The herald., 1898-12-06

| The years events in Central America
deserve more than passing mention.
menacing rupture between Costa hica
and Nicaragua was happily composed py the
signature of convention between the par
ties with the concurrence of the Guatamalan
representative as a mediator, the act being
negotiated and signed on board the United
States steamer Alert, then lying In central
American waters. 1t is believed that the
good offices of our envoy and the command
er of that vessel contributed to that graft
| flying outcome
In my last message the situation was pre-
sented with respect to the diplomatic rep,
resentation of this government IN Central
America, created by the association OF Nc
aragua, Honduras and Salvador, under the
title of the Greater Republic of Central
America and the delegation of their inter
national functions to the diet thereof. While
the representative character of the diet was
recognized by my predecessor and has been
confirmed during my administration by re-
ceiving its accredited envoy and granting
exequaturs to consuls coming under ITS au-
thority, that recognition was qualified by
the distinct understanding that the re-
sponsibility of each OF the component SOW.
ereigns toward the United States remained
wholly unaffected.
This provision was needful inasmuch as
the compact of the three republics was at
the outset an association whereby certain
| representative functions were delegated TO
tripartite commission, rather than led
Grafton possessing centralized powers OF gov
eminent and the administration.
| In this view of the relation of the United
States to the several republics, change in
| the representation of this country IN Cen
| tral America was either recommended by
the executive or initiated by Congress, thus
leaving one of our ENJOYS accredited as here
tofore separately to two states OF the Great
er Republic, Nicaragua and Salvador, and to
a third state, Costa Rica, which was not a
party to the compact, while our other envoy
was similarly accredited to the Union States,
as Honduras-and a non-union state, as
Guatemala The result has been that one
has presented credentials only to the Presl
dent of Costa Rica, the other having been
received by the government OF Guatemala.
Subsequently the three associated re-
publics entered into negotiations TOR making
| the steps forecasted i'll original compact. A
convention of their delegates framed for
| them a federal constitution under the name
of the United States of Central America,
and provided for central federal govern
ment and legislature. Upon ratification by
constituent states. the first of November
| last was fixed for the new system to go INTO
operation Within few weeks thereafter
the plan was severely tested by revolution
ary movements arising with consequent
demand for unity of action on the part OF
the military power OF the federal states to
suppress them. Under this strain, the new
union seems to have been weakened through
the withdrawal of its more important mem
| bers This government was not officially
| advised of the installation OF the federation
and has maintained an attitude OF friendly
expectancy, while in no wise relinqWshlng
the position held from the outset, that the
responsibilities OF the several states toward
us remained unaltered by their tentative
relations among themselves.
THE ISTHMUS CANAL
The Nicaragua Canal Commission, under
the championship of Rear Admiral John g.
| Walker, appointed July "a, 1897. under the
| authority of a provision in the sundry cIvil
act of June 4 OF that year, has nearly com
pleted its labors and the results of its ex
haustive inquiry into the proper route, the
Feasibility and the cost OF construction of an
interoceanic canal by Nicaraguan route
will be laid before you. In the performance
of its work the commission received all pos
sibe courtesy and assistance from the gov
ernments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica
which thus testified their appreciation OF tn,
Importance of giving speedy and practica
outcome to the project that has for SO man!
years engrossed the attention of the respec
| tive countries.
As the scope of recent inquiry embraced
the whole subject, with the aim Of maxim:
plans and surveys for a canal by the most
| convenient route, it necessarily included
a review of the results of previous surveys
and plans, and in particular those adopted
bv the Maritime Canal Company under it'
existing concessions from Nicaragua and
Costa Rca, so that to this extent thest
grants necessarily held an essential part ir
| the deliberations and conclusions OF the cana
commission, as they have held, and must
| needs hold, in the discussion of the matter
by Congress- Under these circumstances
and in view of overtures made to the govern
ments OF Nicaragua and Costa Rica by 9th
er parties for a new canal concession predi
Gated on the assumed lapse of the contracts
of the Maritime Canal Company with thos
States. | have not hesitated to express m,
conviction that considerations OF expedienc,
and international policy, as between the sew
| eral governments interested in the construc
ton and control of an interoccanic caal b!
this route, require the maintenance of thu
status quo, until the canal commission shal
have reported and the United States Con
gress shall have had the opportunity to pas
finally upon the whole matter during tn,
present session without prejudice by reason
OF any change in the existing conditions.
Nevertheless, it appears that the govern
ment of Nicaragua as one of its last sovereign
acts before merging its powers in those o
the newly formed United States of Contra
America. has granted an optional concession
to another association, to become effectV
on the expiration of the present grant. ]
does not appear what surveys have beel
made or what route is proposed under thi
contingent granted, so that an examination
of the feasibility of its plans is necessaril
not embraced in the report OF the cana
commission. All these circumstances sugges
i the urgency of some definite action by tn
/ Congress at this session if the laborS of tn
past are to be utilized and the linking @
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by praC
tical waterway are to be realized Tha
the construction of such a maritime highwa
is now more than ever indispensable to tina
intimate and ready interc communication be
tween our Eastern and Western seaboard
demanded by the annexation of the Hawaia
Islands and the prospective expansion of ou
influence and commerce to the Pacific, an
that our national policy now more impera
lively than ever calls for its control by thi
government, are propositions which | douh
not the Congress will duly appreciate an
wisely act upon.
A convention providing for the revival c
the late United States and Chilean claim
commission and the consideration of claim
Which were duly presented to the late con
mission, but not considered because of th
expiration of the time limited for the dur;
ton OF the commission, were signed May 2
on by the Senate. The teri
therein fixed for effecting the lie,
islation of ratification having lapsed, tn
convention falls unless the time be extent
ed by amendment, which am endeavoIin
to bring about, with the friendly concurrent