The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-15

treaty or formally abrogated by nego-
tiations between the two governments.
am speaking, of course, of the practical
methods of procedure. We could go
ahead and declare 1t abrogated, by an
act of Congress or by the enactment of
legislation in defiance of the provisions
or the treaty, but that would be a breech
or the international amenities which
it is safe to say will never be realized.
We have the physical power to do this,
but the United States is not going to
take any such step.
There must therefore, follow negotia-
tons OF some kind. What these win be
has not yet been determined. They will,
however, take time and they will also
open the opportunity for the opponents of
a canal to further postpone legislation.
The Panama Canal Project. Z.
Just now the Panama canal project is
coming to the front because of the strong
indications that there Is nothing in the
Nicaragua scheme. II is said that a num-
Der of the men high in the council of the
Republican administration are interested
in this Panama project and would like to
see such arrangements between this gov
eminent and the men owning the Panama
concessions as would make il possible for
the United States to take over the Pan
anna canal and complete it's construction.
Senior Silvela. minister of foreign affairs
of the government of Colombia is here
as is also NJ. Hutin, president of the New
Panama Canal Company. They have had
several conferences with officials of the
State Department, and it is understood
have made proposals with the idea that
they may serve as a basis for negotia-
tons. The Panama people would, very
naturally, like to see this government do
anything that will save their property, and
the Colombian government is equally
anxious to see the canal, If there is to
be one, built across the Isthmus of Pan
anna, because that would mean much
business to Colombia. The construction
of a canal by the Nicaragua route, would,
of course. mean the death of the Panama
canal project and of the Panama railroad.
The Panama People Active.
In the meantime. however, that these
negotiations-if they can be said to have
reached the stage of negotiations-are go
ing on between Senior Silvela and Mr.. Hay,
the Panama people are actively at work
endeavoring to interest American capital
in short to unload their concessions upon
American capital They have the very ac-
tive assistance of some very astute Ameri-
can business men who seem convinced
that there will be no canal at all unless
it is built by private enterprise, who are
also convinced that the Panama route is
the more feasible. AS is we'll known,
there has been incorpora ted under the
laws of the state of New Jersey COM
pany known as the New Panama Canal
Company of America. 1t is given out that
all of the holdings of the old company
have been transferred to this new corpor-
alton which is an American concern.
There is some prospects of American cap
itafists taking hold of this. company. The
negotiations, understand, are in the pre-
iiminary stages, but there is substance to
them
In view of all these facts, there seems
warrant for the statement that there is
practically no chance for the enactment
of legislation providing for the construc-
ton of a canal over the Nicaragua route
by this government and that if we are
to have any canal at all in the very near
future, ii will be over the Panama route,
and will be built by American capital.