The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1900-12-08
Nicaragua Canal Route
SeleSte(1.

WntCn mas OeSn CaIc'uAy- stu"y'S
the various proposed routes for an
canal, has at last com
ple,ed a preliminary report. which |
the president yesterday transmitted
to Congress. The report, although
but a preliminary one, gives Con
gress all the information that it is
necessar, to know to enable that
body 20 reach a decision upon the
route of a canal, should it be de-
cided a, the present session to pass
the legislation necessary To con
struct a canal under the control and
auspices of this Government.
The report of the commission de
scrlbes the various routes and fur
nishes estimates of the cost of both
of the principal routes in detail
The commission has decided unan
imousIy in favor of the selection Of
the Nicaragua route. for the reason
that canal via that route would be
United States, and would be freer
from danger of foreign interference.
The commission estimates that it
will take a little over $500, 900. 900
to construct the Nicaragua Canal,
and that it would take about ten
years to complete the work. This
| estimate is larger than any previous
estimate, but the commission bases
its figures on a larger canal, having
a depth Of at least IS feet Of water
through Its entire length, double
locks and a minimum width Of $50
! feet at the bottom
Although the Isthmian Canal
Commissions report is now before
Congress, 1t does not necessarily
follow that that body will irnme-
diately adopt a canal bill, although
with out doubt efforts will be made
in that direction at the present SEES
sion. 1t is significant that, IN trans
uniting the report: President Nc
kinley makes no comment what.
ever, contenting himself with merely
"transmittlng the report for the
consideration of Congress He
had also little TO say on the subjec
in his message. This is significant
The Situation in Cotton.
Daily Picayune.
For a week or more past the cot
ton would has been surfeited with
estimates as to the final yield of thu
crop of 1900.
These estimates range all the wa.
from 9,25o, 900 to 10, 100000 bales
with the preponderance of opinlo'
cenrering around $500, 900 bales
There seems to be small warrant 70
INDUCING in the larger estimates
, because at the close of Novembe
about so per cent Of the crop
marketed That has been the gen
eral average for a long series G
years past. Last season 48. SO pc
cent of the crop had been markete
up to the close of November, an
during the IL years prior to tn
present the smallest percentag
2 marketed up to this date was 47.4
per cent in 1897, and the larges
per cent marketed was 54.S3 pc
, cent in 1896. In all the othe
9 years the percentage was close t
so, so that the general average 70
: the entire period was about so pc
. cent.
If 50 per cent Of the present GRO
has been marketed, the total will
approximately $500, 900 bales
which is about the popular estimat
at the present time. If the crop
1o,ooo,ooo, only trif1e more tina
4S per cent has been marketed
which would mean that the GRO
has been marketed more slowly tina
last year, which nobody believes
In fact, there is every CHARGE thu
the per cent marketed is rather owe
than below the average, as the ns
cesslty for rePlenishing stocks, an
, the good prices prevailing, offere
every possible inducement to brin
out cotton rapidly.
A crop Of 1o,ooo,ooo bales,
that figure were actually possible
= will barely suffice to NEE, actu
81 conservative requirements on tt