The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-11-18
THE NICARAGURAN CANAL.

Just at the present time there is more
or less discussion between the relative
merits of the Nicaraguan and Panama
routes for the canal that will connect
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and
the friends of both are setting forth
their respective advantages. In the
Forum for November is paper by ex-
Senator Warner Miller, of New York,
in which he sets forth the advantages of
the former route. He claims that zone
half of the moneys wasted at Panama,
would have built the Nicaragua canal"
This is somewhat of a startling state
ment, but when it is remembered that
the commission that has been investi-
eating the matter, has estimated that
the Nicaraguan canal can be built for
1926, 600, 900, and the waste at Panama
is estimated at 1856, 600, 900, it is not SO
startling. Mr.. Miller estimates the cost
of the canal at only 800, 900, 900. but
whether his estimate is as close, as
regards the actual cost or not, is ques-
ton. He also asserts that the work
could be completed in five years.
Of course Mr.. Miller would prefer to
have the canal built by company in
which he is interested, with its bonds
guaranteed by the government. This lat
ter should never be done. 1t is expec-
ted that President Mckinley will refer
to the subject of the canal in his forth.
coming message, and it is to be hoped
he will take the advanced ground that
the government itself should build the
canal, own and operate it. The in
crease to the national debt caused by
the bonds issued to build it, would
amount to but little, and when its
benefits are considered, would not be
noticed. In fact judged by the Suez
canal, it would not only pay expenses,
but good returns upon the bonds.
Congress at its coming session ought to
take the matter up and push it to a
termination. Unless the canal is built,
the prediction of Secretary Tracy will
become true, that this country will be
obliged to support two Independent
navies or build the canal 1t does not
take much of mind to realize the
truth of this, and that the cost would
favor the canal In commenting upon
Mr.. Millers article the Chicago Inter
Ocean says:
'tMr. Miller gives some interesting
figures in reply to the practical ques-
tions which the subject suggests He
takes Shanghai, the dividing point of
the trade spheres of the Suez and
Nicaragua canals, as the base of a
highly interesting calculation. At the
present time our commerce labors under
the net disadvantage of 5000 miles in
voyages to Shanghai, as compared with
that of Liverpool This is about three
fourths the distance across the Allan
tic. But by the Nicaragua route this
disadvantage would be wholly over
come, with small margin in our favor.
With Yokohama as the base of calcu-
lation, much the same results are
reached, only our advantage would be
still greater. An advantage of between
$500 and 5000 miles would accrue to
our trade with all South American and
Mexican points on the Pacific, and it is
to be remembered that the Pacific
commerce of the southern half of the
new world is far larger than it's Allan
tic commerce.
THE truth is that ever since the
opening of the Suez canal, in 1870,
European commerce has had a great
advantage over the commerce of the
United States. In this respect Europe's
advantage has been serious handicap
to the commercial development of this
country"