New-York tribune., 1902-01-07
PANAMA NAY BE CHOSEN
THE .SENATE TO LNFESTIGAI TIE
CANAL ROUTES.
IN DFFINITE ACTION PROBABLE AT
THE PRESENT SESSION OF
CONGRESS.
rRr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE ]

,,-asbington. Jan. 6.-On the best authority in
- senate il can be stated that the Isthmian
-.ai question. although nearer settlement at
s.,t than ever before, will not be definitely
.o5 mon AT this session of Congress. This
..r,snt takes cOgniZance of the fact that the
,,,.se will pass the Hepburn Nicaragua bill.
bIv this week. and that that measure may
och the Senate before Saturday. But when 1t
ro,cb the Senate it will rest there in the
,-,,,-ittee on Interoceanic Canals for many
,,esks and perhaps months. before any action
"a, no taken upon il. The reasons for this are
many Not the least important OF them. as
.-.,ofore set forth by The Tribune. is the
,-s,,,a offer of the French Panama Canal Com
o,v IN sell its property and concessions to the
I-,i,ed States at the valuation put upon them
,v tbe Isthnian Canal Commission S40No.Go.
However great may be the fear in the House 90
.al with the canal question strictly upon Its
r4,e with the new light shed II by the
,o-,rnisslons careful and thorough report and
.bs French offer. there IS none Of this kind or
,os- m either side of the Senate, and that body
has made up its mind to deal with the ques-
ton almost de noVo.
THAT Is TO say the Senate has determined to
,r,osea with great caution and the utmost re-
-srs FOR the tremendous interests at stake, re-
srzjng that II the wrong route should be Sc
tbe United States 10 connect the Atlantic and
pacihc by a ship waterway. has been the
e1perience of the French the stupendous enter
rrise would he set back very long time-per-
haps a century.
. COMMISSIONS VIEW OF PANAMA.
With its characteristic deliberation. the Senate
appears TO have studied the last report OF the
Isthmian Canal Commission more closely and
inteligently than has the House. and
suit the Senate is aware that the commission
instead of condemning the Panama route. as
seems to be the popular impression. actually
commended It more highly than the Nicaragua
route.
On the important subject of cost. this is what
the commission said in its recent report:
The cost Of constructing a canal by the Mica
ragua route and of completing the Panama
Canal. without including the cost Of acquiring
the concessions from the different governments,
Is estimated follows:
Nicaragua, $3.50 S64 0G2-
Panama S144 233 :35S
For a proper comparison there must he added
to the latter the cost OF acquiring the rights and
property Of the New Panama Canal Company.
The commission has estimated the value OF
these IN the project recommended by IT at $40-
100000.
The report then goes to relate the efforts
made by Admiral Walker and his associate COM
rissioners 10 obtain from N. HutiB. who was
then president and general manager ~ the
Panama Canal Company. an offer 10 sell the
property and rights Of his concern 20 this gov
eminent at the valuation placed upon them by
the commission. and Of the failure OF these ef-
forts. NJ Hutin held out stubbornly for S109.-
l4l.5oo This price would have made the whole
cost of completing the Panama Canal S253 374,-
'lS. while the estimated cost OF a canal by the
.iraragua route was placed at S1S9 S64 ,O62. a
CiGeTence of S63519 796 in favor of the Mica
eua route. After setting forth all these facts
ild estimates, the commission concluded its re-
Icu in the following significant manner:
There are certain physical advantages, such as
shorter canal line. a more complete knowledge
q the country through which it passes and low
q cost Of maintenance and operation in favor OF
ne Panama route, but the price fixed by the
Farama Canal Company for the sale OF its prop
Hy and franchises is so unreasonable that its
ffceptarce cannot be recommended by the COM
mission.
After considering all the facts developed by
.,ie Investigations made by the commission, and
He actual situation as IL now stands, and hav-
X N view the terms offered by the Panama
esnal Company, this commission is of the opin-
~a mat the most practicable and most feasible
'euN Tor an istnmian canal 10 be under the
-'LuoL mana cement and ownership Of the
Ioute"
-"e commission was careful 10 put in quota
IN marks in the foregoing the terms "the most
I'acucable and most feasible route" and under
Ae control management and ownership Of the
1a'ed States" because that was the exact Ian
e.ase Of the statute providing for the creation
"'e commission and defining its functions
Al other words, the commission was bound 70
-aAe definite report Of its findings Owing
1is circumstance coupled with the remark
sue propaganda kept up for the last three wears
uie advocates Of the Nicaragua route. there
/ 80 'eFh iodged in the popular mind the belief
=, me commeTion denounced the Panama
as impracticable and infeasible"
NNATE TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION
- IN Z iull knowledge of these facts the Sem
-, before stated, had determined to take
u OK the canal question without fear or
49, and in its own way reduce II to a
p simple business proposition. When the
A. sehos TO Congress. as he will In a day
n. special message containing the offer
he -, iaina Canal Company. the message will
| csn,,. TO the Committee on Interoceanic
SUI aiong with all the other material on the
/ sork Then the Senate will begin its real
sttimen, s@IIpplng 81 the canal question Of all
tntion :. ana tomfoolery. II is the present in
- 81 s, 20 nave the Interoceanic Canal Commit
Gf5e5 - uhe work II the tentative plan is
are i Uut this committee will summon be-
4 cCr,nl c y IN turn every member OF the WALKER
4 saa ob,at' beginning with Admiral Walker
tssirSno,,1' q from them detailed and complete
fte eSllsdllOnS or canal routes
i Eaie- 81 stiilus How long this will take is a
4 esE AL " mere guesswork. This part OF the
i aro,sS. Zone may keep the committee busy
| s.sn the session '
e1utrbrshss me members OF the commission have
rn sseo az the knowledge In their possess
| onrniss. principal engineers employed by the
D cslsS ~ IN It's surveys and estimates will
/ lhsn before the Senate committee TO testify
tie csnato other engineers who have studied
VII he question from practical experience
Abbot ssIeo- This list Will include General
high in ~ reneral Sorrell. both OF whom stand
hses s,r me engineering profession and have
srgin.s-. feys OF isthmian routes. American
French g. " this calbre will be followed by
srlpanv sTlheers connected with the Panama