The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-01-05
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.

The HERALD last week printed an ex-
haustive illustrated article in favor Of the
construction OF the proposed Nicaragua
canal by the United States. The writer,
Mr.. Sheldon, of Chicago, went to Mica
ragua as a newspaper syndicate CORE
spondent, and his views are presumably
unbiased, and HE conclusions are that
the projected artery between the two
oceans should be speedily finished. The
canal. he claims, would 30 develop our
trade with Eastern Asia that a single
ysar of that trade would exceed in vol
ume the total cost of construction. The
effect upon this coast would, in time, be
incslculable. "Its opening" he says,
twill double in value every acre Of agrl-
cultural land in California, Oregon and
Washington, and the population of these
states will be more than doubled"
Apart from the cogent considerations
the writer advances it may be said that
the canal offers the only solution of the
trsnscontiDental transportation problem
for the shippers of this coast. No freight
in bulk, like our wheat, coal and lumber,
ever finds way to the markets of the
eastern states, aud the want of market
has condnced to the pauclty OF our pcpu-
lation. The great transcontinental lines,
with that perverseness that puzzles the
mind of the ordinary lavman, insist in
tI..tr
ty rather than transport freight in train
load lots at Il rate to meet competition n
the eastern states. The canal would save
10000 miles OF the distance around Cape
Horn and enable an ordinary steamer to
20 from San Francisco to New York in
fourteen days. The exact distance oy
the canal would be 400 miles The or
binary railroad freight service by railway
consumes from seventeen to twentv-one
days. The canal line would only be
sixty per cent longer than the rail line,
This water transportation would nevita-
bly, reduce freis hts to the east, and our
iilimitable forests aud grain fields would
be in immediate demand. This state of
affairs must ultimately be of great ben
eft to the trsnscontinental railways like
Mise, Tor the local traffic resu,L.E-, from
the increase Of population and conse.
Quent growth of industries would recoup
them fourfold Tor anv losses occasioned
by reduced traffic rates. Railway com
panies long ago tested this problem by
building alongside of the Erie canal and
later by entering into competition with
the great transportation on the Missis.
slppi river. The cotton and the corn
that once foated lazily down the river to
New Orleans were DETECTED up the river
and to the markets of New York and
Europe. Whatever will employ the loco
motives of a railway system will pay the
operating expenses and rich dividends
upon the investment.
The argument sometimes advanced
that the trade OF Asia would be diverted
through the canal. depriving the mari
time states OF the Pacific coast from par
ticipating in the trade, is not tenable.
No country can prosper on the exporting
OF raw material. 1t is the manufactured
product that fosters the balance of trade.
With the opening of the canal manufac
tories will spring up on this coast with
direct reference to Asiatic trade, which
will not pay added freights for the priyi-
iege of trading with London or New York