The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-12-27
This Route May Be Chosen
Instead of the Nicaragua
THE LIMIT is $40,OOO,OOO
United States Would Not Pay a
Greater Sum Than This.
RESTS IN HANDS OF THE FRENCH
Panama Route Favored in the Sem
ate and Commission May Change
Its Recommendation.

Special to The Journal.
Chicago, Dec. 27.-Walter Welman in a
special to the Record-Herald from Wash
ington says: 1t may be Panama after all
As soon as the holidays are over and con-
gress returns to town the battle Of the
canals is expected to rage with great
fury. Nicaragua still has the advantage
but it is not to be permitted to carry of
the honors without struggle. Panama
is developing unlooked-for strength
private telegram from Paris indicates
that the new Panama canal company is
prepared to submit to the United States a
definite offer of sale at the value set by
the Walker commission, namely, SAC, ,O00,-
600. If the Panama company does submit
such an offer and includes in it all its
property of whatever description there is
at least a chance that the strong tide now
running in favor Of Nicaragua may be
stemmed. If the French company makes
another blunder and asks any higher fig
ure than $40,000,000 it will get nothing
and the canal at Nicaragua will be au-
thorized.
In the house it is not believed that the
Panama at any price would receive con-
sideration. The house is set for the
Nicaragua and apparently nothing car
change it's view at this late hour.
Panama Strong in the Senate.
But in the senate a strong Panama
party is developing. Influential senators
say privately that they are convinced that
Panama is by long odds the better route
and if OffpY IN a oie.
sion's valuation is received they declare
it will receive favorable attention at the
hands Of the senate.
The most important development Of the
day is the discovery that the isthmian
commission, of which Admiral Walker is
president, may be induced to change its
recommendation from the Nicaragua tc
the Panama route. If the French company
submits an offer of sale at $40 900, 900, and
that offer is referred by the president to
the commission, as it probably will be, the
chances are in favor of a reversal of It's
attitude by the commission. This state
meut is made, uitSA tA@ highest authority
1t is equally certain that the commits
sion will not consider fayorably any Offer
at a higher price than the sum which il
fixed as the value of the Panama prop
erty in it's annual report, and this offer
must include every piece of property now
owned by that company.
All Depends Upon the French.
Everything depends, therefore, upor
whether the French company has wisdom
enough to make such a proposition. UI
to this time the Panama people have
handled their business very badly. They
threw away an opportunity to secure ia
vorable report from the commission in its
annual report, President Hutin not having
enough acumen and business discretion
to do the right thing at the right time
He was repeatedly urged by Admira
Walker to submit a reasonable, definite
proposal of sale. He was repeatedly
warned that failure so to do would result
in a recommendation for Nicaragua, ant
after that it would be next to impossible
to secure any consideration whatever fol
the Panama scheme. With rare faulty
M. Huntin frittered away his opportuni-
ties. He has been forced to resign from
tho presidency and the men now in con-
troll are trying to induce the stockholders
to correct his blunder.