The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-24

short session having this object in view.
A few members with whom spoke IA
vor the annexation Of the island with
out much delay, whether a majority of
the inhabitants would favor the union
or no. These regard the conditions pre-
vailing in Cuba such as preclude any
other solution Of the difficulty that
would preserve peace and order. Mem.
bers holding these extreme views will
oubtedly be but small minority of
the house, and, however much others
may desire the annexation of the island,
they will prefer that it should take
place more in accordance with the prin-
ciples of our government and by the
wishes of the majority of its people as
expressed at the polls.
Not the least important Of the bills
to be considered at the December session
of congress is that previously introduced
recommending that government aid be
granted to the Maritime Canal company
in the prosecution of the Nicaragua
canal scheme. This company is COM
posed of American business men who
have a charter from the United States
and valuable concessions from Costa
RIGA and Nicaragua. They have already
spent some millions in surveys, sound
ings, engineering plans, telegraph lines,
the building Of wharfs, the clearing of
land, the construction of buildings, the
laying out of a railroad and the open
ing of more than mile of the canal.
The select committee of the senate
has reported favcrabIy on the bill to aid
this company in its enterprise and also
distinctly recognizes in its report that
the men who now hold the concessions
above referred to have property rights
which should be protected by the United
States in the event of any attempt on
the part of Costa Rica or Nicaragua to
deprive them of the privileges they have
under the concession. A commission of
experts appointed by our government
has reported on the practicability of the
route of the canal as laid out by the
Maritime Canal company and places the
cost of construction at $110, 600, 600.
The concession made to the company,
while it expires in October Of next year,
contains a clause providing for its re-
newal for an indefinite extension of
time should the work be sufficiently far
advanced to warrant such action on the
part of the governments granting it.
Should the bill now before congress
pass at the next session and the aid
asked for be granted the work would be
so far advanced toward completion that
the company could legally claim the
extension of the concession.
The probabilities are that the bill will
pass, but not without encountering
great opposition. In addition to those
opposed to the bill before in the house
the Maritime Canal company must count
upon the active opposition of the friends
of the recently organized Nicaragua
canal syndicate. This is composed of
body of capitalists who have obtained
sweeping concessions from the republic
of Nicaragua. The concession of the
new syndicate is to go into force when
that of the Maritime Canal company
shall expire in October of next year.
The new concession provides that the
canal shall be built in three years, and
that the work of construction must be-
gin before April 10, 1900. The profits
of the canal are to go to the new COM
pany for 1919 years, and at the end of that
period half the net proceeds are to be
paid into the treasury of Nicaragua.
Should the waterway not be completed
in three years the new canal company
agrees to connect the uncompleted wa
ter route by railway, so that there shall
be a continuous system of transportation
between the two oceans.
Should congress at the December ses-
sion grant the requisite aid to the Mari
time Canal company, the new syndicate
will find its concession of but little prao-
teal value The capitalists promoting
the scheme, it is needless to say, do not
expect such a denouement. Whether
they seriously intend to undertake the
construction of the canal or not in the
event of the other company failing in
the enterprise is difficult to determine.
When the question of aiding the Nj
caragua canal project comes up in con-
sress, whatever opposition there will be
to it will undoubtedly be on nonpartisan
grounds. The work is one of the most
important that can engage the attention
of our Legislators. 1t was commercial
necessity to the United States before.
1t is a greater commercial necessity
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