The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-05

the sundry civil act Of June 4 of that
year has nearly completed its labors,
ana the results of its exhaustive in
curry INTO the proper route, the feasible
lty, and the cost of construction of an
1nteroceanic canal by Nicaraguan
route, viii be laid before YOU In the
performance of its task the commission
received all possible courtesy and as
S1stance from the governments of Mica
faSua ana Costa Rfca, which thus test
ned their appreciation of the import
ance of giving a speedy and practical
outcome to the great project that has
for so many years engrossed the atteu-
ton of the respective countries
As the scope of the recent inquiry en-
braced the whole subject with the aim
by the most Convenient route. It neces ,sllI,l
lily included a review of the results of pre-
those adopted by the Maritime Canal com
pany under its existing concessions from
extent their grants necessarily held an es-
sentiai part in the deliberations and con-
have held and must needs hold in the dis
eussion of the matter by congress. In
caragua ana Costa Rics bv oiber n ~
for q new canal concession predicated on
the assumed approaching lapse of the con-
tracts of the Maritime Canal company
with those states, I have not hesitated to
express my conviction that considerations
of eXpediency and international policy. as
between the several governments inter
ested in the construction and control or
an inter-oceanic canal nv this route re-
Quire the maintenance of the status quo
until the canal commission shall have
ported and the United States congress
snail have had the opportunity to pass
finally upon the whole matter during The
present session, without prejudice by rea-
son OF any change in the existing coudi-
Nevertheless. it appears that the govern
ment OF Nicaragua. as one of its last SOW
erelgn acts before merging its powers IN
to those OF the newly formed United States
OF Central America, has granted an OPP
t1Onal concession to another association 10
become effective on the expiration of the
present grant. 1t does not appear what
surveys have been made or what route is
proposed under this contingent grant, 50
that an eEamina ton Of the feasibility nf
its plan is necessarily not embraced in the
report of the canal commission All these
circumstance suggest the urgency of soma
definite action by the congress at this
utilized and the linking of the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans by a practical water
way is to be realized. That the cOnstruc-
ton of such a maritime highway is now
more than ever Indispensable TO that in
innate and ready inter-eommunication be-
tween our eastern and western sea boards
demanded by the annexation of the Ha-
waiian islands and the prospective expan-
sion of our influence and commerce to the
Pacific, and that our national policy now
construction by this government are prop
oSitons which ] doubt not the congress
will duly appreciate and wisely act upon.
A convention providing for the revival
of the late United States and Chile claims
commission and the consideration of
claims which were duly presented to the
late commission but not considered be
cause OF the eXp1ra ton OF the time limit
ed for the duration of the commission was
signed May "a 1897, and has remained uf.-
therein fixed for effecting the ratification
of terms having elapsed, the convention
falls unless the time be extended By
bringing about with friendly concurrence
by the Gillian government.