Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-23
This Would Settle All Questions
About InterOceanic Canal,
NICARAGUANS FAy0RlNG III.
Waterway Would be United states
Territory Proposal should Come
from This Government.
[Early Dispatches.l

Chicago, Feb. 23.-Discussing the
pending Nicaragua canal treaty, l.. C..
Cooley, the well known engineer, said
today that perhaps the easiest way out
Of the confusion would be for the
United States to annex Nicaragua. Not
long ago Mr.. Cooley visited Nicaragua
as a member Of contracting syndi-
cate TO investigate the feasibility Of the
Nicaragua canal route. During his stay
he talked with all the high officials
Of the Nicaraguan government, Al
ludng to his observations in Nicaragua
he said:
"The impression | acquired while In
Nicaragua was that the people Of all
classes, including the highest officials,
were ready and anxious for annexation
TO the United States, II might be asked
II such is the condition OF public senti-
ment In Nicaragua why II is that the
country does not propose annexation to
the United States. | asked this ques-
ton OF a high official OF the Nlcaraguan
government, and was answered that
there We're 80 many riyalrles and con-
hlcting political interests that II the
adherent Of any one faction proposed
annexation all the other elements would
Immediately pounce on him and try to
make II appear that he was trying to
sell the country out. Any proposal by
an official Of the Nioaraguan govern
ment looking toward annexation 10 the
United States would probably be util-
lied to begin a revolution.
"A high official Of the Nicaraguan
government asked me what the gov
eminent Of the United States would
expect in the way Of right Of way.
told him that We would expect to
have a right OF way under United
states control. He remarked that he
believed a proposition to annex the en-
tire country Of Nicaragua would not be
unpopular. ana that It would be accept
ed as readily as the proposition to
Americanlze a small portion OF the
country through which the canal might
pass.
The same high Official whom / have
quoted above asked me what kind OF
labor would be brought into Nicaragua
TO construct the canal / told him that
undoubtedly any treaty that would be
made with the United States in re-
gard TO the matter would be observed
and that | had no reason TO believe
that the government Of the United
States would be insistent about the In
PRODUCTION OF any particular Kind Of
labor, especially II II was against the
accepted policy Of the Nlcaraguan gov
eminent. l said I'm addition that the
chances were that 10000 white laborers
would come into the country to build
the canal, ana II they remained there
would bring others, and that together
they would Americanize the country II
the Nicaraguans were not careful To
this the reioinder was that such
tendency would be- welcomed by all the
people, as II is recognized that such
an infusion Of Americans into Nlcara-
guam politics would insure immunity
from revolutions.
II took measures 10 confirm the
statement made By the official with
whom ] conversed, and found that he
had had In no degree overestimated the
sentiment among the people. | was al
so convinced that % be popular the
proposition OF annexation should eman-
ate from the United States government,
and not from any Ncaraguan Official"