The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-01
The Journal carried almost
double the advertising of its
evening competitor.
Figures for Combny1som.'
Is IT A HITCH2

Judging from the excitement at the
meeting Of the shareholders Of the new
Panama Canal company in Paris yester-
day, it might be supposed that there is
a very serious hitch in the process of
transferring the company's franchise to
our government. 1t is we'll known that
Colombia's concession to the French COM
pany prohibits the company to part with
the franchise to foreign nation and the
Colombian government is seeking to mod
ify the clause, but there is no reason to
believe that it has any notion of playing
into the hands of the French government
and furthering the retention Of the work
in French hands. -.
1t was stated at the shareholders meet
ing yesterday that President Loubet has
taken steps to endeavor to have the canal
built with French money, but that state
ment is probably a little wild. France
has had enough trouble through the
Panama canal, which was the means of
developing very large amount of cor
ruption among French legislators and a
cruel amount of suffering upon the poorer
class Of investors in the alleged gilt
edged shares issued under the De Lesseps
regime. Some of the shareholders of the
new company complained yesterday that
our government had "beat the price down
to $40, 600, OO0," and were disposed to kick
against the offer of their own representa-
tives acting in accordance with the vote
of the shareholders That offer remains
open until March 4, 1903, and it cannot be
honorably cancelled by repudiatng it.
AS matter of fact, while the Walker
canal commission has, in its supplement
tary report, recommended the Panama
route as the better one, both on account
of the engineering arguments favoring it,
and because it is financially the most
economical, no decision has been reached
by congress, for Senator Morgan's COM
mittee has not reported and if the Hep
burn bill is brought in there will be a
protracted debate over it, for it insists
upon the Nicaragua route, assuming that
it has somehow become a national policy
to canalize that route and that it is little
short Of treason to contemplate any other
But while the Hepburn bill went through
the house without any attrition, and ap-
parently had no serious opposition, there
is no doubt that many members voted fol
1t to emphasize their desire to expedite
the construction of an interoceanic cana
whatever the route might be. II the sen.
ate decides for the Panama route it seems
incredible that any considerable number
of congressman will fight aginst agree
ment on the part of the house.
This session Of congress should ter
inmate the very long discussion Of tn,
subject Of an interoceanic canal. It ha
been before congress at intervals for tn,
past fifty years. An interoceanic cana
was contemplated when the Clayton-Bul
wer treaty was signed in 1850. Our gov
eminent has caused several expensive en-
cheering Investigations of routes to b
made. the most exhaustive of all bein
that of the Walker commission. which ha
recently rendered it's report to the gov
eminent after examining with careful, ex
pert scrutiny eight or ten canal route
from Greytown to Darien. Thi, commits
sion has given good and sufficient reason
for its final determination favoring tn
Panama route. There seems to be n
danger from claims of the stock and bond
holders of the old Panama concerns an
no such incumbrance exists which has no
already been quitclaimed.
1t is noticeable that the democrats ar
very largely championing the Nicaragu
route, although it is difficult to see ho
there can be any partizan division on thi
subject, as it is a question of accomplish
ing the largest commercial advantage ia
the whole country. But it is becomin
evident that the democrats. or some I
them, are disposed to denounce til
Panama proposition as republica
scheme to defeat canal constructio,
which shows the barrenness Of the demo
cratic party in issues. The stateme1
is so idiotic that it cannot find an
ground to stand on
Andrea Carnegie has shown his GOO
jus-I@ent in his expressed belief that IL
j, 6fels placed upon the shelves OF tt