The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-10-26
THEISTHMIAN CANAL
The Two Routes Discussed In
Commercial Congress.
THE UNITED STATES MUST BUILD,
A Route which VIII Bring the T,yo
Coasts of This Nntion Nearer
by Ten Thousand Miles
n Necessity.

PHILADELPHlA, Oct. 25.--At the
morning meeting of the commercial con.
gress yesterday III. A. Gudgcr. United
States consul at Panama, spoke in favor
OF the route contemplated by that canal
ana SAID that for more than half cen
tury 1t had been the conceded natural
way, resulting in failure after the eX-
penditure of many millions and the many
scandals connected with il. lie favored
the completion of the same route on the
ground that it is the natural course, that
one-third of ii is already completed and
a new company composed of men of pro-
pity has taken the place of the old COM
pany and its scandals. In conclusion he
said;
After careful survey of the field
believe that the time is ripe for the pur-
chase by the United States of the con-
troll of this canal. The terms of the con
cessions which we may obtain are liberal,
and 1T is my opinion that the republic of
Colombia would hail with pleasure the
ownership Of this route by the United
States"
III. Sell of London read paper on
THE New Trade Routes of the World"
lie favored the construction of the Pan
anna canal j. w. Humphrics of Colon
also spoke in its favor. \ paper pre-
pared by Enrique Wulif. consul general
of Bolivia, made n similar recommpnda-
tion.
The congress then took n recess
ut the afternoon session the Nicara-
qua canal was the subject of paper
read by DIR. Juan j. Ullua, consul gen
eral of Costa Rica at New York and
former vice president of Costa Rca. DR..
Ulloa said in part:
"The trip of the Oregon during the re.
cent war was an object lesson which CON
clusively demonstrated the commercial
and political necessities of the canal
which will make difference of 10000
miles in the approximation by sea of the
two coasts of the United States and
which will also bring very much nearer
the new American possessions of Ha-
waii, the Philippines and the Ladrones.
"Thc canal must be dug by the govern
mcnt of the United States in preference
to private enterprise because il will bet
ter serve commerce and the general pub
lie thus. One hundred and twenty-five
million dollars taken by yearly Install
ments will not make Uncle Sam feel
much poorer and will undoubtedly be his
most profitable investment because he
will succeed in cutting down greatly the
transportation and freight rates and will
open to his countrymen the best markets
of Central and South America and the
east. The practicability of the Nicara-
qua canal is beyond question, and the
authorities agree with but few eXcep-
tions in preferring this route because of
the many natural advantages.
From the report of Rear Admiral Walk
er's canal commission, as well as that of
Colonel Ludlow it will be seen that the
entire cost of the canal will be under
S135, ,OO0,0 900. which is small sum when
we consider the results which will be OBJ
tained.'
Mr.. Rotterdam, a delegate from Mel
bourne, said anything which would has
ten the transit of goods from one country
to the other would confer blessings upon
both the producer and the consumer.
Uncle Sam is getting along little late
as a land grabber compared with the ac-
tivity of his progenitor. But he is just
now beginning to catch up, and he should
hurry up in the question of connecting
his new acquisitions in the east with his
states in the west.