The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-13

taroBize the other bills with tire canal
proposition. He realizes that more time
VIII be required FOR the consideration o,
The canal bill because OF tho opposition
raised In some quarters against the Hay
fauncefote treaty. He regards the final
passage of the measure as inevitable for
there Is an overwhelming majority for it
In each house.
senator Mcl.aurln Is. - says none OF
The recent Objections offered by The o2-
ponents OF the canal based ON the new
treaty Will have any Influence on his vote
on the prompt passage Of the bill. He
says he Il confident congress will provide
al the safeguards necessary to protect
the interests IL the United States N time
OF peace Is war. He regards tho building
OF the canal by the government as an aid
W the commercial interests Of the south,
lie Is ounit1ent that even II there should
ioe no International agreement Uncle
sam S ARM and navy viii be able 10 pi,,-
teet the canal against all foreign inter-
ference
The authorities say that primarily the
concessionists must seek redress IRON
Nicaragua and Costa Rica IN the event az
the government construction Of tho canal
and IL is presumed the parties viii pro-
tcct their interests as far as possible
Eventually the matter OF compensation
for the Eyre Crsgin syndicate NAV be dis.
russed in the negotiations between Mica.
ragua and tho United States for the A.
1uisition for terrltor- far tho water way.
The right OF the Maritime Canal company
70 ask for an extension OF its concession
Is to DO settled the state department ~
plains, by commission Of four members
provided tho Nicarsguau government will
agree to the appointment OF persons other
than IT'S own citizens as members OF the
commission
Should the United States proceed With
the construction OF the canal Ii is under
stood they would purchase the property Of
the Maritime Canal company, which Rear
Admiral Endicott estimated as worth not
more than 100000, and while Represcn-
tatlve Hepburn. chairman OF the House
committee on interstate and foreign CONF
merce says is worth about $3.50, 600
Naval otfiee.s are much Interested In tho
canal
In time of war said naval official.
in case the canal were entirely under
American control It would be an easy
matter. even with fertilization, for an
enemy to slip stick Of dynamite under
one Of the locks and thus destroy the use
fitness of the waterway to the commerce
of all nations What would then be it's
value for wsS purposes TO this govern
ment? With strong fleets stationed az
each end Of the canal It would he an easy
matter TO destroy every snip oil the ene-fy
which darged to make the passage through
/ the waterway
! Suppose this government had tortia-
| cations at the termiut Of the canal In
time OF war it might be considered adyis-
able TO reinforce the Atlantic fleet The
vessels of the pacifc station would enter
at Brito. for instance, aud proceed to Lake
Nicaragua. The destruction Of locks on
/ the eastern aud western ends by tho Use
OF dynamite. perfectly feasible at night
would result in the peuning up OF this por-
/ ton OF the American force Even SUP
( posing that the feet did succeed IL
( making the passage and after getting
through the canal the locks were d.
stroyed there would be grave danger Of
/ the Pacific side being unprotected
"On the other hand with the neutrality
of the canal guaranteed by sll nations Of
! the world there would be less danger ol
its being destroyed,