The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-16
Washington
Day by Day

Washington January ID. = Especially =
THE Nicaraguan canal Is doomed. very
much fear" said FORMER Senator James
L. Piigh
There arc the ciearest indications that
the Senate will adopt the Panama route
and insist upon its adoption by the
House, the former Senatorial leader con-
tinued.
"Since 1 talked to you the other day
and expressed my fears for the Nicara-
guam route, 1 have taken further steps
to inform myself as to the situation in the
Senate, and what 1 have ascertained
leads me into the gravest doubts of the
possibility of that route being accepted
by the Senate. Our situation in support
of the Nicaraghan plan l consider almost
hopeless.
THE movement in favor of accepting
the offer of the Panama Canal Company
has gathered amazing force within the
few days that have passed since 1t was
made on the basis OF $500 .OOo-has I'M
mistahably during the past thirty-six
hours, in fact.
THE canal commission, under the chair
manship of Admiral Walker, has reas
sembled. and look for an immediate
and practically unanimous report from
the commission recommending Congress
to adopt the Panama scheme"
What effect would the substitution of
the Psnama for the Nicaraguan route
have on Alabama ana the other Southern
states?" was asked of Senator Pugh.
Most serious consequences would re-
suit" said the Senator.
THE Panama canal would be of no
great value to the South. unless we could
establish steamship lines from our
Southern ports to the Atlantic entrance
of the canal and make a great bid for
commerce on our own account Even in
that direction we would be handicapped
by lack of capital
THE main chance for the Alabama coal
industry would lie In the establishment
of a large line of ships to ply between
Mobile and the canal, conveying coal in
large quantities and storing It at the At
lantic end. the ships returning to Mobile
empty. And in considering this we must
remember that the Panama route is some
five hundred miles further from Mobile
than the Nicaraguan route, making a
difference in the voyage of a thousand
miles, or a week at tho least.
'"The ships of the New York, Philadel-
phia and Boston lines would not touch
the Gulf Of Mexico on their way to Pan
Cuba In pursuing a straight course. The
nearest approach to the gulf states, the
peninsula of Florida excepted, would be
east OF the easternmost point of Cuba
ut Is Of some significance that Sena-
tor Depew has FASTENED to declare him
self in favor Of the Panama route Mr..
Depew still belong to the Vanderbilts and
hear that the vanderbilts are the prin-
cipal owners of large line of steamships
already established between New York
and Panama and South American ports
Thus the most powerful money interests
of this country are now ready to send
numerous swift vessels through the Pan
anna canal. This enables you to arrive
Immediately at your own conclusions.
Mr. Depew is powerful In the Senate
through the business interests he rep
resents; and according to what l have
ascertained all the truly powerful Repub-
lican Senators are opposed to the Mic
aragua plan. 1t does not require a veter-
an legislator to perceive the full signifl-
canoe of this.
These new developm ents, or rather
this somewhat sudden elimination Of
forces. long existing in hostility to the
Nicaragua canal, may very materially
affect the vote on the final issue of canal
or not canal. and it may result in an in
definite postponement of the construc-
ton of an isthmian waterway between
the Atlantic and the Pacific, whether at
Nicaragua, Panama or Darien-Senator
Hanna having unexpectedly discovered an
unknown engineer who had unexpectedly
discovered an unknown canal survey Of
great practicability across the isthmus
of Darien, concerning which 1 ventured
to warn you when 1 last talked with YOU
We are all aware that the most power
full lobby influences ever known are now
being brought to bear upon the Senate
against any and every transisthmian
canal"
Though some recent remarks of Senator