The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-12-15

provision in the Sundry civil act or June 4,
of that year, has nearly completed its
labors, and the results of its exhaustive
inquiry into the proper route, the feasibil-
ity and the cost of construction of an in
teroceanic canal by the Nicaragua route,
will be laid before you. In the perform
ance of it's work the commission received
all possible courtesy and assistance from
the governments of Nicaragua and Costa
RIGA, which thus testified their apprecia-
ton of the Importance of giving a speedy
and practical outcome of the project that
has for so many years engrossed the at
tention of the respective countries.
AS the scope of recent inquiry embraced
the whole subject with the aim OF making
plans and surveys for a canal by the most
convenient route, 1t necessarily included
a review OF the results of previous sur
veys and plans, and in particular those
adopted by the Maritime Canal Company
under it's existing concessions from Mica
ragua and Costa Rica, so that to this ex-
tent these grants necessarily held an es-
sential part in the deliberations and con-
illusions of the canal commission as they
have held and must needs hold In the dis
cussion of the matter by congress I'm
der these circumstances, and in view Of
overtures made to the governments of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica by other par
ties for new canal concession predicated
on the assumed approaching lapse of the
contracts Of the Maritime Canal Company
with those states 1 have not hesitated to
express my convictions that considerations
of expediency and international policy, as
between the several governments inter-
ested in the construction and control of
an interoceanic canal by this route re-
quire the maintenance of the status quo
until the canal commission shall have re-
ported and the United States congress
shall 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 condi-
lions.
Nevertheless, 1t appears that the gov
eminent of Nicaragua, as one Of its last
sovereign acts before merging its pow
ers in those Of the newly formed United
States of Central America, has granted an
optional concession to another association
| to become effective on the expiration of
the, present grant. It does not appear
that surveys have been made or what
route is proposed under this concession,
so that an examination of the feasibility
of it's plans is necessarily not embraced
in the report of the canal commission.
All these circumstances suggest the ur-
gency Of some definite action by congress
at this session If the labors of the past
are to be utilized and the linking Of the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans by practical
waterway Is to be realized. That the
construction of such a maritime highway
| Is now more than ever Indispensable to
that intimate and ready intercommuni-
cation between our eastern and western
seaboards demanded by the annexation
of the Hawaiian islands and the prospec-
tive expansion of our influence and COM
MERGE to the Pacific, and that our national
policy now more imperatively than ever
calls for it's control by this government
are propositions which doubt not con-
gress will duly appreciate and. wisely act
upon.
The Paris Exposition.
There is now every prospect that. the
| participation of the United States in the
universal exposition to be held In Paris
in 1900 will be on scale commensurate
with the advanced position held by our
products and Industries in the worlds
chief marts The preliminary report Of
Moses p. Handy, who. under the act
approved July 10, 1897, was appointed
special commissioner with a view of Sc
curing all attainable information neces-
| sary to full and complete understanding
by congress in regard to the participation
by this government In the Paris exposi-
|. ton, was laid before you by my message
of December 6, 1897. and shows the large
| opportunities to make known our national
| progress in art, science and manufac-
| lures, as well as the urgent need of i'm
| mediate and adequate provision TO enable
| due advantage thereof to be taken Mr..
| Handy's death soon afterward rendered
| it necessary for another to take up and
| complete his unfinished work, and Janu-
| airy II last, Mr.. Thomas w. Cridler, third
assistant secretary Of state, was desig-
mated to fulfill that task. His report was
| laid before you by my message Of June
| IA, 1898 with the gratifying result OF
awakening renewed interest In the pro-
| jected display.
Trade Relations With France and
Germany.
| The commercial arrangements MADE
with France on May g. 1898, under the
provisions of section g. Of the tarin act
| of 1897, went into effect on June l follow
| ing. 1t has relieved portion OF our ex-
| port trade from serious embarrassment
| Further negotiations are now pending
under section of the same act, with a
view to the increase of trade. between
! the two countries to their mutual ad-
vantage. Negotiations with other govern
ments, in part interrupted by the war
| with Spain, are in progress under potn
sections of the tariff act. hope to pc
able to announce some of the results OF
| these negotiations during the present ses-
sion of congress.
. ,,,r ON nm m 4 w AII