The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-25
SHOULD BUY
PANAMA CANAL
GudgeTs Speech Before CON-
neTcia| Congress-
0HCOMPLETED WATERWAY
It Should purchased by the
d States.
COSTA ES4'S CONSUL GENERAL
DIR. Reads Paper Favoring the
| oguap Route -Oregon's Trip
| During the Recent War
Referred To

Philadelphia, october 24.-H. A. Gudger,
United States consul at Panama, spoke at
the commercial congress here today in
favor of the route contemplate for that
canal, and said for more than a half cen-
tury it has been conceded the natural way,
resulting in failure after the expenditure
of many millions and the many scandals
connected with it, He favored the compile
tion of the same route on the ground that
1t Is the natural course, that one-thrd of
1t is already completed and a new COM
pany composed of men of probity has taken
the place of the old company and its scam
dals. In conclusion he said:
After a careful survey of the field I be-
lieve that the time is ripe for the purchase
by the United States of the control of this
canal. The terms of the concessions on
behalf of 1t are liberal and 1t Is my opinion
that the republic of Columbia will with
pleasure the ownership of this route by the
United States,''
II. Sell, of London, read paper on 'Tho
New Trade Routes of the World" He ,fa4
vored the construction of the Panama ca-
nal. ]. w. Humphreys, of Colon, also
spoke in its favor. A paper prepared by
Enrique Wulff, consul general of Bolivia,
made a similar recommendation.
The Nicaragusn Canal
"The Nicaraguan Canal" was the subject
of paper read by Juan ]. ulloa. consul,
general of Costa Rico at New York, and
a former vice-president of Costa Rica DR..
Jlloa said In part: ut seems unnatural,
not to say ridiculous, that such a trife as
cutting through few yards of land should
compel the giant of commerce to go around
Cape Horn. Let us see the steam and elec-
tricity giving all the power needed to make
reality which today constitutes the most
important project of the age. The trip of
the Oregon during the recent war was an
object lesson which conclusively demon-
| st.rated the commercial and political neoess
stiles of the canal, which will make a dif.
ference OF 10000 miles in the approxima-
tion by sea of the two coasts of the United
States and which will also bring very much
nearer the American possessions Oh
Hawaii, the Philippines and the Ladrones.
THE canal must be dug by the govern
ment of the United States In pr1<erenee to
private enterprises, because 1t will better
serve commerce and the general interests.
One hundred and twenty-five million dol.
lars by yearly installments will not make
Uncle Sam feel much poorer and will uns
doubtedy be his most profitable invest
ment because he will succeed in cutting
down greatly the transportation and
freight rates, and will open to his country
men the best markets of Central and South
| America and the east. The praeticablhy
| of the Nicaraguan canal is beyond question,
| and the authorities agree, with but few
! exceptions, in preferring this route be-
| cause of the many natural advantages, be-
| cause of the richness OF the land and be-
| cause of the superiority of the climate over
| that of Panama. The San Juan river and
Nicaragua lake diminish considerably the
land through which excavation must be
made, and the magnificent lake is IN Itself
a valuable acquisition.
En ire Cost Under 81 30, 100000
From the report of Rear Admiral Walk
er's canal commission as well as that of
Colonel Ludlow, Ut will be seen that the
entire cost of the canal will be under $780,
900, 900, which Is a small sum when We con-
slider the results which will be obtained
Mr.. Rotterdam, delegate from Mel
bourne, said that anything which would
hasten the transit of goods from one coun-
try to the other would confer blessing
upon both the producer and the consumer.
Uncle Sam is getting along little late as
a land grabber compared with the activity
of his progenitors But he Is just now be-
ginning ito catch up, and he should hurry
up In this question of connecting his new
possessions in the east with his states in
the west. The politicians should not be al
inter-oceanic canal scheme. The merchant
princes of America should compel the poll
ticians to do their duty
In the unavoidable absence of Minister
Merry, of Costa Rica, his paper on the
Nicaraguan canal read by Francis
Tracy Tobin, of this city. Mr.. Tobin in
summing up his paper said: ''It Is suggest
ed that this short and imperfect paper sat-
isfactorily demonstrates the following
points:
/. That the sanitary conditions are more
favorable at Nicaragua than at Panama.
e. That the Nicaraguan canal will on the
whole save greater distances. 3. That the
Nicaragua route is available for sailing
vessels while that of Panama Is practically
available only for steamships 4. That the
facilities for construction are the most
favorable at Nicaragua. 5. That 1t has ma
terials for construction and food supplies,
which are lacking at the Panama isthmus.
G. That the supply of lockage water by
gravity is supera bundant at Nicaragua ana
doubtful at Panama. T. The cost OF opera
ton will not materially differ. sThe Nicara-
qua canal will have total earning capacity
which cnnot be developed at Panama. 3.
The liability to cysmi seismic disturbances
are apparently equal. TO- That the strate-
gical position of the Nicaragua canal and
its relation to the United States is decidedly