The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-17

and words of the President. His action
in the Panama matter was illegal, revo-
lutionary, dangerous and was tantamount
to declaration of war. 1t was declara-
tion of war The only reason the war is
not now on between Colombia and this
country is because Colombia is a small
and weak nation and recognizes it would
be no match for the United States. Would
England? Of course not.
Suppose the Senate ratifies the treaty
does it not condone, excuse validate the
executive usurpation? Some Senators, who
will vote for the treaty, say that they
will still continue to warn the people of
the danger of Roosevelts recklessness.
What will be the answer? Simply this:
you had an opportunity to repudiate
his usurpation. The ratification of the
treaty justified or validated all the acts
of the President and the Democratic party
is estopped from declaring him reckless 3"
There is no escape from this conclusion
though there are Democrats in the SEN
ate who will vote for ratification who
utterly abhor the means which the Presi-
dent employed. They do so because they
believe it is the Panama Canal or no
canal I cannot but believe they are
making a big mistake.
AS a. matter of fact, the whole Panama
scheme is the result of a job Nobody
ever heard of Panama as the probable
tatives had unanimously ordered the canal
dug by the Nicaraguan route-clearly the
best route and hundreds of miles shorter
for Southern ports. Hanna forced the
change, hoping that Morgan would de-
feat any action. The Panama lobby de-
feated the treaty by Colombia. They
wish Panama or nothing while mos
Americans, like Senator Morgan-by all
cdds the biggest man in the Senate
put the building of an isthmian canal
above the construction by any particular
route.
How long will it take to construct the
Panama Canal? How many gigantic scan.
dals in connection with it will stink to
high heaven before ship goes through
it? For answer, read the history of the
disgraceful scandals that shook France
from centre to circumference.
The Panama route lies along the Valley
of Death. 1t can be constructed only
upon the bleaching bones of those whose
labor digs it. was talking this afternoon
with Hon. Claude Kitchin, of the Sec
ond North Carolina district, about the
two routes. He is clearly of the opinion
that the Nicaragua route is by all odds
the best and in fact he doubts whether
the Panama Canal can be constructed at
all in any reasonable time because of the
death breeding climate of Panama. He
gave me letter bearing cut that opinion
which he had recently received from Mr.
C. P. Treat, who is familiar with both
routes. 1t is a telling argument against
trying to dig the canal by the Panama
route, and is as follows:
''In 1890 1 took a small contract in
Nicaragua in order to study on the ground
the questions of climate. health and la
boz. ! studied the same questions on
the Panama Isthmus, where the work was
then going on under the De Lesseps Com
pany. My object was to become familiar
with conditions so as to bid safely on d
large contract on the Isthmian Canal.
employed about a thousand men for seven
months, having both Jamaica negroes and
natives of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
MAY l beg you to read something OF
my experience on the Isthmus and the
conclusions l came to?
1T seems to me that the two great
factors as 1 found them, affecting the
health on the two routes, are overlooked
to singular degree.
''They are conditions which cannot be
changed and are vitality important.
The two factors are: The trade winds
IL Nicaragua and the prevailing Gains at
Panama.
''They make a difference like that be-
thCCH d UlccHy Iu SohihlCA ~Ai" -
sultry, still day of the same tempera-
ture. One is refreshing, the other is de-
pressing; one maintains health the
other brings fever. People in the tropics
understand this so well that they say:
Here comes the DOCTOR when breeze
commences to blow.
"There can be no doubt that the stag
nant calms at Panama are the principal
reasons for deadly fevers there.
THE Nicaragua route is east and west,
the northeast trade winds from the At
lantic are drawn to the depression across
the Continental Divide and sweep through
with almost constant force, carrying away
malarial poisons. From the masthead of
a small schooner on Lake Nicaragua one
can see to the west the Pacific Ocean,
and straight away to the east stretches
the valley of the San Juan to the At
lantic
THE route of the Panama Canal Is not
east and west. 1t is not even westwardly
from the Atlantic. 1t is southeast. An
Atlantic breeze to get across the Panama
Isthmus would have TO follow the course
OF the letter ''Sn To one approaching