Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-01-10


From Central America Says 18th
milan Republic and Costa RIGA
Count on Having the United States
Pay Dear For Any Concessions.
w. B. Cameron, G. E., of Birminc-
nam, England, who is stopping al the
Holland House, has just returned from
Central America, where he has been
inspecting some mining claims held by
British capitalists, says the New York
Sun. He says that European investors
are looking toward Central America as
a possible field for the employment of
capital, and he predicts that the re-
sources of the country will be develop
ed rapidly after the canal is in opera
ton. An English syndicate is reported
TO nave acquired an option upon the
principal Nicaraguan railway lines,
J with concessions for new lines to be
built if the canal bill passes. In re-
gard to the position IF the people of Nj
caragua toward the canal scheme Mr.,
Cameron said:
The attitude of all classes is decid-
eddy in favor of having the canal built.
The mass of the people favor it because
they expect that it will bring a vast
amount of gold into the country and
will provide positions as guards and
overseerS for themselves. 1t is gener-
ally expected that the Nicaraguan and
Costa Rican authorities in the final ne
gotlationS for the canal will Stipulate
that such places shall be filled from
their own citizens.
There is one point which does not
seem to be appreciated by most of the
Americans with whom | have talked in
the course of the trip overland from
San Francisco. They assume that the
Central American republics will give
the United States carte blanche to
build and manage the canal according
to her own plans and without recon-
! pense. In fact, from all | have heard
and read in your American newspa-
pers it seems to be the general impress
sion that all arrangements with Mica
ragua and Costa Rica providing for the
construction of the canal had been
completed. AS l understand the mat
ter, however, the final negotiations
have not yet been entered upon. When
they are undertaken. | think that it
will appear that the sentiment of the
Nicaraguans in regard to the terms of
constructing the canal is somewhat
different from what it is believed TO be
by the people of your city.
For several months made my head
quarters in Managua and in the course
of my business | became acquainted
with several prominent citizens and
government officials. At that time it
was reported that the United States
would insist upon the right to fortify
the canal and to secure exclusive privi-
leges for United States vessels. To this
they were all greatly opposed and de-
clared that Nicaragua could not con-
sent to the building of the canal unless
it was to be open on equal terms to the
shipping of the world Some fear was
expressed as to the ultimate intentions
of the United States on account of the
eXpanSioniSt tendencies which she now
displays. and it was generally main
tanned that the conditions for the man
agement of the canal ought to be very
clearly defined so that this country
should not be able to extend her con
troll over the canal to the point of terri
torial control which might result later
on in the absorption of Nicaragua into
the possession of the United States.
80 far as | could learn it is the in.
tention of the governments of Nicara.
qua and Costa RIGA to demand an i'm
portant share in the control OF the ca
nal under Il tripartite agreement
was Informed by an official of the Mica
raglan government that the people of
Nicaragua had been told that the sent-
ment of the United States was in favor
of a canal through Nicaragua and that
it would be built along that route Con-
Sequently they regarded it as a valua-
bic concession and would demand in re-
turn for it either a share in the control
of the canal or a large money indem
nifty.
IF the government should undertake
to dispose of the concession without
such conditions. according to this Off
cial. it would result in a revolution
The question of constitutional author
ity would not be a bar to such action in
his opinion. because the constitution
could be amended by the action of the
Nicaraguan congress. in which the gov
ernment party has a substantial major
ity. but the very fact of taking such
action. as he explained. would be tax
en- advantage of by the opposition to
stir up revolution. as the party of the
outs stood ready to use any pretenSe
to seize the government before the
actual beginning of canal work in the
expectation that during its conStruc-
ton those in authority would have OPP
portunitirS to enrich themselves.
las to the interest in the canal on the
part of the people of Nicaragua it
could not he greater than it is 1t is the
one great topic of discussion There are
all kinds of talk of concessions. priv
ileges and so forth. and all kinds of
more or less intangible enterprises are
being set at1oat AS an example of the
prevailing attitude was Informed that
certain officials of Costa Rica had
bought up the lands on their side of the