The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-08
Has Been One OfIts Most Ardent
Supporters.
is NATIONS MISSION.
Great Work Which United
States Should Perform.
History Of Various Attempts to
Build the Canal.


sas, delivered an address last night be-
fore the Mercantile club on the Nicar-
aqua canal Mr.. Harris has made a
study of this problem for a number of
years and has even visited that part of
the country to satisfy his mind that
the project was feasible. He has also
been one Of its most ardent supporters
in the senate and says it is the great
work of the present century. He, how
ever, has no faith in the proposed
schemes of private corporations, which
have attempted to build a number of
canals across the isthmus and says that
the Panama canal project is not or will
not be a success.
In beginning his talk Senator Harris
said:
In my mind the proposed work of
building the Nicaragua canal is the
great work for this nation to perform.
Almost every body of men I have ever
talked with about it have been enthus-
iastically in favor of it and think it is
the only feasible plan to reach the
Orient by a shorter route.
christopher Columbus did not start
out to discover new countries when he
left Spain, but it was to find a shorter
way to the east, and for years and
years this same attempt has been made
by explorers at different times to find
some straits which would lead to the
Pacific ocean. All of the Spanish eX-
plorers attempted to find a short way
to the Orient, but, as everyone knows,
failed. Hudson and John Smith sailed
up the Hudson river, exploring, their
aim being to find a shorter route to the
east, and so the scheme is by no means
a new one. on the other hand, il is the
oldest question in the western henis-
phere."
The speaker then told of the different
attempts made to build canals across
the isthmus and of the large amount Of
money spent and even number OF
lives which were lost in attempting to
make a survey across the narrow neck
of land. Colonel Childs was the only
man to make an authentic survey
across the neck. and after the survey
was made it was by way of the Mic
ris claims is the only route. as the ca
nal can be fed from the lakes situated
about mid between the two coasts.
He says that the present Panama ca
nal project is still being carried on, but
that a cut Of about 300 feet will have
to be made through several large
mountains of almost solid rock for
distance of several miles. This cut, he
says, greatly eliminates its advantage
as a good water route.
During the senator's first term at
Washington a strong lobby was pres
emit to attempt to unload this canal
project, which is being worked by a
French corporation for $150,000,0 600. The
senate and house both were not inn
pressed with the project and neither
would have anything to do with it. As
a result the company which has the
work in charge has about abandoned
In 1886 a treaty was talked of be-
tween the United States and the
Nicaraguan government by which the
latter was to give the United States
sovereign rights to a strip OF land SIX
miles wide across the country to build
a canal The treaty was not ratified
and when President Cleveland was
elected he was very much opposed to
the scheme and mad the treaty with
drawn from both the house and senate
This offer, the senator thinks, was the
best one this country ever had. Short
ly after this treaty was turned down
by the government a New York cor
poration received concessions from the
Nicaraguan government for almost the
same strip of land for a period of years.
The company spent something over $4,-
600, 900 in its project and it is now prac-
tically abandoned, as its concession ex-
pires in October. During the sessions
of the Fifty-third and Fifty-fOurth con-
crosses the above company attempted
to get bill passed whereby the gov
eminent would guarantee its bonds to
the amount of S125 600, 900 in order that
it might finish its work.
This congress would not do and dur
ing the last session the company had a
bill before congress providing that the
government take its concessions and
appoint appraisers to place a valuation
on the work it had already done and
turn over the whole project to the gov
eminent This bill was passed in the
Other similar bills were also passed in
the senate, but were killed in the house
and as a result no definite stand has
been taken by the government in the
matter.
AS the matter now stands a company
headed by Edward F. Cragon. of Chi
cago, has secured rights from the Mica
raguan government to build across the
country, which will prevent the govern
ment from taking up the matter until
this company either releases its obIiga-
ton or can be bought off. An English
corporation has also received conces-
sions in that country and now the sit
UatiOn is incumbered with many OBJ
sta cles.
Senator Harris says that many plans
are submitted to the government for
building the proposed canal in which
the estimated cost runs from S95, 000,-
900 to $3.50, 900, 000 Even at the max
imum estimate the senator thinks the
government would profit by the under
taking, as it would not only be a great
naval advantage, but would add un-
told commercial advantages to the
southern and central portion of the
United States.
He says that one of the greatest OBJ
stacles to overcome in getting a bill
.apprOpriating money for the canal is
the opposition of the transcontinental
railways.
WANT COOPERATIVE ACTION