The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-31
RAILROAD NEWS.
Vice President OF Santa Fe
Talks Of Nicaragua Canal.
VIII Benefit People Living Along
the Coasts Principally.
FEARS LOCAL EFFECT.
Predicts Injury to Interests Of
Interior Cities.
Railroads VIII Suffer a Loss ON
Overland HauIs.
FEARS LOCAL EFFECT.

Chicago, Dec. 31-vice President Nor
ton or the santa Fe RAILROAD system be
lieves that the Nicaragua canal VIII
prove injurious to the mercantile ana
manufacturing interests Of the interior
portion Of the United States, even
though il should greatly benefit the ex-
trene eastern ana western sections.
Discussing the subject today. he said
The Nicaragua canal win undoubted-
" be built. ana it viii probably cost up
ward OF $500. 200. .0a0- This VIII be S4 per
capita for every man. woman and child
in the United States It VIII very Ikely
take ten years TO construct, and may IN
time prove to be of great benefit TO the
people living along the Atlantic anu IA
citic coasts A. surely as 1t helps the
cities along the sea es9aSts just as surely
viii it damage cities in the interior OF
ehe country
- large share OF the business now
done by Chicago St LOUIS. ana otner
important inland cities with the racine
coast viii be transferred to the neT-
chants and manufacturers located on
The Atlantic coast They viii secure
very low rates via the all water route,
owing TO the canal, which viii De buIlI
by taxing the entire people of the coun-
try All viii pay the taxes. a lew viii
get the benefits, and many jobberS and
manufacturers and other citizens or the
interior will be damaged There is no
doubt that New Orleans and other quit
cities viii grow on account OF the canal
but it win be at the expense or Chlcagos
St Louis. Kansas City. and other sim
If I was a member Of congress from
the great manufacturing section OF the
AllsslssiIpl valley I would study 4I7 sn9
question of supporting the canal DILL
very carefully before committing my
self to the proposition 1t is bound 70
destroy the opportunity the middle west
tries OF the east for the Pacific coast
trade. Take away the distribution Ia
cilitieS and you kill the production
4 can readily understand why the Pa
cific coast wants the canal built and it
Is perfectly plain why the Atlantic sea-
beard shipper wants 1t constructed but
! submit that the middle and western
states will not profit thereby and that
in case the canal is to be put through
some way should be devised for exempt
ing from taxation on its account all
those who live between the Allegheny
and the Rocky mountains and north of
the Mason and Dixon line It will be
punishment enough fer that portion OF
the population of the United States 10
be deprived Of a trade advantage that
they now enjoy on the Pacific coast
without paying q large part of what 1t
costs TO take away the advantage
Tt IS claimed that the construction. OF
the canal will help the Pacific coast a
great dea1-sO much 50 that the trans
continental railroads will profit by the
growth of that section to such a large
extent that il viii more than offset the
loss of haul overland That section of
the country is now growing rapidly and,
regardless Of the canal will continue
to prosper
AS have said. the people Of the Pa
cffic coast think they are going to be
benefited by the construction Of the
canal. There is little doubt about this,
although the merchants and manufac-
turers at San Francisco and Puget
sound points must not forget that il will
be just as FAR from the Pacific coast to
Yokohama and Hong Kong after the
canal is finished as it is now and much
less distance from New York, and that
the moment the canal is open and ready
for business rates from the Atlantic sea-
board to points in the Orient will be
greatly reduced and at times will be as
low from New York as they will be from
San Francisco This viii prevent the
Pacific coast from doing the business in
the Orient that Ii aspires to do The
Pacific coast will be, to a considerable
degree. in the same position relatively
10 New York for Oriental trade that the
interior will be with New York for Pa
cific coast trade
1T seems to me that the Nicaragua
canal bin should be entitled: An act
TO build up ard foster the commerce OF
the cities along the Atlantic sea coast
and the Gulf Of Mexico These places
are certainly going TO be the chief ben
eficiaries. although foreign shipOwnerS-
over T5 per cent Of all the business that
will pass through the canal estimated
as being in foreign hottoms-wiu come
in FOR a very large benefit from the
construction of the canal by American
capital