The age-herald., 1900-12-05

G -IIDIONLO. " 1L4Sl America will rapidly increase as wdll also the volume of our trade with the Orient The amount of tine American course through the canal will quickly surpass the total amount of European traffic
 Will Strengthen Unity.
 "An Isthmian canal will strengthen the unity of the national and political inter- ests of the United States, develop its Pa- cific territory and promote the commerce and industries of the entire country. The benefits which Europe would derive from the canal will be commercial; in addition to this ours will be political and industrial. By bringing the Eastern and Western see- tions of our country into closer relations by reducing the time and cost of trans- porting our Western products to Europe, and by enabling the Eastern, Southern and Central States to reach the raw materials and markets of Pacific countries eheaply and expeditiously, the canal will more fully identify political and social interests and quicken the industrial activity of every section of the United States. The iron and steel, the textiles and the other manufac- lures of the Eastern and Southern States, the coal from the mining regions; the cot- ton from the South, and the grain and for. est products from many sections will flow OuI LO AOTelBH COuulIICS III stll lnCLSdSlAAB volume, and this larger trade will be shared generally by the ports of all our seaboards-the Atlantic, the Gulf and the Pacific. The canal will cause the compe- tition of the United States with Europe in the countries of Western and South America and the Orient to be much keener win the result that trade with our country will increase more rapidly than with that of our rivals. The canal will aid the United States in securing and maintaining a position of prlmacy in the international trade of the world"
 Comparison of Routes.
 The commission concludes with a careful comparison of the Nicaragua and Panama routes. It shows that distances between Atlantic and Pacific ports are shorter by the Nicaragua than the Panama route. This is in part offset by the increased time in getting through the Nicaragua canal The longer route Is reported to be more favor able for sailing vessels. The Nicaragua is also regarded as advantageous through which it passes. It is pointed out that the Panama concession, now held by the French company prohibits a cession of rights to any nation or foreign government. The concession Is limited that If the United States acquired the Panama canal there would not be an absolute ownership in per- petuity as the concession provides that the canal shall pass to Colombia after ninety nine years. The commission has asked Pres ident Hutton of the French Company to name terms upon which the company Will dispose of its property and interests to the United States. No formal reply was re- ceved until the commissions report was being closed. The report says that the con- ferences have resulted in slo offer to d1s- pose of property to the United States upon any terms nor had the company expressed any desire to negotiate with the United States with reference to any such dispo- sition. It was proposed by President Hui ton that the United States might obta1n control of the canal scheme as a majority stockholder of a new organization The company prefers, however to reincorpor- ate in the United States and accord to this such representation on it's board of directors and such purchase of interests as its concessions permitted.
 Conclusions.
 The final conclusions of the commission are stated as follows:
 "First-The estimated cost of building the Nicaragua canal is about $5S,0OO,000 more than that of completing the Panama canal leaving out the cost of acquiring the latter property. This measures the difference in the magnitude of obstacles 10 be overcome in the actual construction or two canals and covers all physical consid- height of dams, the greater or less depths of cuts; the presence or the absence or natural harbors, the presence or absence of railroad the exemption from every liability to disease, and the amount of work remaining to be done "The new Panama Canal Company has shown no disposition to sell its property to the United States. Should that company be able and willing to sell, there Is reason to believe that the price would not be such as would make the total cost to the United States less han tha of he Nicaragua canal. "Second-The Panama canal, after com pletion, would be shorter, have fewer locks and less curvature than the Nicaragua canal The measures of these advantages is time required for a vessel to pass through which Is estimated for an average ship at twelve hours for Panama and thir- ty-three for Nicaragua.
 "On the other hand, the distance from San Francisco to New~York is BIT miles, to New Orleans 579 miles and to Liverpool 1868 miles greater via Panama than via Nicaragua. The time required to pass over these distances being greater than the diff erence in the time of transit through the canals The Nicaragua line, after comple- ton, would be somewhat the more advan- tageous of the two to the United States, notwi thstanding the greater cost of main- tainingthe longer canal.
 'Third-The government of Colombia, in which lies the Panama canal, has grant ed an exclusive concession, which still has many years to-run. It Is not free to grant the necessary rights to the United States except upon condition that an agreement be req ched by the new Panama Canal Com- pany. Tlhe commission believes that such an agreement is impracticable. So far as can be ascertaned the company is not will ing to sell its franchise. but it will allow the United States to become the owner of part of its stock. The commission considers such an arrangement inadmissible.
 "The governments of Nicaragua and Cos ta Rica, on the other hand, are untram-
 
 to the United States such privileges as may me mutually agreed upon.
 ''In view of all the facts and particularly in view of all the difficulties of obtaining the necessary rights, privileges and fran chises on the Panama route, and assuming that Nicaragua and Costa Rica recognize the value of the canal to themselves and are prepared to grant concessions on terms