The age-herald., 1898-12-06
PRESIDENT MKINLEY'S MESSAGE TO THE
 SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 4 - .e-e~
Continued From Fourth Page.)

matic representation of this government in Central America, created by the associa- ton of Nicaragua, Honduras and Salvador under the title of the Greater Republic Of Central America and the delegation of their international functions to the diet thereof. While the representative character of the diet was recognized by my predecessor and has been confirmed during my administra- ton by receiving its accredited envoy and granting exequaturs to consuls commls- stoned under its authority that recognition was qualified by the distinct understand ing that the responsibility of each of the conlrarts of sovereign republics toward the United States remained wholly unaffected.
 The Proviso Was Needful
 This proviso was needful inasmuch as the compact of the three republics was at the outset an association whereby certain rep resentatives were delegated to tripartie commission, rather than federation pos sessing centralized powers of government and administration. In this view of their relation and the relation of the United States to several republics change in the representation of this country in Gen. tral America was neither recognized by the executive nor initiated by congress; thus leaving one of our envoys accredited as heretofore separately to two states of the Greater Republic Nicaragua and Salvador, and to a th'rd state, Costa Rica, which was not a party to the compact, while our other envoy was similarly accredited to the union stated as Honduras-and a non-union stated as a Guatemala. The result has been that the one presented credentials only to the president of Costa Rica, the other having been received by the govern ment of Guatemala.
 Subsequently the three associated repub- lies entered into negotiat ions for making @Ia rta ooctt In fhn f0tn al A convention of their delegates framed for them federal constitution under the name of the nited States of Central America and provided for federal government and leg islature. Upon ratification by the con- stituent states the first of November, last, was fixed for the new system to go into op- eratiod. Nitfn a few weeks thereafter, the plan was severely tested by revolution ary movements arising with the consequent demand for unity of action on the part of the military power of the federal states to SUI press them. Under this strain the new union seems to have been weakened throd h the withdrawal of its more import ant members. The government was not of- fcially advised of the installation of the federation and has maintained an attitude of friendly expectancy while in no wise re- linqu shing the position held from the out set that the responsibilities of the several states towards us remained unaltered by
 
 The Nicaragua canal commission under the captainship of Rear Admiral John Walker. appointed July A 1897, under the authority of provision in the sundry civil act of June 4 of that year has nearly com pleted It's labors. and the results of its exhaustive inquiry into the proper route, the feasibility and the cost of constructor of an inter-oceanie canal by Nicaraguan route will hc la}d before you. In the per- formance of it's task the commission re- ceiyed all possible courtesy and assistance from the governments of Nicaragua and Costa R.ca. which thus testified their appre- citation of the importance of giving d speedy and practical outcome to the sIeat project that has for so many years engrossed the attention Lf the respective countries.
 The Nicaragua Canal
 As the scope of recent inquiry embraced the whole subject with the aim of making plans and surveys for cana! by the most convenient route, it necessarily included review of the results of prev,o3s surveys and plans in particular, those adopted by the Maritime Canal company under It's ex- isting concessions from Nicaragua and Costa Rica, so that to this extent those grants necessarily held an essential part in the deliberations and conclusions of the canal commission as they have held and must need hold in the discussion of the mat ter by the congress. Under these circum- stances and in view of overtures made to the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Fica by other parties for new canal con- cession predcated on the assumed ap- preaching lapse of the contracts of the Maritime Canal company with those states I have not hesitated to express my con viction that considerations of expediency