The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-20
REPORT OF HOUSE COMMITTEE fA-
V0RING THE HEPBURN BILL.
FULL AMERICAN OWNERSHIP
Or Canal Connecting the Two Oceans
Result of Passage of this Bill Great
Variance In Estimates OF Cost of Con-
struction Explained Estimated Re-
ceipts and Expenses After Construc-
tion-The Canal a Necessity to Our
Commerce-C -Clayton-Bulwer Treaty.


Hepburn, of the house committee on
interstate and foreign commerce, today
submitted the report Of the committee
in favor of the Hepburn DILL for con-
structins the Nicaragua canal. The
report says in part:
II the provisions of the fill can be
carried out the Unitetd States will,
within a few years (from six TO eight
be in full ownership and control of a
waterway connecting the oceans, and
1t can use it in the interests of it's
navy and its merchant marine as wis
dom may dictate. There seems to be
but little doubt that the states of Mica
ragua and Costa Rica will give their
consent for the construction of this
great work"
After reviewing the several surveys,
the report continues: These reports
ABOVE referred to, IN the opinion of the
engineers and scientists believed to be
entirely competent for their work, JUS
tlfy your committee in recommending
| the undertaking of the enterprise as
one that is entirely practicable, and
that can be completed for a sum of
money, the expenditure Of which will
be wise.
1t is true that the estimates of
cost are variable, ranging, as they do,
from less than 1000, 900 to a possible
$145, 100000. 1t is, however, proper to
say that the size and character of the
canal estimated for is as variable as is
the cost. Fifteen feet depth and fifty
feet width was the size of the earlier
prefecture; thirty feet depth and 100
feet width are the dimensions Of the
later proposed canal.
Your committee suggests in discus
sing the cash remuneration that will
come to the United States from the
ownership of this canal, estimates only
can be made. Gentlemen connected
with the Maritime Canal Company
gave it as their opinion that 5000, 900 or
6,OOO,o00 of tonnage would be the
amount that would pass through the
canal annually. At present $1.55 per
ton is the toll charged for the use of
the Suez canal. If that rate was the
rate charged at the Nicaragua canal
| and 4,a00, 900 be the tonnage passing
through it, an aggregate sum of more
| than $6O00,C90 would be the receipts.
1t is estimated that the cost of main
| tanning and operating the canal would
| be $1,000,0O0 annually.
+ Your committee are aware that
| there are a number of persons who
| claim to have concessions from the
| governments of Nicaragua and Costa
| Rica investing them with rights to
| navigate the San Juan river and Lake
| Nicaragua. Others claim to be au-
| thorized to construct this great water
| way connecting the two oceans; but it
| is believed by your committee that
| these rights have either lapsed or are
| Of inconsiderable value, or have been
| obtained for speculative purposes.
| However this may be, it should be the
| purpose of the government to deal di-
| rectly with the governments of Mica
| ments can adjust all questions grow
ing out of these concessions much more
| easily than the United States.
| I'VE want our share of the world S
| commerce and to secure it We must
| have all the utilities that are possible.
| Nor can we expect to get them with
out fierce struggles. There is now the
most intense rivalry for this commerce
| on the part of the commercial nations.
| And our rivals will use all political,
commercial influences and diplomacy
! with all of it's arts, menacing, per
| hapS, to drive us out of the field
| There are persons who say that we
are bound by treaty StipulatiOnS with
| the government of Great Britain to
| refrain from carrying out this great
| enterprise. This statement we do not
| believe. We recognize the fact that
fifty years ago the United States and
| Great Britain entered into an alliance
| to secure the building Of the Nicaragua
canal. Any person who dispassionately
| studies carefully that treaty must come
! to the conclusion that primary stipu-
lations in the Clayton-Bulwer conven-
ton looked TO the immediate building
| of a canal under the influence that
| might be exerted by the two govern
| ments, rather than to prohibition of
lkither to build it,
After quoting the treaty the report
goes on: No one can read that article
| canal contemplated was an undertdk-
ing early to be completed through the
kindly aid of the two governments
Great Britain has allowed fifty years
to elapse without any movement OF
her part to carry out the provisions OF
that article. 1t has been dead letter
from the day the treaty was signed tc
the present time.
| The last fifty years has wrought e
remarkable change in our relation tC
a waterway crossing the isthumus. The
year 1850 was only four years removed
from our first occupation of California
Not more than 10000 inha bitants were
on the Pacific coast. Our coaStwlss
trade with that coast was insignifican
! in value and amount. Now we have
Millions Of citizens living on that coast
| We have hundreds Of millions of com
merce; we have thousands of million:
of wealth. We have acquired Alaska
Hawaii and the Philippine Islands
There is no comparison Of the meagr'
interests Of fifty years ago and tn
colossal interests of today. The situa
ton has so changed, the interests O.
our people now and then are so di
verse, the necessity of responding Il
these changed conditions are so over
whelming, that the most censorious
those who lead in the formation o
the worlds Judgment would say tina
our present action must be in harmon!
with these new conditions rather thar
the old. There is a law of self-preser
yation that should control the act
of the communities, no less than OF IN
dividuals."