The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-12-05
COMMISSION REPORTS
FOR NICARAGUA ROUTE
Review of the bthmian Canal Investigation and Con-
illusions is Transmitted to Congress.
Panama Route Shorter and Cheaper But Serious Objections
Are Raised to It's Feasibility.

its Pacific territory and promote the
commerce and industries Of the entire
country. The benefits which Europe
viii derive from the canal viii be COM
merciaL In addition to this ours viii
be political, and industrial By bring
ing the eastern and western sections OF
our country into close relations by
reducing the time and cost OF trans
portating our western products TO
Europe and by enabling the eastern
southern and central states to reach
the raw materials and markets Of Pa
cifc countries cheaply and expedite
OusIy, the canal win more fully identity
our political and social interest and
quicken the Industrial activity of every
section OF the United States. The iron
and steel, the textiles ana the other
manufactures of each eastern and
southern state the coal from the min
ing regions, the cotton from the south
and the grain and forest products or
the many sections VIII TOW out to
foreign countries in a great volume
and this larger trade win be shared
generally by the ports of all our sea
bOards-the Atlantic. the Gulf, and the
Pacific. The canal VIII cause the com
petition of the United States with
Europe in the countries of WStern
South America and the Orient To be
much keener. with the result that the
trade of our country VIII increase more
rapidly than VIII that of our rivals
The canal viii aid the United states
ia securing and maintaining q position
Of primacy in the international trade
OF the world
Reasons for Conclusion.
In conclusion the commission says:
The new Panama Canal company
has shown no DISPOSITION to sell its
property to the United States. Should
that company be able and willing 10
sell there is reason to believe that the
Drice would not be such as would make
the total cost to the United states less
than that Of the Nicaragua canal
The Panama canal after compile
ton would be shorter, have fewer
locks and less curvature than the
Nicaragua canal The measure OF
these advantages IS the time required
for a vessel to pass through, which is
estimated as thirty-three hours for
Nicaragua
con the other hand, the distance
from san Francisco to New York is 80
miles, to New Orleans $40 miles and to
LfVerDOoi $50 miles greater via Panama
than via Nicaragua. The time required
to pass over these distances beng
I greater than the difference in the time
Of transit through the canals the
/ Nicaragua line. after completion.
would be somewhat more advantage
GUS of the two to the United states,
/ notwithstanding the greater cost OF
maintenance of the longer canal
THE government Of Colombia, in
/ which lies the Panama canal has
granted an exclusive concession which
still has many years to run tt IS not
/ free to grant the necessary rights to
/ the United States. except upon condl-
( ton that an agreement be reached
With the new Panama Canal company
{ The commission believes such agree
meut is fnpractfcable So far as can
be ascertained, the company IS not
willing to sell its franchise. but dt VIII
allow the United States TO become part
! owner of its stock The commission
/ considers such an arrangement mad
missable.
/ The governments of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica. on the other hand, are I'M
! trammeIed by concessions and are free
| to grant to the United States such
privileges al may be mutually agreed
upon
/ In view of all the facts. and par
tfcuIarly in view of all the difficulties
/ of obtaining the necessary rights
! privileges and franchises on the
! Panama route, and assuming that
/ Nicaragua and Costa RiCa recognize
/ the value of the canal to themselves
I and are prepared to grant concessions
I on terms which are reasonable and
/ accountable to sthe United States. the
/ commission is of the opinion that the
/ most practicable and feasible route for
an isthmian canal TO be under the
/ mana cement and ownership Of the
! United States. is that known as the
! Nicaragua route"