Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-18
are. causing delay ana preventing afrtva

are causing delay and preventing .frtval
lat an understanding. -
At the last, however. It e not g matter
OF Complications It Is true that the
Colombian government has raised va va.
rious questions Of treaty relations and
split no end OF hairs regarding jurtsdic-1
ton over the strip OF territory through
which the canal would run: but when put
to the test # mas never made u g clear
exactly what 1t wanted the United States
to guarantee IN respect Of these issues.
All this has been side play.sz*Elh1 he real
| game is one Of hold up. !" ~ backing
and filing, and clubbing over fine points
such as what win be the future policy OF
! the United States towards Central Arnert-.
ca provided the canal shall be construct
Ell are directed towards a single end
That Is procrastination And by procras-
tination Colombia hopes to drive this
country to financial concessions. which.
taken with the cost OF the French COM
pany's franchise and the cost OF construc-
ton, would make the enterprise stand US
far in excess Of the highest estimates
on building via the Nicaragua route.
Notwithstanding the assurances and
the explanations OF the Panama boom
ers, the end OF the Colombian game Of
stave off tactics appears no nearer than
when the President was given authority
to open negotiations touching the two
! routes and virtually decide which was
the more advisa Bile. The reasonable
length OF time in which it was expected
negotiations would be completed has
long since expired. and nothing practical
has been accomplished. Since 1899 the
expenses Of the Canal Commission have
amounted to s1,O36, 481. OF this amount
$40 has gone for salaries and the
salary account drain promises to continue
indefinitely without bringing any returns
to the people.
It would therefore, seem obvious that
the thing for this country to do is to
notify Colombia once for all, and that,
too. Immediately, OF what concessions it
is willing to make. Already we have
stimulated the avariciousness Of the
Rogota Government by showing q dispo-
sition to be more liberal than was at
first proposed, and continued temporizing
will only further Increase Colombian
greed and put still further into the fu-
ture the realization Of an isthrnian canal.
no matter which route may be finally
selected. II after we have laid down our
.'ultimatum". Colombia does not close
with US then negotiations should be at
once commenced with Costa Rica and
Nicaragua. and pushed with the under
standing that the contamination of the
Nicaragua scheme has been definitely de-
termined upon. And. SO far as the Dis
patch is concerned. we are free to confess
that we would be pleased to see such.
an. outcome. For we think that it has
been demonstrated from every viewpoint
that the Nicaragua route would prove
the most advantageous to this country
AS an engineering and financial problem,
as bearing upon our commercial interests
and considered IN the light of Central
American politics, its claims appeal to us
as superior to those OF the Panama
route. But be this as it may, the press
ing question Is one Of building "a canal"
That is what the people want done, and
the. policy OF this government should be,
such as will ensure the naturalization
Of their desire as soon as possible. There
should be no further waiting. diplomatic
debating; and unfruitful Gickerng with
Colombia; but plain words and action
which will result either in the Panama
states coming to its senses. or our strik.
ing a bargain with Costa RIGA and Mica
rsgua.