The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-19
NOW FOR NICARAGUA.
Ex-senator Harris Says Gov
ernment'S Course Is Plain.

Washington, Aug 10 Ex-senator
Harris of Kansas, who was only second
to Senator Morgan in his insistent ad-
vocacy of the Nicaragua route. in an
interview on the Panama canal situa-
ton. saws:
Under the law the only thing to be
done is to turn at once to the Mica
r2gua route. In the language OF the act
itself this is made apparent 1t was
thoroughly understood by all senators
who discussed the matter that only
reasonable time would be given Colom-
bia to consider the treaty, and if any
disposition to delay was shown we
Everybody admitted that the Mica
ragua route was thoroughly practical
and feasible The Walker commission,
in its first report, recommended this
route. In its second report it stated
that the Panama route was likewise
practical and feasible, and recommend
ed it solely on the ground that we
would save money in construction and
maintenance.
AT this time nobody had any idea
that we would have to pay more than
six or seven million dollars to Colon
bia The amount was finally increased
to ten million dollars cash and one
quarter of a million yearly. To Mica
ragua we would only have to pay six
million dollars and one million to Costa
Rica, While the annual payment would
DS Oiliy 9IO,UVU, as against ten times
this sum to Colombia. The Nicaragua
route brings our own ports much closer
to each other. Between New York and
san Francisco it would be two days
shorter. The additional cost of main
tenance would be more than comDen-
stated for by the time saved. In the
treaty which Colombia was asked to
ratlfy, we obligated ourselves to sup
ply Panama, city Of $4,000 people.
with waterworks, sewers, etc, and also
provide for the sanitation of Colon.
Along the Nicaragua route there is no
population, and our sovereignty over the
canal soon would be complete and I'M
DISPUTED"
DR.. Herran. the Colombian charge
d'affaires in Washington, in an inter
view gave it as his opinion that the
dispatches which announced the defeat
OF the Panama treaty were wrong. DR..
Herran received a dispatch this after
noon which stated that the senate had
unanimously voted to reject the treaty
He interpreted this to mean that the
treaty amended had been rejected. 1T
could not have been possible" said Dr.
Her1an, that a unanimous vote was
obtained to kill the original treaty.
am confident that the amendment was
killed but that the congress is still at
work in an effort to secure some kind
of ratification with amendments
which will prove acceptable to the Uni
ted States government. L know it to be
a fact that more than one-third of the
senators are for the treaty"
DR.. Herran's opinion is the optimistic
view of the Panama supporters. The
popular opinion is that the treaty is
dead. 1t is persistently alleged that the
state department has known for As
hours that the treaty either had been
or would be killed. The president has
been hoping against hope that the Col
ombian recalcitrants would be brought
to time and that something could be
done. The unwillingness of the state
department to discuss the situation is
proof that hope has not been abandon
ed.
There are several contingencies which
could arise to make the construction of
the Panama canal possible even if the
Colombian congress has rejected the
treaty. One of these is the secession of
Panama from Colombia and the estab-
lishment of an independent government
by the state. This is d remote contin-
gency, but in dealing with the South
American countries it is never polite to
make concessions. If reports current in
Washington are to be believed almost
any outbreak or revolution is possible in
Colombia and a quick change in public
sentiment ON any question would not
create surprise.
President Roosevelt is clinging to the
Panama proposition with a tenacity
that is surprising. Under the terms of
the Spooner amendment he could pro-
coed at this time with the Nicara guam
route if he were so inclined. The treaty
with Nicaragua and Costa Rica is ten
tatively agreed upon. All it needs are
the official signatures and there is no
doubt that congress would ratify it at
once. Supporters of the Nicaragua
route are already organizing to press
their contention home on the president.
They profess to have the support of
Secretary Hay and a public agitation OF
this side of the question will begin the
moment there is official confirmation of
the defeat of the Panama treaty.
The II told you SOS" are numerous
The old charge will be repeated that the
transcOntinental railroads defeated the
treaty. The ground has been carefully
paved for this charge, both here and in
dispatches from Colombia.
1t is alleged that there were four sem
ators opposed to any canal, who voted
Panama. Teller, Dubois and Rawlins
on the Democratic side made no secret
of their opposition to any canal legis-
lation. 1t will be charged by the sup
porters of the Nicaragua route that the
Panama scheme was engineered in the
belief and hope that the treaty could
never be ratified. Senator Morgan has
recently repeated this charge and only
a few weeks ago claimed that he had
received information which convinced
him that the work had been done at
Bogota which was necessary to drive
spikes in the canal coffin.
NOTHING LIKE 1T.