The age-herald., 1900-02-08
BRIGHT OUTLOOK FOR
 NICARAGUA CANAL


 smoothing the way for the construction of the proposed Nicaragua canal by the sign isg of the agreement amending the Clayton Bulwer treaty This agreement was nego- tiatcd by John Hay, secretary of state, on behalf of the United States and Lord Julian Pauncefote. British ambassador, on the part of the United Kingdom. After 1t was signed tt was sent immediately to tiae sen ate by the president and read before that body in executive session. The treaty pro- vides for the absolute neutrality of the pro- posed canal and removed all objection on the part of Great Britain under the provis- ions of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty of 1850 to ule construction of the carnl by the United States. The treaty, it will be recall ed, provided for British cooperation with that enterprise.
 The canal is not only to be neutral in time of war, but there is to be no dlscrim- ination as to rates between the United States and Great Britain, and the idea is to have the canal open to all the world on equal terms, as the Suez canal now is. Agreement is also made by the two na- tions, parties to the new treaty, to use tlaedr best endeavors to secure convention by all the nations of he world providing for the canals entire neutrality That waterway IS then to be forever open and free. The United States is to have the privilege of its construction and the advantages that come from building it and collecting tolls. our government is also to be permitted to po- lice the waterway. This does not mean that it is regarded as absolutely necessary to erect Notifications at the Atlanic and Pacific enrances to 1t, but that along he route of the canal we are to defend it from depredations There is no evidence of op- position to the treaty in the senate, and 1t is to be expected that 1 will be rallied with practical unanimity.
 There is one feature eff the Hay-Paunce- fote treaty ,.Gat may delay its ratification and necessitate some change. The treaty provides for the absolute neutrality of the canal It also provides uhat the United States shall police it. There is a third pro vision that the warSfarps of mo nation in war time shall remain in the canal TOT mcre than tweri.y-four hours. It is he'd by some senators who are fully convinced or the desiralbBltty of rattfylng the treaty that the 'twenty-four hour provision will pre- vent the government of the United States from policing the canal in war time. This is not serious difficulty, put one that may be productive of delay
 The negotiation of this amendatcry treaty is not in accordance with the ideas of the policy of Colonel Hepburn, of Iowa, chair man of the house committee on interstate and foreign commerce. who has been work ing for some time for an inter-cceanfc ca nal. Colonel Hepburn has argued that The canal should not be neutral. For one tatng he has maintained tine opinion that in time of war the canal should not be neutral, and that even i1he Suez would not be neutral if the British were at war with Russia or France or of some nation with great navy; and, in fact, that If the Boers had a navy the canal would be closed to ,.hem. But aside from that he has believed, and the new treaty does mot alter his belief, that the Nicaragua canal should be used and controlled absolutely by the United States. He would permit vessels of Amerl- can register to use the canal for "a certain period free of charge, or on payment of tolls mia terially lower than those ito be padd by vessels of ether nations. This, he thinks, would serve as bounty to Ameri- can shipping, and tend to stimulate our shipping inter esrts
 The ratification of the ay-Pouneefote treaty would prevent any such arrange ment, for under it all nations are to have the same treatment as to tolls. But it is question whether Colonel Hepburn's idea could be practically employed. It would stir up the fBl-feeDlEgs of other maritime ,,at t,, r,a 1ati of the Panama canal more likely, and thus create competition which would mitigate against the commercial success of the Mic aragua canal. Then, if the canal were to be neutral in war time 1t would be difficult to prevent it from being seriously injured and made useless through the destruction of some lock or portion of the canal with dynamite or some other explosive in the hands of an enemy.
 It is possible that the ratification of the new treaty will make Colonel Hepburn a l5ttle lukewarm on the Nicaragua canal proposition
 It will certainly necesstate some little amendment to the bill which Is now drawn so to make the canal not neu- tral. But the sentiment in the house and in the senate as well is decidedly favora- ble to the passage of bill providing for the building of the canal at the present session of congress. Practically all objec- tions to it have been destroyed by the amendment made to the house bill provid- ing that only ten millions of the one hum dred and forty millions supposed to be re- quired for it's construction shall be availa- ble under the present bill That decreases the total of the appropriation at this ses- sion, which from political standpoint IS regarded as especially important.
 Senator Morgan, who is really the fath-> CT of the present agitation for an inter- oceanic canal. and whose ambition is to see the work on that waterway commence before he retjres from public life, is much pleased with the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. He has argued constantly that the pro- posed waterway should be absolutely neu- tral, and is naturally gratified at the as- surance the treaty gives that it will be neutral, and the endorsements and com-