The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-01-25
For the Panama Route.


The Canal Commission which reported q
few weeks ago in favor of building canal
Joining the Atlantic and Pacific by the Mica
ragua route, has now reported unanimously
in favor of purchasing and completing the
Panama Canal. To the first report there was
minority report, fayoring the Panama route,
and since those controlling the Panama prop
erty have made the price of it 4O,0OO, 600,
the entire commission favors the Panama
route.
The estimated cost of canal by the Mica
ragua route, was oyer $3.50 0OO, DOC, but it would
probably have cost double that sum- Be
sides, the work would be liable TO destruction
by earthquakes, and as a part of the proposed
water way included lake Nicaragua, naviga-
ton would at all times be exposed 10 difficulty
by wind and storms. Then, on account of
the instability of the governments Of Nicara-
qua and Costa Rico, and the proneness OF the
people to insurrection and rebellion, 1t would
probably cost large sum annually to patrol
and protect the canal
II IS inconceivable why the commission
should have RECOMMENDED the Nicaragua route.
Il would be much more expensive to construct
a canal across that section, would be more
expensive to maintain, would take longer to
build, and would require 33 hours for its nav
igation against IL hours by the Panama route.
Being shorter it would be less expensive to
shipping, and would receive larger tonnage.
Upon these points the Commission says
saThe estimated cost of constructing the
Nicaragua Canal is $40, $50, 704 more than
the cost of completing the Panama.
1.-THE estimated annual cost OF maintenance
and operation is 81, 800, 600 greater at Mica
ragua than at Panama.
EsThe Panama route would be 1916 miles
shorter than the Nicaragua route from sea to
sea. with fewer locks and less curvature, both
in degrees and miles, The estimated time for
q deep draft vessel to pass through the Mica
ragua Canal was put at 33 hours, as against
II hours for the Panama, these estimates be-
ing the time of actual navigation, and not IN
Guiding delays for winds, currents and dark
ness.
In view of this statement it looks like the
recommendation of the Nicaragua route vas
intended to bring down the price of the Pa
mama Canal, which it has done, for it is in
conceivable, why otherwise such report
should have been made. If an sthmian ca
nal is needed, there was no comparison be-
tween the two routes.
The demand for an isthmian canal precedes
almost wholly from naval view. The United
States havingbranched out as great naval
and military power, and crossed the seas to
acquire new possessions, is liable at any time
to be embroiled with other governments, and
speedy concentration of war ships may be
necessary II is a long distance from the At
lantic coast to our Pacific coast around Cape
Horn, and an isthmian canal would shorten
the route fully one-half. Had the United States
followed the policy of the founders of the re-
public we should have needed neither large
navy nor an isthmian canal. Some day our
mistake in crossing into Asia may be realized,
and all the commercial advantages realized, as
hoped, be more than offset by war, death and
debt Peace is far preferable to possible war
in efforts to extend trade and commerce. With
our own country not half developed, it looks
like folly to risk war in grasping other lands,
and subduing unwilling people, contrary to
the spirit of our institutions and the policy of
oantrrr