Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-31
CANAL At NICARAGUA
Secretary Hay Has Called
Important Conference.
AVOID FURTHER DELAY
TO DETERMINE EXACT COURSE TO
BE PURSUED.
Prominent Legislators to Be Asked for
Their Views as to Dropping
Panama Route.
AVOID FURTHER DELAY

tolerated in the building of an interoceanic
canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans.
Secretary Hay has invited to a conference
in this city senators and representatives
prominently connected with canal legisla-
ton. in order to finally determine the
course of procedure that should be adopted
in going ahead with the building of canal
at Nicaragua in view of the failure of the
Colombian congress to ratify the treaty ne
gotiated between the United States and
that country for the building of a canal at
Panama.
The conditions of affairs in Colombia has
now become SO complicated that 1t appears
to be futile to longer pursue negotiations
with Colombia. The people in control OF
aft in that country have come to beheve
that the United States must have the rama
ma canal at any cost and to think that THIS
country will not turn to Nicaragua for
route for a canal
The course now being taken by the Sec
retary of State. it is believed shows con-
clusively that the administration does not
intend to longer permit any dallylng with
this important question. and 1t Is asserted
that active operations looking toward the
building of a canal may be expected in
the near future.
Called in Conference.
It is understood that Senator Cullom,
chairman of the committee foreign re-
lations of the Senate; Representative Hit,
chairman of the committee on foreign at
fairs of the House; Senator Morgan and
Representative Hepburn, chairmen of the
canal committees of the Senate and House
of Representatives, respectively, are among
those who have been called into this con
ference. Other prominent senators, II is
understood will be given opportunity
to state their views on the situation as to
whether "a reasonable time has elapsed
in which to endeayor to have Colombia
ratify the treaty
There are very many men in Congress
who believe that the requirement OF a
reasonable time" has been fully met by
the administration, and that further delay
is not warranted by either the language of
the bill authorizing the treaty or by the in
tention of those who favored giving pref
erence to the Panama route for the build
ing of canal by this government
The reports that the department of Pan
anna is on the verge of a revolt tend to
make the situation In Colombia an tmpos-
sible far building canal there
is concerned. The situation has in this way
become very delicate one. On the eve
of such a revolt 1t becomes clear that
the course of this government will have to
be of perfect neutrality in the affairs
of the government of Colombia and the de-
partment of Panama.
Great Delay at Panama.
Whatever the outcome of such a contest
may be the situation is one that alone will
dispute. No one can tell how long it will
be before further negotiations in relation
to the building of the canal at Panama
could be resumed and 1t is not believed by
leaders in Congress that 1T was the inten-
ton of any one that the canal project
should await the outcome of a revolution
ary movement in Colombia.
There has been some disagreement to
the exact course that should be adopted
by this government under the authorize
ton of the Spooner amendment in turn
ing to Nicaragua for the route for a canal.
1t is understood that the Secretary of State,
as well prominent members of the Sen
ate and House, believe that the protocols
that were agreed to and signed, sealed and
delivered between the President of the
United States and the governments of Cos
ia Rica and Nicaragua in December, 1900,
give ample authority for the United States
to proceed without any further negotiation
with the building of the canal at Mica
ragua.. This protocol is of especial inter
est in it's bearing upon the course that
can be pursued by the United States at
this time. and is as follows:
An Important Protocol
'It is agreed between the two govern
ments that when the President of the
United States is authorized by law to ac-
quire control of such portion of the territory
now belonging to Costa Rica Ga similar
protocol applying to Nicaragua, may be
desirable and necessary, on which to con-
struct and protect a canal of depth and
capacity sufficient for the passage of YES
sells of the greatest tonnage and draft now
in Use from a point San Juan del
Norte, on the Caribbean Sea, via Lake
Nicaragua, to Brito, on the Pacific ocean,
they mutually engage to enter into nego-
tiations with each other to settle the plan
and the agreements, in detail, found neces-
sary to accomplish the construction and to
provide for the ownership and control of
the proposed canal.
"As preliminary to such future negotia-
ic fnrf hypit hDf
of said canal and the terminals thereof
shall be the same that were stated in a
treaty signed by the plenipotentiaries of
the United States and Great Britain on
February D. 1900, and now pending in the
Senate of the United States for confirma-
ton, and that the provisions of the same
shall be adhered to by the United States
and Costa Rica Ohe same provision apply
ing to Nicaragua in similar protocol)"
Ample Authority.
1t is believed that the authority conferred
by this protocol is ample for the United
States to go ahead with the construction
of canal over the Ntcaraguan route, de-
pending upon further negotiations with
Nicaragua and Costa Rica for additional
details of the plan.
In the event Of the ratification of the |
treaty for the building of a canal at Pan
anna there would have been a necessity in |
the near future for a further treaty nego-
tiation for the settlement of many details
that were not disposed of finally by that
ooSoiAShe' HO ucdty WAS Tdtlu0O Oy the |
Senate in the exact form that it was neEo-
tiated, with the understanding that correc.
tions to some Of its provisions might be |
made In the future. It was admitted by |
many of the senators. If not practically all |
Of them. that probably all Of the amend
ments proposed by Senator Morgan to the |
treaty were desirable but they took the
would delay its final ratification, as the
form in which 1t went to the Senate was
satisfactory to the Colombian government
tional treaty stipulations between this
country and Nicaragua and Costa Rica will
have to be made. They are not, 1t is de-
clared, OF q nature to interfere with the
immediate beginning Of the work.
1t Is also understood that this is the view
of both Nicaragua and Costa Rica SO that
II the United States wishes to begin the
construction of the canal in the near fu-
ture there Is not reason for delay.