Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
NICARAGUAN REPUBLIC
Feeling There in Regard to
the Isthmian Canal.
RESULT WAS EXPECTED
GOVERNMENT TO TAKE OTHER
MEANS OF DEvELopMENr
A Rich Territory-Much Foreign Capt.
tai Invested-Managua the Capital
and Its Possibilities.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, December 81 1903.
Nicaragua does not seem to take the loss
of the canal deeply to heart. 1t regrets.
but does not repine. The country shows
the real American spirit in accepting the
situation.
One cause of this feeling is the relief that
the uncertainty is ended. AS when a tariff
bill is pending in Congress definite action,
though unfavorable, is better than con-
tinued agitation without action.
High hopes at times have been held OF
the waterway. Two or three million dol
lars actually were spent in preliminary
construction work by the Maritime Com
pany. Then came the collapse, the gradual
growth of sentiment in the United States
for a government canal, the battle of the
routes, and the legislation giving Panama
the preference with Nicaragua as the alter
native choice. This again brought hope,
yet not confidence.
1t was the belief in Nicaragua, as in other
South American and Central American
countries, that Colombia would throw away
her chance. But the strength of the inde-
pendence movement in Panama also was
understood here. The liberals on the 18TH
mus always had friendly support in Mic
aragua. President Zelaya's government
was at odds with Bogota, often almost to
the point of war. For this reason the sep
aratfon of the isthmus from Colombia was
not regretted. Nor was it unexpected.
Yet Nicaragua, while friendly to the new
republic, would not let that friendship in
terfere with her own interests If 1t still
were possible to secure the canal. This be-
ing impossible her government proceeds TO
other means of material development which
were held in suspension while the water
way was in prospect. 1t Is likely that one
of the first measures will be to build the
railroad from a point on the existing line
between Managua and Granada across to
Monkey Point and Bluefields on the Allan
tic The distance is not more than 1O0
miles. When this extension is made there
will be an interoceanic line from the At
lantic to the Pacific. Also there Will De
fewer revolutions. These movements usu-
ally have their origin in the Bluefelds dis
trict because of the ease with which they
can be maintained owing to the lack or
means of communication with the rest or
the country Great natural wealth will be
opened up and national policy will be
strengthened But neither of these was ad-
vanced while the canal was thought to be
possible 70 ~
A Rich Country.
How rich the country is, with or without
the canal, I felt after seeing most of 1t
from the heights of Lake Apoyo. the
branch of the railway from Masaya loops
around the lake in horseshoe fashion ana
climbs the mountain sides to the coffee re-
gions The little lake, which is salt water
lies in the basin. In three hours travel 1
saw fields of tobacco, rubber, corn, cotton.
rice, yucca sugar cane, bananas and Coffee
and even the edge of the famous French
cacao or chocolate plantations There was
also glimpse of the open grazing country,
and more than sight of the thick forests
Accustomed to the rich and rank growth of
the torrid zone, l have not heretofore seen
so great variety and alienation of prod
ucts within so small an area.
1t is fair land to look upon. From the
L. - oh ha
canic peaks, Santiago. Mombacho and the
Others, sometimes smoking as they were
the day / was there; Lake Nicaragua and
the white city Of Granada on its borders;
the mountain sides dense with woods
that they are like sirSsie forest: the val
legs, also rank with green vegetation; and
to the south the cattle ranges and the ridges
which mark the rim Of Costa Rica.
Seeing these resources, there is no doubt
that Nicaragua can grow in wealth. popula-
ton and power without the Hanal But
will it?
The answer is found in what is said about
the acceptance of the situation and the
measures of internal development which
are in mind. This answer is given more
force by the interests which the Yankees
have in the country. They are called Yam
KEGS, though the majority of them are from
New Orleans and the southwestern states.
Most of these have a stake In the soil.
have no doubt that many of the indi-
viduals and companies bought land as a
speculation, based on the expectation of
the canal. 1t was a legitimate speculati ton
Now that they think there is to be no canal
they have no notion of quitting. Already
some of them had seen enough ahead to go
forward with their development plans, and
they appear to have the capital The fruit
industry, chiefly bananas, on the Atlantic
coast, has been expanding naturally. Sew
eral new enterprises for taking out the
hardwood timber on the Atlantic slope,
was assured, had not been dependent In
fhn I'd a1 xr-iI1 1aa
ceeded with according to the original in
tentions. This also is true of the mining
concessions which are held by citizens of
the United States. Cincinnati company,
which wants to make extensive harbor i'm
provements at Corinto, the chief port on
the Pacific. is waiting to carry out It's
project whenever the government is ready
The foreign colony at Matagalpa, in the
coffee district, is largely North American.
1t went into this branch of agriculture
without regard to interoceanic waterways.
In spite of low prices it has been success
tul, mas established an automobile trans
port to reach the railway, and is content
with the present returns and with the mos
pect for the future.
Promising Investment in Cattle.
Cattle, however, appear to be the most
promising investment for the immediate
future, and that something which Ameri-
cans thoroughly understand, whether in the
seeking this form of investment now in a
marked manner. For the moment it over
shadows all else. -
The advantages and disadvantages of life
IN Nicaragua, as well as the opportunities
were weighed for me by Landlord Downing,
the Missourian who keeps the hotel at Ora
NADIA. He has lived in. Central America
tmrty-nine years, most of the time In this
well.
went to Granada partly for sightseeing
and partly to determine whether by taking
the boat across Lake Nicaragua and down
the San Juan Nver to Greytown it would
be possible to save time in my journey.
The latter point being settled in the mega
tive. and the sights, which are sufficiently
attractive, having been exhausted. sat on
the tavern porch questioning and listening.
Some of the advantages and the opportuni-
ties had become familiar to me. The disad-
yantages to my understanding were the
earthquakes and the revolutions.
Landlord Downing made light of the seis-
mic disturbances. They rarely were dan
gerous to life or property, he said, and
though In his experience he had been
through scores of them the worst that usu-
ally happened was to sprinkle the tiles from