The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-02-19
Matters In Congress.

] AANNhvttll VI the nOuNt committee in
terstate and foreign commerce. today
submitted the report Of the commltte,
in favor OF the Hepburn bill for con.
structing the Nicaragua c1lal The re-
pout says I'm part:
IF the provisions Of the ON can be
carried out the United States will within
a few years Ofrom six 20 eighO be I'm FUN
control and ownership Of waterway
connect ng the oceans, that IL can defend
and that 1t can use In the interests of
its navy and It's merchant marne as " s..
dom may dictate
There seems 10 be but little doubt that
the states Of Nicaragua and Costa re,
" II give their consent Tor the construc-
ton Of this great work II will traverse
either the border or the interior OF Mica
ragua for distance OF about 100 miles
II will give to that state a WATERWAY
/ from It's cap tai and its most produce We
regionto, the sea. II will place that
country on one OF the great waterways of
yhe world. bringing II into immediate
contact with a large fore gn commerce
ana those who conduct It. I'm very mlny
ways the state will have aivantages not
fN''''f7ffNNf anu AiitAA " Ai bt lNf "a
long time lost II another route by VIII IN
the oceans are connected should be adopt
ed An Of these conslderat ons induce tho
belief that these two enlightened states
WI be glad to aid our government cor
daily and efficiently N carrying out this
great design
After reviewing the several surveys tho
report continues.
These reports above referred to. the
opinions Of the eng neers and scientists
believed 10 be entirely competent for
their work Justify YOUR committee IN
recommending the undertaking Of the en-
terDr Sc as one OF entirely practicable and
one that can DE completed for sum of
money the expenditure OF which will bc
wise
1T Is true that the estimates Of cost
are variable, ranging as they do from
less than forty million dollars to a Dos
slble l45 mill on dollars. II Is. however
proper to say that the s'ze and character
OF the canal estimated for is as variable
as Is the cost. The earliest estima tes wera
for the canal suited to the shlps OF the
time The later estimates are for ships
or this tine Fifteen feet depth and hfty
rect width was the size OF he earlier pro-
iect. Thirty feet depth and 100 feet width
are the dimensions Of the later proposed
canal"
Dealing with the varying estimates as
to the probable income OF the canal. tho
report says:
zone gentleman has said that In his
judgment not more than 300 900 tons
would pass through the canal annually
Another has said that II million tons
would pass through the canal The gen
tlemen connected with the MARITIME Can
al Company gave II as their opinion that
five or SIX millions OF tonnage would be
the amount that would pass through th,
canal annually OF course. we have the
right to assume that whatever the amount
from year TO year. AT present 81 30 per
ton Is the toll charged for the use Of the
sucz canal II that rate was the rate
charged at the Nicaragua canal and four
millions be the tonnage passed through
IT, an aggregate sum Of more than six
million dollars would be the receipts II
Is estimated that the cost Of maintaining
ard operating the canal would be one
million dollars annually. II the United
States borrowed the money 10 invest In
| the enterprise this sum would pay the
annual interest the cost Of maintaining
and operating and leave surplus OF
more than a million dollars. And with
the increasing tonnage we might rea9on-
ably hope for such communications Of
surplus that would n a few years fuly
reimburse the government for It's outlay
Or n II should be the policy 10 use the
canal 70 stimulate the building up OF our
| own merchant marine. it could be made
most powerful factor. A Br tish vessel
trad ng from any port IN Great Britain
TO Hong Kong, charterIng a SIX thousand
ton vessel and using the suez canal must
pay an tolls a sum In excess Of eighteen
thousand dollars for the round voyage
IFS American rival trading from New
York 10 Hong Kong using the Nlcara-
qua canal free OF toll because re used "a
vessel made I'm an American shlpyar8 out
OF American material and by American
labor ard loaded with Amer can --..-
chandise, would possess marked advan-
tage, advantages so marked as 10 make
a his interest TO stimulate Amer can ship
building
1T Is this kind of a canal that may
be used IN this way discriminating in
/ favor OF our merchants and our shin
fbullaers and our labor df such should
/ be the policy OF the g0vernmenO that
your committee are anxious 20 secure
your committee are aware there are
number Of persons who claim to have
concessions from the government of n &C.