The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-25
DE CASTELLANE URGES
THE PANAMA ROUTE

NEW YORK, Feb. 25.-"The Herald"
OF today prints an interesting signed
statement by Count Boni de CasteIIane.
concerning a Trars-Isthmian Canal. in
which the Count pleads in favor Of the
Panama route
The statement is as follows:
''To the Editor Of The Herald:
TT viii surprise nobody that a French
man friendly to the great Republic OF
North America should take an interest in
the negotiations az present to the Pana-
ma Canal
The only thing that might appear
strange is that he should give his opinion
on this question 20 the American public
liz. an American newspaper, instead Of
addressing himself TO his elIow-country-
men. But a few words will suffice TO
explain the reason for this seeming
odlity.
THE French Company in liquidation
has come to such a pass that it has
formed the idea Of ceding to the United
States everything that still represents the
millions Of our national economies swaI-
lowed up in Central Amerioa-the canal
concession, the work accomplished, the
existing plant.
French Not Moved by sale.
-French public opinion has been neither
moved nor irritatCd by this plan Il thor
oughly understands that it is impossible
10 gaIvanIze the enterprise with French
capital The stockholders have no hope
further than that OF regaining a portion
Of their money by an integral transfer Of
their property to a new company.
Consequently no impeachment is raised
on our side 20 the negotiations, and in
Our country nobody needs preaching to
OF converting. for the French company
could not be asked to reduce its preten-
tious.
THE price it asks. $40.O0O00O. or 200.-
COO.000f is exactly the valuation fixed
by the American committee Of enquiry
after investigation or the ground itself
II the negotiations come TO nothing
the fault viii lie wholly with tie Ameri-
cans and fl is TO them that arguments
must be addressed.
The question Of Panama is badly IN
derstOOd in the United States-nOt. il is
true. by the American Government, which
thoroughly grasps all the advantages Of
an arrangements with the French com
pany, but by Congress and the press And
if Congress and the press take the same
view the reason for il is to be found in
two prejudice popular prejudice and
a financial prejudice. The popular pref
udice consists in the curious favor en-
iOyed by the proposal to construct a
Nicaragua Canal Nicaragua against
Panama is the cry OF three fourths Of
the American people
This opinion is not based on any mo-
tive Of a practical kind. All the figures
available show it TO be wrong. The Nj
Caragua Canal would cost more than the
Panama Canal-S1S0 900 coo instead Of
$685. 900. according 10 exact estimates.
1T would be much Ionger-1S4 miles
instead Of forty-nine miIes-and IL would
cost much more TO keep in Order-$3, 800, =
600 annually. as against $1,000, 0O0-and
would take more time for the passage
from one ocean TO anOther-thirty-t three
hours, as against twelve hours
But all this counts for nothing. Elect
ors, representatives. journalists speak in
favor Of the Nicaragua Canal and against
the Panama Canal
People Of sound judgment claim that
this is a sentimental prejudice. Ameri-
cans prefer the Nicaraguan TO the Panama
route in the same Nay that some men
prefer brunettes TO blondes.
1T was decreed that the Nicaragua
route was somehow more American.
UOmething Infinitely more national and
more patriotic than the Panama.
Trusts BHck of Opposition.
Nothing can be done in such conditions
except ask oneself what interests can
have created and can still keep alive
this singular public prejudice.
There are no great interests engaged
in the enterprise itself. but if the fnan-
ciaI powers have no interest in the Near
aqua Canal itself they can still take an
interest in the plan TO build that canal
so long as IL continues to be an obstacle
to the other plan-the Panama plan. con-