Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-09-03
TO PUSH CANAL
PANAMA SCHEME SEEMS IMPRA =,
TICABLE, AND LEADERS
PLAN EARLY ACTION.
Hay Calls Conference OF Members Of
Congress, and Nicaragua Pro-
ject May Be Taken Up.


lay will be tolerated IN the matter O.
an isthn4aH= canal Secretary - -,tat =
Hay has taken tHe=lp lead Ill=thc move
menl for early action b. calling &
conference III this city of senators and
prominently with canal Legislation in
congress. The object of the confer
ence is to determine the course to be
pursued in beginning canal over
the Nicaraguan route.
1t is understood that Senator Cul.
Ion, chairman of the committee on for
tative Hit, chairman of the commit
tee on foreign affairs Of the house;
Senator Morgan and Representative
Hepburn, chairmen of the canal com
mittees of the senate and house of
representatives, respectively, are
among those who have been called into
this conference. Other prominent sen
ators will be given an opportunity to
state their views ON the subject
Panama Project Hopeless.
Secretary Hays course means that
the administration finally has come 10
the conclusion that it is not worth
while to hope for any good results from
the Colombian congress. Students Of
the situation have maintained that this
was true all along and that it was a
grave mistake for this country to
make an attempt to secure possession
of the Panama canal. But this GOV
ernment agreed to pay the French
Canal company $40 100000 for its So
called property, Notwithstanding that
the persons responsible for the deal
knew then, as they have since become
convinced that the French company
mad nothing to deliver. Conditions
growing out of the canal legislation IN
the past have become so complicated
that everybody has become thorough
~ disgusted Win the Colombian gov
ernment and everything else connect
ed with the Panama project that
probably it is fact that congress new
er will sanction the purchase Of the
Panama property upon any altered or
amended terms.
Under the circumstances the presl-
dents sole alternative is the Nicara-
gut project which he can tu"n =
without question under the terms OF
the Spooner act. Secretary Hay for
a long time has been distinctly in ia
vor of such a course. believing that
the American people want an isthmian
canal and that it was conclusively dem
onstrated that the Nicaraguan route
possesses enough natural advantages
10 make it acceptable.
Way in Nicaragua Clear.
rhe belief is held in administration
circles that the United States govern
ment can proceed Win the construc.
tion of the Nicaragua canal without
further delay or negotiations. In 1900
protocols. with view to the construc-
tered into between the United States
and Nicaragua and Costa Rita. which
provided that the details Of acquiring
a right of way and other matters coz
nected With the project should be de-
t9rmined in later treaties. II is behoH-
ed that the authority conferred by
this protocol is ample for the United
States to go ahead With the eonstIue-
non of a canal over the Nicaraguan
route without delay. When the Pan
anna treaty was being considered II
the senate il was admitted that j wa
incomplete and that an additiona!
treaty would have to be negctat
in the near future.
II is in this same way that additional
treaty stlpulations= between this coun-
tr-- aud Nicaragua and Costa kiea vii.
ntvo 10 be made. They are not, il i
declared. of a nature to interfere W. T.
the immediate beginning of the work.
K = also understood that this is the
view Of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
so tnat if the United State wish to be-
gin the construction of the canal in
the near future there is no reason for
delay