The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-17
ROUTE OF CANAL
T. p. ALEXANDER is FOR THE
NICARAGUA WAY.
ADVANTAGES OVER PANAMA.
,.o~s TO SHOW WHY NICARA-
NJ" qua ROUTE is BETTER.

...I America and Is Familiar
with the Situation-Economy in
,;,,e and Distance i'm Favor of
~ Nicaragua ROute-Health Con-
,;+ions Better i'm Nicaragua. and
r..dc winds Would Admit of the
nal Being Practicable for Sail
,.s VesseIs-DOIdrums of the Low
Iatitudes Would Make Sailing
v..eIs slow Transients for the
Panama Canal.
can p p. Alexander, formerly pres
,,ort of the Central of Georgia Rail-
w.. who has been in Savannah for
week the guest of Mr.. and Mrs.
EIorance Minis, on Castor street,
..st will leave tomorrow flor his
',rtation estate near Georgetown, s.
r His visit to Savannah was to at
tsnd the nuptials of his son, Mr.. Leo
pold Alexander.
An engagement with ex-President
Grover cleveland calls Gen. Alexander
% his plantation. For eight or ten
,.srs il has been Mr.. Cleveland's Gus
fam
.rder's place, where the two indulge
IN duck shooting Both are keen sports
mon and their success among the swift
maDards and the great greenheads is
alwavs phenomenal.
His visits to Gen. Alexander are al
ways looked forward to by Mr.. Cleve-
land with anticipation of the greatest
Measure Even more pleasant than the
snort among the ducks is the ex-Presi-
dents enjoyment of the bountifu;
Southern hospitality Of the Alexander
home.
Most of Gen. Alexander's time is
spent on his plantation, where the an
pual yield of rice is large. Fortunately,
TOO. his crops have escaped the devas-
tstion that has overtaken those of this
locality during recent years from
foods. Not since '93 has he had a crop
ruined.
Gen Alexander is an advocate of CO.
operation or consolidation in rice plant
ing that would bring about the estab-
lishment of one great common bank
or dyke, that would serve as a pro-
lection for a wide area of lands, and
the equipment of the great plantation
resulting with all the appliances and
Improvements that might be regarded
as necessary. AS among Savannah
planters SO among those of the George
town section there has been talk of
such a consolidation of interests in the
hope of the material benefits that
would follow.
national measure of the greatest
import that is having it's progress
watched by Gen. Alexander with the
deepest interest, is that of the isthmian
canal. Apart from the interest in
splred among all thinking men through
their desire for the countrys welfare
and its commercial and maritime up
building, Gen. Alexander is moved by
the personal knowledge he has of Cen
ual America. This was gained
through residence of four years, and
The discussion of the great question
as to whether Panama or Nicaragua
oHers the more desirable route for the
canal recalls in every phase some
memory of his stay in the tropics.
NO stronger adherent to the cause of
me Nicaragua route could be found
IMAM Gen. Alexander, who is familiar
win both that and the Panama route.
ne served on the commission that
some fifteen months ago concluded it's
settlement of the question of the
boundary between Costa RIGA and
Nicaragua, having been appointed en-
gneeF arbiter between the two countries
NY resident Cleveland. The boundary
me me mad been a question prolific of
usputeS between Costa Rica and Mic
'Iagud for fifty years.
The Nicaragua route" said Gen. AL
eAdhder, Offers such advantages over
ue Fanama route that our govern
meht should not accept the partially
instructed Panama canal even as a
gut II this is the case, certainly we
should not buy that route.
4 several reasons serve to convince
me That it is far preferable to build
ule canal through Nicaragua. and l
uslieVe they will appeal to Congress.
%lu mat that route will be chosen.
me distance between the Gulf and the
racine coasts of our country would be
Two days less by the Nicaragua than
4 " ule Panama route for steam YES
TN' put for sailing vessels there is
alcely amy means of calculating just
NY" much quicker the Nicaragua route
"ou'd be The trade winds do not eX-
nu so lar south as Panama. That is
ir region of the doldrums, and sail
ing vessels stand little chance for MAX
e progress. Panama Bay is the
iA pocket in which a sailing YES
~ ever got, and they have been known
Say in it for months because of
VIZ Vs calm that beset them. For the
n autl route, however, 500 miles
i ,a., Of Panama, this OBJ
ION on account OF trade winds
l,,, .l not apply, for they blow in the
ts.1lue OF the eastern and western
ar, OF the proposed canal.
ubi ~ health OF the country through
Ley" Nicaragua canal would run
D. ~ lnmeasurably superior to that of
'snama that it should be a convincing
asulIent in favor of the former. Pam
. .a ana Colon, on the Pacific and the
nanuc coasts respectively. of the
bo,pussd Panama canal. are perfect
5oeds OF yellow fever. They are
s,,u nee from the disease A rise
ds !aiI Of twenty feet in the Pa
ma uae leaves Panama bay a vast
hsr. uai and it breeds contagion. I
co,s. never known yellow fever i'm the
ibs OF the Nicaragua route. where
w. climate is pleasant.
p,a UT strategic reasons the Nicara-
SI route should be chosen While no
MAJ country might construct an 18TH
M, canal for many years, we would
Ma" lsu 10 leave a route open for ii,
bs. IL might undertake such a plan,
on would afford an advantage over
Eo,5s" canal. Such a route, however,
sba'3l, De left if the United States
po,',s select Panama. Nicaragua
II -l men be for some other power.
tssrHsht be 100 or II might be LOCO
Gone. before another country might
bp, Iuot a canal through Nicaragua,
trs, ne chance should not be left IT