dispatch g.
e probably aware of the extent 10 which ba
'ropolitan daily papers now usc pictures "a,
cmhollish their pages, but doubt if any II
cNlll bc prepared to believe that there Is n,
inglc newspaper establishment I'm New an,
'rk city which has in its employ 90 art io,
Nff ftfh A.. st...F a. l.