Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-03-02
WANTS ANNEXATION.
ONLY WAITS Fer THE UNITED
STATES TO ASK.


While There and Finds II AImt " Unani
nous Reasons Why That Country Cannot
Take the Initiative
Discussing the pending Nicaragua
canal treaty, l.. C.. Cooley, the we'll
known engineer, said last week, in an
interview Mt Chicago, that perhaps the
easiest way out of the confusion would
be for the United States to annex Mic.
aragua. Not long ago Mr.. Cooley Wis.,
tied Nicaragua as a member of the
Nicaragua canal route. During his
stay he talked with all the high Off
cials of the Nicaraguan government.
Alluding to his observations in Nicar.
aqua he said:
1.-The impression l 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. 1t might be
asked if such is the condition of public
sentiment in Nicaragua why it is that
country does not propose annexation
to the United States. / asked this
question of high official OF the Mic
araguan government and he answered
that there were so many rivalries and
conflicting political interests that if
the adherents of any one faction pro-
posed annexation all the other ele-
ments would Immediately pounce on
him and try to make it appear that
he was trying to sell the country out.
Any proposal by an official of the Mic
araguan government looking toward
annexation to the United States would
probably be utilized to begin a revolu-
ton.
"a high official OF the Nicaraguan
government asked me what the govern
ment of the United States would ex-
pect in the way OF right of way. 1
told him that we would expect to have
right of way under United States
control. He remarked that he be-
lieved proposition to annex the en-
tire country of Nicaragua would not
be unpopular and that it would be &C.
cepted as readily as the proposition
to Americanize 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 regard 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 introduction OF any particu-
lar kind of labor, especially if it was
against the accepted policy of the Mic
aragua government. / said that in
addition the chances were that 10000
white laborers would come into the
country to build the canal and if they
remained there would bring others,
and that together they would Ameri-
canize the country if the Nicaraguans
were not careful. To this the rejoin-
der was that such tendency would be
welcomed by all the people as it is rec
nized that such an infusion OF Ameri-
cans into Nicaraguan politics would
insure immunity from revolutions.
AT took measures to confirm the
statement made by the official with
whom I conversed and found that he
had in no degree overestimated the
sentiment among the people. / was
also convinced that to be popular the
proposition OF annexation should ema.
nate from the United States govern
ment and not from any ,Nicaraguan
official"