New-York tribune., 1902-01-16
ISTHMIAN CANAL PROBLEM
WALKER COMMISSION TO TAKE UP THE
FRENCH OFFER TO-DAY.
NAY REVISE ITS REPORT AND RECOMMEND
THE PANAMA ROUTE-PROMOTERS OF
THE DARIEN SCHEME AT WORK
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]


(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSE.I
Washington, Jan. 15.-The first real crisis in
the isthman canal question will be reached to-
morrow. when the Walker Commission will hold
q special meeting to consider the matter further
in the light Of recent developments, particularly
the definite offer Of the French Panama Com
rany 10 sell its rights and property for $40 600 -
O00 II is considered not wholly unlikely that
the commission in view of this offer, will revise
its report recently submitted, and recommend in
strong terms the acceptance of the French
proposition a careful reading of the report
shows that the commission really was more in
clined 10 the Panama route than any other and
il is there plainly intimated that except for the
high price fixed by the former managers Of the
Panama company, the Walker Commission
would have recommended the purchase of the
property and the completion of the work begun
by the French company. Admiral Walker and
his associates valued the property the figure
at which ii is now offered by the French. and II
is. therefore, generally believed here that unless
difficulties now apparent in the matter or
making clear title to the property which were
not apparent when the commission investigated
the whole Panama scheme d recommendation for
fits purchase will be made.
PROBABLE EFFECT ON CONGRESS.
It follows. Of course, that if the commission
does take this action both houses OF congress
will be brought around to a view of the
canal question. That is to say. it Will have the
effect of weakening the support in the Senate
now enioyed by the Nicaragua route. although
NJ course it is possible that. after all, Congress
NAV discover through its own resources that the
French owners of the Panama property cannot
make a satisfactory transfer of their holdings
20 the United States. In such an event the
Panama route would receive another setback.
and the advocates of the Nicaragua scheme
might take advantage of this to rush their
proposition through at the next session OF con-
gress. It is almost certain. however that they
oonnot hurry il through at this session, and
ths, as heretofore frequently stated by The
Tribune all definite canal legislation Will be
held in allegiance for fully a year. and perhaps
longer Senator Hanna and one or two other
members of the InterOceanic Canal Committee
Of the Senate have told Senator Morgan and
other supporters of the Nicaragua route that
hsstv action on a question of such tremendous
importance and far teaching consequences VIII
NOT he perrnitted. and that the greatest freedom
NJ inquiry must be allowed in the Vitaly I'M
nortant matter Of the selection Of route. The
meaning of this is that the Hepburn bill will be
held In committee much longer than its ad-
vocates had calculated upon, and that every
proposition for constructing a ship waterway
"a connect the oceans will be carefully lnVesu-
gated by the Senate.
ADVOCATES OF THE DARIEN ROUTE
NJ Hanna makes no effort TO conceal MS
rtsong belief in the superiority of the Darleh
rsazts over all others. and at an opportune uile
A..xf,, rive his reasons for this belief. General
<,orrsu of New-York and other hackers OF tnat
o,tsrrrtse have been in Washington two days
JuietJy laying before influential members OF both
fousAs The advantages Of their proposition, ana
q ia ernected that In few days they will make
formal statement that will still further conpli-
cstn the canal situation. The claim is boldly
,71sds that President Mckinley favored the
lived. he would have recommended its accept
ence 70 Congress. The promoters of this schenle
assert that they complete II and nave IL IN
oneratton in less than three years, and that IL
will cost not more than half OF the estimated
cost of either the Nicaragua or the Panama
Canal They also declare their Willingness 70
deposit with the government a forfeit or SIo-
100000 in United States bonds II they DO not
make good their promise in every particular
provided only that the government does not go
into the business of constructing canal More
over, il is intimated that if the United States
fails to take advantage of this offer european
power stands ready to aid the Darlen enterprise
nv indorsirC the bonds of the corporation that
IS promoting II, and that in this event the work
on the canal would begin Immediately AFTER
Congress refused 10 accept the proposition, 10
the end that a canal across the lsthmus OF
Darien would he completed about the time the
United States could make preparations 10 begin
work on the route selected by this government
This sort of talk, Of course, may be all nlufr,
but il is having some effect on members or
the Senate just the same.