The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-08
WATTERSON ON THE PANAMA
CANAL.

| ii it does not encounter any unexpected
difficulties. If we dug no faster than the
French company we would be ninety-five
years finishing the job, but Americans will
do better than that. Those who thought
Nicaragua the best route, will throw nc
obstacles in the way, holding the right to
demand prompt work, honest dealings, and
freedom from scandal.
Panama was conceived in fraud and
brought forth in scandal. but if the com.
missioners personally give the matter
their best attention the construction ought
to be free from graft. Only one of the
commissioners have ever been caught in
graft. Harrod was caught in dshonora-
bic transactions in big municipal work in
New Orleans, but many good men say
he was not guilty. All the other commits
sioners are free from suspicion and men
of ability, practical knowledge, and il
they personally devote their time to the
undertaking scandals will not follow But
there is one American editor. the bril-
liant Colonel Watterson. who wishes to
impress upon the people that the Panama
transaction was begun in fraud Probably
Mr. Watterson hopes by this warning of
initial fraud to prevent future graft. In
SUNDAYS Courier Journal Colonel Waiter
son renews his charge that the whole
Panama Canal deal is the product of cor
ruption. Tracing the history of the canal
movement in Congress, he says:
"The Nicaragua Canal bill-known as
the Hepburn Morgan bill-was about to
pass the Senate by what was estimated
as a two-thirds vote, having passed the
House by an almost unanimous vote.
No corporation was behind it. Nobody
was to make penny out OF 1T. 1t was
purely public affair. The rival Panama
route, backed by an American clique,
brought into. relations with a syndicate of
Partisan stock gamblers calling them
selves the Panama Canal Company, by
William Nelson Cromwell, and for purposes
of obstruction favored by the Trans-con-
tinental railway lobby, had been not only
rejected, but discredited. From the first
it wore all the pecunar aspects of "a
skin game" Mr.. Cromwells blind pool
of Partisan stock gamblers had got fraud
ulent possession of the debris of the old
De Lesseps Company. They claim to have
paid 600O0,000 of francs, or 10000 900,
for the De Lesseps trademark and con-
cessions-including some actual pots and
pans and a few mud holes on the isthmus
and to have given Colombia 100000
more of francs, or 81, 000, 900 to renew the
expiring contracts. On this basis, like any
other trust of the steel-water class, they
issued stocks and bonds, their only valu-
able asset being the speculative hope Of
selling to the United States.
"To this end Cromwell fitted mysterious
ly between New York and Paris. Then
Hutin, the president, came over and talk
ed about one hundred and fifty millions
People stared at him. He dropped to one
hundred and nine millions. They laughed
at him. 1t was too obviously a mock
auction even for the gray wolves of the
Senate. who knew their business. At last
Hntin went away. He went away with a
bug in his ear. 1t looked as though the
dog was dead.
Leaving Varilla on guard at the Wal
dorf- Astoria, Editor Watterson says the
men interested took a run over to Paris,
and discovered, through arts known to
such alchemists,' that forty millions was
about the sum that would turn the trick.
Then came the amendment setting aside
the Morgan Hepburn bill in favor of Mic
aragua for bill substituting Panama.
''Straightway the advocates of Nicara-
qua began to tumble over one another to
get to Panama You could see their legs
sticking out from under their silk hats.
You could smell the odor of the offal.
Down went Nicaragua, up went Panama.
The trick was turned.
After referring to the rejecting of the
original treaty at Bogota and the pevo-
ution at Panama-again mentioning
names, Editor Watterson says:
Eureka. The twenty millions are safe
o the thieves in Paris Better and better,
he ten millions for the thieves in Bogo
a go to the thieves in France. Every
cent of the money remains in the family.
The skunks of the lobby, who do their
,wn spiriting and keep no books are hap
oy The bucket shops of Paris are not
less happy because they are inaccessible.
Who cares for the looks of it? who is
afraid of plowed ground? The pillow, at
least, will tell no tales, while addition,
division, and silence will do the rest
In conclusion, Colonel Watterson says:
"Ah, wela-day, a day will surely come
is coming sooner than some of you be-
lieve-when the very earth viii open be-
meath your feet and let your secrets out
when rapacity, emboldened by successful
pillage, will repeat in English the dire
tragedy imported from Paris and trans
acted out of the original French; when
the disease and death, experimenting
an orgy of corruption, will make putrid in
America as in France the name of Pana-
ma; when the people of the United States,
aghast by the revelations of God and ma
ture. will know all and need no further
proof than the evidence of their plundered
treasury brought home to their startled
senses by hundreds of millions of wasted
taxesi
q Mr. Morgan said a passing friend to
the grand old Alabama Senator the day
after the job went through its final trial
trip. your troubles are now over Yes,
the man whose name will yet
be craven upon marble and bronze as he