Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-22
HOUSE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
ITS CONSTRUCTION.
OLD TREATY Is ABSOLETE
Hepburn Advocates Abso-
lutte Governmental Control of the
Nicaraguan Waterway, and Says
the Clayton-Bulwer Instrument
Must Give Way 10 Present Needs.

mitted the report OF the committee il
favor of the Hepburn bill for construct
| ing the Nicaragua canal The repor
says in part: If the provisions O
! the bill can be carried out the United
| States will within few years (frou
| six to eight be in full ownership anc
! control of the waterway connecting the
oceans, that it can defend and that il
can use it in the interests of its navy
and its merchant marine as wisdom
may dictate There seems little doubt
that the states of Nicaragua and Costa
RIGA will give their consent for the
construction of this great work. These
states are friendly disposed towards
our government, and their peo-
pie have interests connected with it
that are, in proportion to
their wealth and population, even
greater than ours. After reviewing
several surveys, the report continues:
These reports above referred to and
the opinions of engineers and scient-
lists believed to be entirely competent
for their work, justify your committee
in recommending the undertaking of
this enterprise as one that is entirely
practicable and one that can be COM
p.eted for sum of money the eXpend-
iture of which would be wise. 1t is
true the estimates of the cost are var
liable, ranging as they do from less
than 100000 to a possible S145 OOO,-
900. 1t is, however, proper to say the
size and character of the canal esti-
mated for is as variable as is the cost.
Speaking of the claims of individu-
ais and of the concessions by the gov
ernments of Nicaragua and Costa
Rica the report says: ct should be
the purpose of the government to deal
directly with the governments of
Nicaragua and Costa RIGA; those gov
ernments can adjust all questions
growing out of these concessions much
more easily than the United States. 1t
is not believed that any one of these
real Or alleged concessionaries have
any rights or interests they can con-
vey to the United States. 1t is not
deemed wise to have any joint interest
or interests of cO-partnership or of any
interest growing out of the corporate
relations with any Of these persons
Ii is our opinion that the people of
the United States want the govern
ment canal one that shall be COM
pletely under the control of the United
States" Regarding the argument ad
vanced by some that creating this
short passage to our Pacific posses
sIons would be an invasion Of the
rights of other maritime nations, the
report cities the undisputed right
of Mexico to build canal on her own
soil across the isthmus Of Tehaunte-
pee, or Of the United States to con-
struct a waterway from New York to
San Francisco, and says if these states
would have the right on their own ter
ritory and using their own
means, to provide for them
selves this great advantage to
their commerce, could not either one
of them grant to another state, upon
terms entirely advantageous and salts
factory to both parties, the right to
construct a canal similar to the one
under discussion 1--WE want to in
crease our power upon the high seas.
Our people are intent upon having
their full share of the commerce of the
world This canal is an aid in that d.
rection. 1t is true it will disturb the
conditions of equality that now exist,
but every effort that a successful mer-
chant makes is an effort to disturb
this equality and secure advantages
for himself We save ten thousand
miles in passage to China over the ole
route by way of Cape Horn. Our gov
eminent would have precisely the
same right to take offense at the use OF
the Suez canal by British merchants as
would the english government at our
using the Nicaragua canal" The re-
port discusses the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty enacted fifty years ago, quoting
its provisions and makes an extended
statement to show that the primary
motive of that convention was the i'm
mediate building of a canal by the
two governments rather than the pro-
hibition of either to build it.
Considerable space is given to the ex.
preston of the opinion that the treaty
was violated by Great Britain a few
years after it's conclusion, by England
securing an agreement from Nicaragua
to enter with military forces into the
territory of Nicaragua and build forti-
| kcations in defense of her people
The report also relates that the last
fifty years has wrought remarkable
change in our relations to the water.
way crossing the isthmus. 1t recites
our gradual expansion from 1850 acros:
the plains west of the Mississippi dowr
| to the requirement of Alaska, Hawai-
and the Philippine islands and says
there is no comparison btween the
meagre interests of fifty years ago ant
the colossal interests of today. TIRE
pealable statutes are not tolerated
Even the most solemnly enacted consti
buttons must give way to the demand
Of later generations" says the report
when it is found their provisions ar
harmful to the public welfare
In conclusion the report de
clares: ct is doubtless tr1
that in 1851 Great Britain and III
United States contemplated a speed
completion of the Nicaragua cana
They proposed to have the joint inter
ests by joint contributions to it. Ru
; the possibilities of the Suez canal, tha
followed years after 1850, dawne
upon the maritime world and change