Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-11-29

necessary for the construction Of the
canal and for Its management after COM
pletion the United States should acquire
control Of a strip Of territory from sea
ent and efficient accomplishment OF these
purposes. Measures must also be taken
to protect the line from unlawful acts OF
to renSer 70 poIse nrisdieton effective
The strip should be not less than nve
miles wide on each side of the center
line Of the canal, or ten miles IN total
width. No treaties now exist with any
Of the states within whose territory the
two routes lie authorizing the United
States to occupy its territory for the CON
struction and operation OF a canal Wneh
1t has been determined to undertake the
the consent of Colombia. or Of Nicaragua
and Costa Rica, for such occupation
must be obtained before the inauguration
Of the enterprise. and one or more con-
United States to secure the necessary
privileges and authority. The republics
Of Nicaragua and Costa Rica are un-
or treaty obligations. and are. free to
grant to the United States the rights
necessary for the attainment OF these
ends, and in December, 1900, demonstrat-
tory so occupied by the United States by
executing protocols by which 1t was
agreed that they would enter into ne
gotiations to settle In detail the plan
and agreements necessary to accomplish
the construction and provide for the
ownership of the proposed canal when
ever the President of the United states
is authorized by law to acquire the nee
essary control and authority.
Colombia Not Free.
The government of Colombia. on the
contrary, in whose territory the Panama
route lies, has granted concessions which
belong to- or are controlled by the New
Panama Canal Company and have many |
years to run. These concessions. limit
ed in time and defective in other ways, |
would not be adequate authority for the
purposes of the United States, but while
they exist Colombia is not free TO treat
with this government. If the Panama
route is selected these concessions must
be removed In order that the republics
may enter into treaty to enable the
United States to acquire the control
upon the isthmus that will be necessary
and to fix the consideration. An agree
ment with the New Panama Canal Com
pany to surrender or transfer Its con,
cessons must include a sale Of its canal
property and unfinished work. and the
commission undertook soon after Its or
to ascertain upon what terms
this could be accomplished. Much cor
respondence and many conferences foi-
lowed. but no proposition naming price
was presented until the middle of Octo-
Der. 1901, and after prolonged discussion
it was submitted to the commission In a
modified form on the 4th of November,
to be included in its report TO the Presi-
dent The itemized statements appear In
an earlier chapter of the report Inc
total amount for which the company
offers to sell and transfer Its canal prop
erty to the United States Is $lO9, l4l 800
This. added to the cost of completing the
work. makes the whole cost of canal
by the Panama route s253,374. S5S, While
the cost by the Nicaragua route is $780,
'S4 C62, difference of .796 In favor
If the Nicaragua route.
States Must Be Compt nsated.
In each case there must be added the
,ost of obtaining the use OF the terri |
DRY to be occupied and such other privi-
eyes as may be necessary for the con-
'truction and operation of the canal In
)erpetuity. The compensation that the
lifferent states will ask for granting
hese privileges is now unknown. There
ire certain physical advantages such as
shorter canal line. a more complete
of the country through which
t passes and lower cost of maintenance
md operation, in favor Of the Panama
cute, but the price fixed by the Panama
lanai Company for a sale of its prop
rty and franchises Is so unreasonable
hat its acceptance cannot be recon-
nended by this commission. After con-
idering all the facts developed by the
made by the commission,
he actual situation as 1t now stands.
nd having in view the terms offered by
he New Panama Canal Company, this
is of the opinion that the
1ost practicable and feasible route" for
n isthmian canal to be under the con-
rol. management and ownership of the
United States is that known as the
Nicaragua route.