Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-11-20
#isfellaueoas 8eading.
PANAMA As IT IS.
Tho Canal Question Has Been Under
Consideration Since 1492.

Tho Canal Question Has Been Under
Consideration Since 1492.
In its wider sense the Isthmus of
Panama embraces the whole neck Of
Iland connecting the continents Of
North and South America and consti-
tutes a state of the United. States Of
Colombia In its narrower meaning
the term Is confined to the tract be-
tween the ports Of Colon Cor Aspin-
wall, as it Is sometimes called), on the
Caribbean sea, and Panama, on the
Pacific ocean, a distance Of f1fty-four
miles by the proposed route Of the
ship canal. Between the two cities
lies a range of mountains, u continue
ton of the Cordillera or Andes.
Across this Isthmus q railway was
completed by an American company
in 1856. BY treaty of 1916 with New
Grenada as Colombia was formerly
called, the United States guarantees
free transit from sea to sea and Is con-
sequently bound to protect this rail-
road during any civil disturbances on
the isthmus.
The Isthmus Of Panama and the
mainland of Colombia were among the
first portions Of the New World visit
ed by the Spanish explorers. Colum-
bus touched at several points In his
last voyage in 1902 and by the middle
of the sixteenth century the Spaniards
may be said to have established their
power. over the natives tribes Of the
country. The region now divided be-
tween Colombia, Venezuela and Ecua-
dor was formed into the presidency Of
New Grenada, which was later raised
to the rank of viceroyalty. Cities
tiourished along the coast In spite OF
the frequent descent of the English
buccaneers, and the Indians, many
tribes Of whom had attained an ad-
vanced civilization, were subdued with
some effort. The missionaries, how
ever, experienced unusual difficulty
and at the present time the popula-
tion of the district around the juno
tion of the isthmus and the mainland
is wild. unruly and but nominally
| Christian.
Instructions against the Spanish
government were practically continu-
Gus In the early part Of the last CEN
tury, under the leadership Of Bolivar,
the Liberator Of South America In
1919 he formed the republic Of Vene-
zuela and New Grenada into single
state under the title Of the United
States Of Colombia. This gave way,
after his death in 1880, to the Repub-
lie Of Grenada, Of which General San
tander became the first president.
Years Of weakness and dissension fol-
lowed. In 1s40 the departments OF
Pansina and Weragua seeded. assum-
ing the title Of the State Of the 18TH
mus OF. Panama, but was soon sub
dued.
Antioquin and Panama, however,
took advantage, in 1856, Of the recent
constitutional permission to declare
themselves again independent and to
enter into a merely Federal connec-
ton with the central state. More years
Of petty insurrection and revolts fol-
lowed, until a congress at Bogota es-
etablishd the present republic under
the name Of the United States of CO.
lombia, and adopted q federal consti-
tuition. Since then the frequent reVo-
lutions and occasional wars with the
neighboring states have had no per-
manent effect, being purely political
in character. Throughout the United
States has prevented any interference
with isthmian traffic, and in 1855, at
the request Of the Colombian govern
ment, landed marines on the isthmus.
Proposals to pierce the Isthmus OF
Panama are almost as old as its dis
covery. Cortez had one route survey
ed, and In 1850 Spaniard named An
tonic Galvao suggested what Is practi-
cally the present route. Bolivar's rev.
olution stopped the work which Spain
had already determined to begin, and
no progress in the plan was made for
some years. In 1S43 France became
Interested in the project, but again
nothing was accomplished. The. dis
covery of gold in California increased
the demand for easy communication
between the Atlantic and the Pacific,
and the present railroad was begun.
The difficulty Of procuring labor. how
ever. delayed its completion until 1855.
This did not do away with the de-
sire for a canal. and in 1879 Ferdinand
de Lesseps, the promoter Of the Suez
and the Corinth canals, organized a
company to build the canal, for which
sufficient capital was subscribed 20 en-
able the work to be commenced on
February 1, 1881. The natural diff
culties to be overcome were presented
by the Cordillera mountains, which
necessitated either a tunnel or a deep
cutting and the floods oe the Charges
river. In addition to these obstacles
the United States was opposed to a
canal built under French auspices, and
for political reasons the French gov
ernment declined to become directly
interested in the project. In spite Of
de Lesseps's great reputation and the
authorization of a lottery loan. funds
were difficult to obtain and the work
dragged. Ultimately an investigation
in 1892 disclosed the fact that Of some
thing over s26O,ooO,OOo already sunk
in the project only a small portion had
been spent on the actual work. The
rest had been spent in various ways to
influence public opinion in France.
For this Charles de Lesseps, Ferdi-