New-York tribune., 1899-06-15
OPPOSITION TO THE CANAL.

Professor Haupt's prompt reputation or MS
alleged criticisms Of the Commission, or or the
appointment of the Commission. of which he Is
q member disposes of that incident in accord
apce with the expectation of all judicious OBJ
servers. There remains what existed long be-
fore namely the fact that various interests
omen and secret are persistently at work in OPP
position to the sthman canal Some are
against any canal al all. because they want to
keep a monopoly of transcontnental business
for the railroads. or want to protect the Suez
Canal from competitor in Oriental shipping.
Some are opposed to the Nicaragua route be-
cause they are interested in the dismal failure
AT Panama. And some are opposed to 1t on the
general principle Of opposing everything that
anybody else favors. Among them they nave
managed to delay the performance of n work OF
the highest importance to this Nation ana OF IN
calculable value TO the whole commercial world
We do not wonder at the desire OF the Coom-
bans and also Of many men in France. to have
Nicaragua abandoned in favor of Panama. Co
lombia one of the richest and also one OF the
worst governed countries on the face or the
globe wants the canal cut through her territory
because she gets certain revenue every year
as long as the work of construction is in prog
ross and because the completion of the canal
wonId bring vast commerce and wealth in'o her
borders Frencbmen would like the Panama
scheme to be carried out, because they have in
vested untold millions in it and do not want TO
lose them Moreover. II would greatly suit their
book TO have the United States furnish money
for a canal which should be under French CON
troll. as II is settled that any Panama canal Will
be- But those motives do not greatly appeal TO
thoughtful Americans. Neither are Americans
to be deluded with the amazing reports of prog
rcss made nj Panama. No doubt a lot OF eXca-
waiting IS being done. 1t is easy TO make great
showing on paper. by digging off the soft sur
face earth in spots, and leaving the rock un-
touched But that Is not the way In which
canal is to be completed. nor in which sensible
men are 10 be persuaded TO invest their money
In the scheme.
Neither are men TO be scared with ghost
stories about the impossibility of making the
Nicaragua Canal pay. They heard that sort OF
talk years ago about the Suez Canal. The Suez
Canal cost S10OOOO00O. and is now paying
50. 100000 a year net profits. The Nicaragua
Canal will probably cost little more, perhaps
onc-fourth more 1t will not be long before ii
IS equally profitable. The Suez Canal saves a
distance of less than 5000 miles. The Nicara-
qua Canal will save more than 300 miles. The
Suez Canal finds its chief business ip providing
means of communication between a nation OF
less than 40. .OO0.O and the countries OF Eastern
and Southern Asia. The Nicaragua Canal will
be a highway between the two coasts of a ma
ton of more than 75.000.0O0, and between that
nation and those same lands of Asia. And we
are not at all that it will not be great deal
more than that. The distance from England to
Japan by way Of Suez Is not so much shorter
than by way of Nicaragua. and 1t is conceiva-
bic that In some circumstances the latter route
might be the preferable one. That, however. Is
not the chief point. The chief point is that the
United States needs a canal II needs II at Mic
aragua. II needs II under its own control And
it needs it Just rs soon as 1t can be constructed.