The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-19
ROUTE BY NICARAGUA
Seems TO be Favored by
Natural Considerations
OVER THE PANAMA DITCH
Proposition to Fortify Not
RehShed Abroad.

Special Correspondence of the Eagle)
Washington. Jan 1S.-The Niciraguan
canal prospects are brighter just now
than they have ever been. The commit
tee in the house has agreed TO report it,
and now the senate committee of inter-
oceanic canal has practically done like
wise. This means that the strongest and
ablest men in both houses, men of all
partiese, though chiefly Republicans, will
push the canal project in every way pos
sible. T he chairman OF the house COM
mittee is Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa. canal
| enthusiast, and in the senate the chair
! man IS Mr. Morgan of Alabama. Demo-
crat, but another canal enthusiast. Both
believe the canal should be constructed,
| and soon. Other members of the commit
tees Of the two houses are just as en-
thusiastic over what they consider must
be done. The canal, in accordance with
the present idea will be constructed
without awaiting the report Of the COM
mission appointed by the president to in
spect sites for the big ditch. This COM
mittee is largely regarded as not having
done anything particularly advantageous
or full of results anyway, and now con-
gress is tired OF waiting and win act
without it. The route to be chosen will
probably be the Nicaraguan rcute-this
instead OF the Panama, The way through
Nicaragua is LOO miles nearer than the
Panama. But in taking the former route
a more valuable consideration than that
Of distance is presented. II the latter
were chosen, some foreign country might
come in and dig a canal between ours
and this country. So, by the Ameri- /
cans taking the Nicaraguan route, any f
foreign competition would be Obliged TO 4
go further south, and we would thus not 1
be separated from our ditch. In the I
Hepburn bill, as reported. is provision
flor full American control with author
ity to fortify the canal 1t IS said that
this is a very startling proposition. inah-
much as it comes in conflict with the
Bulwer-Clayton treaty between Great
Britain and the United States. in which
joint control OF any interoceanic canal
is agreed uPo. But it is held that the
treaty has bee abrogated already, which
would then not interfere with the con-
struction of the canal along the lines
indicated by the Hepburn bill.
Strongly in the interest of the re-estab-
lishment of our merchant marine is 2
statement got recently by the state de-
partment which shows the great boun-
daries paid by foreign countries the world
over TO encourage their merchant ma
rines. This statement shows that the
United States. the greatest country in the
world. is outdone in this respect by many
small and even inferior countries Aus
tria pays an annual state bounty and a
and distance premium; the gov
eminent also pays 81 800. 900 a year for
mails carried The Danish merchant ma
rine includes over 1900 sailing vessels,
and they are all supported blythe gov
eminent. Besides paying a bounty OF
so much a ton for construction, France
pays over 50, 100000 a year to its subsi- !
died postal lines. Germany now ranks
second only to Great Britain in merchant
marine. 1t pays large sums fro mails. !
FOR tonnage for construction, and in {
every way encourages the merchant ma {
line. ,
J. S. C1arkson, formerly OF Iowa later
If New York, will probably not be sec .
'etary of the senate under the re-orga- {
cation. afteraH. He is opposed by num-
,er Of prominent Republican senators. !
lust who will be chosen is a matterof :
peculation. Mr. GARRISON was fourth
assistant postmaster general under the
Harrison admins tration the place now
leld by Joseph /. Bristow Of Kansas
w.
my u am '4iieeHt " rlutch- \
nson is in the city on business. Mr..
Iincent came here from New York for a
ew days. He has been there on business :
nd will return in a day or two He will :
robably remain the east for several :
weeks.
R. H FAxON. 1