New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-06
ereign republics toward the United States re-

the relation of the United states 10 tne 80
REPUBLICS a change in the representation OF this
country in Central America was neither recon-
mended by the Executive nor initiated ny IN
gress thus leaving one OF our Envoy az 20 ,ba
as heretofore separately to two states OF 'he
Greater Republic. Nicaragua and SalNauor' anu
to a third State. Costa Rca. when Was ~. a
party to the compact. while our other Envoy
was similarly accredited to Union ola'e m,
duras-and a non union State-tiuateinala' ing
result has been that the one mas presg IN,
credentials only to the President of costa re- Ca
the other having been received Only ny ''
government of Guatemala ,u
subsequently the three associated repubhcs
entered into negotiations for taxing ,ne n, .ian
forecast in the original compact "A cohVehtl"n
of their delegates framed for them federa
constitution under the name OF the Ini'eu
states of Central America. and provided for
central federal government and legislature
Upon ratification by the constituent states
| November | last fixed for the new system
| TO go into operation. Within rev weeks
| thereafter the plan was severely tested 10y
| revolutionary movements arising with conse-
ouent demand for unity Of action on the part
| Of the military power OF the federal states
| RI suppress them Under this strain the new
| union seons to have been weakened through
| the withdrawal of its more important members
| This Government not officially advised of
the installation Of the federation and has main
tanned an attitude Of friendly expectancy. while
IN no wise relinquishing the position held from
the outset that the responsibilities or the several
States toward us remained unaltered by thelr
| tentative relations among themselves.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL
The Nicaragua Canal Commission. under the
Craftsmanship of Rear Admiral John G. Walker.
anpojnted July 81. 1891 under the authority OF
a provision in the Sundry Civil act of June ! OF
that wear has nearly completed its labors. and
the results Of its exhaustive inquiry into the
proper route the feasibility and the cost OF
construction Of an nteroceanic canal by Mic
araguan route will be laid before you. In the
performance of its task the Commission re-
ceived all possible courtesy and assistance from
the Governments Of Nicaragua and Costa hica
which thus testified their appreciation OF the I'M
portance Of giving a speedy and pracuca OUT
come to the great project that has Tor so many
wears engrossed the attention Of the respective
countries. ,,. ,.roood
the whole subject with the aim of making plans
and surveys for canal by the most coI'ene =,
route it necessarily included reNIe" VI wy. Az
result o. previous surveys and plans ana III
particular those adopted by the Maritime 'aha'
Company. under its existing CONCESSIONS I'oln
Nicaragua and Costa Rica, so that, 10 'hls tA
,ent those grants necessarily hold as essenta
mart in the deliberations and conclusions or the
Canal Commission, as they have held ana must
needs hold in the discussion or the matter ny
tho congress Under these circumstances ana
in view Of overtures made to the governments
IF Nicaragua and Costa Rica by other parties
for a new canal concession. predicted on the as
sumed approaching lapse OF the contracts ol thT
Maritime Canal COMPANY with these states,
have not hesitated = >press my conviction that
noreidarations of !iency and Internal iOna
motley as between the several governments IN
terested in tho construction and control OF an
jnteroceanic canal by this route require the
maintenance of the status quo until the cana
Commission shall have reported ana the Chl,eu
States Congress shall have had the opportunity
70 mass finally upon the whole matter during
the present session. without prejudice by reason
of any change in the existing CONDITIONS
DEFINITE ACTION BY CONGRESS URGED
Nevertheless 1t appears that the Government
81 Nicaragua as one Of It's last sovereign acts
before merging its powers in those or the newly
formed United States OF Central America has
granted an optional concession to another asso-
citation 10 become effective on the expiration OF
the present grant. 1t does not appear what
surveys have been made or what route is pro-
posed under this contingent grant, so that an
examination of the feasibility of its plans is
necessarily not embraced in the report OF the
Canal Commission. All these circumstances
suggest the urgency Of some definite action by
the Congress at this session if the labors of the
mast are TO be utilized and the linking of the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans by practical water
wav is TO be realized. That the constructor
of euch q maritime highway is now more tnan
evar INDISPENSABLE to that intimate and READY
intercommunication between our Eastern ana
Western sea boards demanded by the annexation
of the Hawaiian Islands and the prospective
pSiO q
Pacific and that our National policy now more
i,onerativelv than ever calls for its control by
this Government. are propositions whlch douot
not the Congress will duly appreciate ana wisely
act upon.
THE CHILEAN CLAIMS COMMISSIONS.
A convention providing for the revival OF the
Toto United states and CHILEAN Claims Commits
sion and the consideration of claims which We're
d,,I,. presented to the late Commission. but not
ocf, ho nj
limited for the duration of the Commission was
sicred Nav "a 1897. and has remained un-
acted upon by the Senate The term therein
ed Gov affecting the exchange Of ratifcations
having elapsed the convention fails unless the
,i,,e he extended by amendment. which am
endeavoring 10 bring about. WIN 'he Hle"'S
concurrence of the CHILEAN Government.
cr1,~crs IN THE CHINESE EMPIRE
Tho United States has not been an Indifferent
snectator Of the extraordinary events HahSp'i-
| ~ - tho Chinese Empire. whereby portions
| of its maritime provinces are passing uhuei '"e
| oor,ro, ~ various European Powers; but the
nrosnect that the vast commerce wmch the
| anergv ~ our citizens and the necessity OF our
stanle productions for Chinese uses nave puii'
| mn in those regions may not be pre)udiceo
| .,o,,oh ,ry exclusive treatmen. by the new
oo,nor,e has ohviated the need Of our country
Incoming an actor in the scene. our posiuoh
among nations. having large facihc coast
and a constantly expanding direct TRACE WIN
the farther orient gives us the equltaple oiaIi am
10 consideration and friendly treatment ~ .',,n
regard and II will be my aim TO supserVe our
large interests in that quarter by al means dp
propriate to the constant policy OF our |oVuin
ment The territories OF klao-o ho"' oI " =, lia
| va ord of Port Arthur and TalienWan leased
| ~ Germany Great Britain and Russia respect
| ivelv for terms Of years. will. 1t Is announces,
| he omen ia International commerce during such
auo, oncunation and if no discrmna ting treat
| ,nent Of American citizens and their trade be
| found 10 exist or be hereafter developed, 'he