Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-21
PRESIDENT MY DECIDE
Congress to Leave Decision as
to Canal Route to
Roosevelt.
The Latter Is Said to Have
Agreed TO Accept the
Task.
This Plan Said to Be Only Hope
of Securing Immediate
Legislation.

Washington, May I.-Ine propO-
stion offered by Senator Hoar as q
solution of the Isthmian canal legislat-
i've problem will be acceptable to the
administration. This assertion is made
with authority. When the Hepburn
bill was up in the house of represent
atives, Congressman Page Morris Of
fered an amendment providing that the
choice of routes should be left to the
president Of the United States. AT the
time it was urged that this was cow
ardly course and that congress should
not attempt to evade a responsibility
which clearly belonged to 1t. The
proposition met with no support from
administration quarters. At the Tina
it was believed that congress should
make a decision as between the routes
offered. Since that time there have
been developments which lead the ad-
ministration to believe 1t might De
better perhaps, to permit the chleI eA-
ecutiye to make decision Inc ao-
ministration seeks no power, ana yer
the inability of the state department
to secure a satisfactory OASIS LOT
treaty from the governments interested
in connection With the concessions de-
sired for the canal, moves the admin
istration to the belief that with the
choice vested in the chief executive by
playing one route against the other and
one country against the other, much
rap ha
The secretary of state has sent to
congress the terms of tentative proto-
coils. These show that while Colombia
manifests a desire to have the canal
built on her territory, she does not
show an inclination to give terms the
congress of the United States can ac-
cert. For example, Colombia asks Tor
81 900 900 for the canal strip and then
makes necessary 4 new compensation
and adjustment of conditions after the
passage Of fourteen years. Nicaragua
and Costa Rica are willing to give the
for 100 years and in per-
petuity. Nicaragua asks for an annual
rental of $4,000, a merely nominal
sum. Nicaragua offers a canal strip
of three miles on each side of the ac-
tual waterway. She also offers to per-
nit the United States to do the neces-
sary police and judicial work that will
be required during the term of occu-
The annual rental, it is under
stood, is asked by Nicaragua SO that
she may retain nominal title to the
land in answer to popular sentiment.
The offers of the countries are not at
al satisfactory to the state department..
They are not what has been desired,
nor what the officials of the department
States. They are, however, the only
terms the governments concerned will
bind themselves to until a route is Sc
lected. Once congress makes decis-
iCn as to the route, the country favored
will recede from it's favorable position.
and make even less concessions than
it now agrees to. The administration
will lend itself to the plan of the chief
executive selecting the route, because
If left to its own discretion it can Sc
cure more favorable terms from the
countries in interest. The adninistra-
ton already has the advantage of an
expression by the house of representa-
lives as to it's choice. 1t is familiar with
the attitude of the various senators
who have given the question thought.
Guided by these and by the progress
which it can make in diplomatic eN-
changes, it is thought 81 wise choice,
and a satisfactory one, could be made.
Senator Hoar proposes In his amend
nent to leave the, choice to the presi-
lent, and he proposes no further legis-
ation than to limit the total cost Of the
canal to $50 600 900
The objections which have been
raised to the Nicaragua route because
ii the volcanic craters along its way
nave strengthened the opposition and
made possible more effective opposi-
ton to the bill favorably reported for
he Nicaragua route. Il has also won
over to the Hoar proposition some sup
rt