The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-13
Favor NICARAGUA

senator Morgan'S iSthmian canal COM
mittee voted yesterdaysato report to the
senate the Hepburn canal BILL. which pro-
vides for the construction of The isthmian
canal by. the Nicaraguan route.
This action was expected and was fore
Swallowed ten days ago, when the sub
committee voted adversely on the PROPOSE
ton of the Panama Canal company to sell
Its rights and properties to the United
States for $400OO,OOO. The subcommittee
reported that they found the complica-
lions in the way Of transferringsa legal
title to our government 'insurmountable. .
Thls committee, or majority of the
members, are unreasonably prejudiced in
favor Of the Nicaragua route and would
report in favor. Of it If it would cost three
or four times as much as the Panama
canal. They do not look at the canal
question from an economic or business
standpoint at all. One Of their reasons
for reporting against the Panama route is
that a French law, enacted in 1888, re-
CURED the Panama Canal company tosuse
none but French machinery in the con-
struction of the canal. That act was APP
plicable to the old, defunct canal corpora
ton, and, If the property. is turned over
to. our government, no obsolete French
law can obstruct the use of American ma
chinery particle.
Senator Morgans committee will, be-
yond doubt, report the Hepburn bill favor
ably to the senate. OF the eleven mem,
OIL in, 20 oP t110 Doyo
route-Hapna, Kittridge, Pritchard and
Willard, while Morgan, Foster, Harris,
Mitchell, Turner, Plat Of New York. and
Hawthorne are, as they have always been,
strong protagonists of the Nicaragua
route. These latter gentlemen, however,
will not be able to control the judgment
of the senate. In that body full debate
may he had, as it has no cloture rule to
cut off discussion arbitrarily, and the al
legged legal complications will have full
airing and will be found, no doubt, to
exist chiefly in senatorial imaginations.
The Colombian minister to the United
States at Washington, who, of course,
knows what ne is talking about, declares
that there is no truth in the report that
his government was hindering the fur
therance Of Panama canal construction.
and that Colombia has no objection what
ever to the transfer of the franchise and
plants from the Panama Canal company
to the United States, and will give all
REQUISITE consent and welcomes the con-
struction Of the work. Colombia will
give as good terms in the way of cessions
as ecan be given by, Nicaragua and Costa
RIGA. who have agreed to- grant right Of
way and other rights for consideration
Of $1,000. O00 The Colombian government
has signifed that it will lease property
tosour government fora term Of 200 years,
with privilege Of renewal. The consid-
GRAFTON has not yet been determined.
ss The senate will probably vote for the
route which appears to be the best eco
,nonically from commercial and financial
standpoints The recommendation of The
Walker Canal commission favoring the
Panama route, from the engineering
standpoint and from the economical
standpoint also. has weight with the
business element. The frequency Of
curves in the Nicaragua canal route and
the great difficulty of constructing arti-
fetal harbors at Brito and Greytown, the
termini of the canal and the longer time
Of passage are very great objections to
that route. ~