Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-25
Discussed by the International
Commercial Congress.
Strong Arguments for Both Panama
and fiicaraguan Routes.
Tas Advantages Of Each Shown and Zach
Has Warm Supporters.

Chemnitz, Germany. presided. Among
those who addressed the delegates were
j. Il. Calvo, minister from Costa Rico'
Climaco Caldwron, minister from 90
lombia. Louis l.. corea. minister from
Nicaragua; II. A. Gudger tnlteh
State consul at Panama; Henrique
! Wolff. consul general Of Bolivia; j. W.
Humphreys of Colon; VIM. Pember
Reeves Of New Zealand; Sir Horace
| Tozer Of Queensland: and J. Il. john
son of Minnesota. There was also an
open discussion on the isthmian canals
by the delegates from the United states
ana ali other countries.
Mr.. Monaghan said that once tn"
Nicaragua canal was built there would
be no question that it would be say
ing to the world equal to s40O, 900
year. suppose. then. it did cost $2oo,-
600 600: this seemed To him to be a mere
bagatelle by comparison
H. A. Gudgcr. United Staes consul %
Panama. spoke in favor Of the route
contemplated by that canal and SAID
that for more than half a century Il
had been the conceded natural way. re-
sulting in failure after the expenditure
Of many millions ana the many scan
completion Of this route on the grounds
that it was the natural course, thai
one-third Of il was already completed
ana a new company composed OF men
Of probity had taken the place Of the
old company and its scandals. In con
clusion he said:
After careful survey Of the field.
believe that the time is ripe FOR the
purchase by the United States ~ IN"
control of this canal. The terms IF the
concessions which We may obtain are
liberal and il is my opinion that the
republic of Colombia would hail with
pleasure the ownership Of this route by
the United States.
H. Sell of London. read q paper on
The New Trade Routes Of the World.
He favored the construction Of the
Panama canal. j. ". Humphreys "t
Colon. also spoke in its favor a pa
per prepared by Mr.. Wolff. consul gen
eraI Of Bolivia made a similar recon-
incubation.
At the afternoon session the Nicara
guam canal was the subject Of q paper
! read BY Or Juan j. t'lloa. consul gen
eral Of Costa Rico mt New York. and
! former vice president Of Costa RicA-
Dr. Ulloa said in paIt:
! The trip Of the Oregon during the
recent war was an object lesson which
conclusively demonstrated the com
mercial and political necessities Of the
/ canal " hich will MAKE difference "t
/ 10 600 miles in the approximation 10y sea
| Of the two coasts Of the United states
and which will also bring very much
nearer the new American possessions.
4 Hawaii the Philippines and the La
droncs.
The canal must BE- dug by the gov
crnment of the United States in prefer
ence to private enterprise. because II
viii better serve commerce ana the
general public thus One hundred and
Twenty-Five million dollars taken by
yearly installme nts will not make Uncle
Sam feel much poorer. and will IN
doubtedly be his most profitable in
vestment. because hc will succeed in
cutting down greatly the transporta-
ton ana freight rates ana will open tc
| his cuuntrymen the best markets Of
Central and South America and the
east.
The practicability of the Nicaragua
canal is beyond question. and the au-
thorities agree. with but few eXcep
tions. in their offering this route BE-
cause of the many natural advantages,
because Of the richness of the land and
because of the superiority of the eli
mate of that over Panama. The san
Juan river and Nicaragua lake diminish
considerably the land through which
excavations must be made ana the
magnificent lake is in itself valuable
acquisition.
From the report of Rear Admiral
| Walkers canal commission as we'll as
that of Col. Ludlow. it will be seen that
| the entire cost of the canal will be I'M
der 1925, 900, 900. which is small sum
when we consider the results which will
| be obtained
Mr.. Rotherham, a delegate from Mel
| bourne. say anything which would
hasten the transit of goods from one
country to the other would confer
blessings upon both the producer and
| the consumer. The politicians should
| not be allowed to stand in the way of
| this great inter oceanic canal scheme
| The merchant princes and manufactur-
| ers of America should compel the poll
| ticians to do their duty.
! In the unavoidable absence of Minis
Ter =. L. Merry OF costa Rica. his
paper on the Nicaragua canal was read
| by Francis Tracy Tobin of this city.
Mr.. Merry in summing up his paper
said: 1T is suggested that this paper
satisfactorily demonstrates the follow
| ing points:
| THAT the sanitary conditions are
| more favorable at Nicaragua than at Pa
| mama.
| "2-That the Nicaragua canal will on
the whole save greater distances
| THAT the Nicaragua route is avail.
| able for sailing vessels, while that of Pa.
| mama Is practically available only for
| steamships.
THAT the facilities for concentration
| are the most favorable at Nicaragua
| 5-That it has materials for concentra.
| ton and food supply which are lacking
| at the Panama iSthmus.
'6-That the supply of lockage water ny
| gravity Is superintendent at Nicaragua
| and doubtful at Panama.
1.-THE cost of operation will not ma
| terially differ.
| local earning capacity which cannot be
| developed at Panama.
"9-The liability to seismic disturbances
| is apparently equal.
"l0-That the strategical pos ton Of tn
Nicaragua canal in its relation to tn
United States is superior to that Of thr
| Panama route.
The paper of Climaco Calaeron. minis
ter to Colombia. was read in Spanish. II
was a strong argument in favor of the
"a m hat