New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-18
TO DIG ISTHMlAN CANAL
Plans and Purposes of the Past
What Has Been Done.

frRox A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIsuSEl
Panama, r. p. December 30
That the dream of an artificial waterway cleav-
ing the Western Hemisphere at its narrowest
point-a dream which has been IN the minds OF men
ever since that day In September, 1913 when Vasco
Sunez de Balboa stood on the crest of the Cor
cnlsres and beheld the eIpanse of the Pacific
stands to-day at least a decade from realization
Is due 20 French rascality. From point near
Colon. the northern side of this isthmian strip.
20 La Boca, three miles west OF this city. runs a
scratch IN the ground Scratch IS the proper word
for measured by the side OF what must be done TO
construct here a ship canal the work as 1t now
stands is nothing than a scratch. From
that same point near Colon. through turgid waters
Bohio and then through the wilderness OF higher
ground TO other turgid waters beginning near La
Boa, is reach OF rusted, rotting vine-coVereo I'M
PIGMENTS OF endeavor. This scratch and these
piles OF obsolete. age worn machinery are the mon
uments 10 that French rascality.
Far out the extremity 80 Cristobal Colon
Point at Cocn. hard by the northern entrances to
the Panama Canal, stands magnificent bronze
statue mounted upon a >-est-l Of soft stone.
The statue is OF Christopher Columbus. who stands
with majestic mien. his right encircing the
crouching figure OF startled scantily clad native
maiden, his left outstretched and pointing the
amazed gaze OF that native TO the western pas
sage" aid him IN finding which Isabella OF Spain
pawned her Jewels. In the early hours OF the
morning this statue is enveoped in the shadow Of
1.-THE De Lesseps House" palace in the wilder
ness built by the French during their riot of ex-
t-avagance to house the great engineer. whose
genius supposed to have created this western
passage"
In the scratch, the rusty machinery. the monu-
and the palace told all the sequel of
the great tragedy which has been enacted here
For the sequel TO that tragedy must go 10
the records Of the French criminal courts and read
the story OF the accusal, trial. conviction and
tence OF Ferdinand de Lesseps. and then to the
grave where lies the body that was mercifuy
deposited under ground before the sentence of the
courts could be executed. No greater tragedy than
that which is TO be read in these things
enacted. for this a tragedy which irrevocaby
;mpeached the probity OF nation. To feed II
during the years when II dragging it's slow
length along there were flung the savings of
France; its browning work the production of
race OF corruptionists whose equal the future
must reveal. for the past offers nothing to
pare with them.
WHAT FRENCH DID INSTEAD OF DIGGING
It is than twenty years since the first
actors in this tragedy moved upon the boards For
fourteen years the work they undertook has lain
untouched except in the most perfunctory manner.
Seven eight years. then, was the lapse of time
from the moment the curtain rung up until
IL fell In that short space Of time than
sD0,eDOo was wrung out OF the rich and poor of
France Rascality fed upon credulity to that
amount Of hard earned and closely boarded cash
and here lies the wreck. The sum thus taken from
the French was more than would ever have been
required TO complete the canal and place IL in
operation had the French effort been an honest
one. Just there the trouble Just there lies
the whole secret of Frances attempt cut canal.
The whole project was permeated with dishonesty
dishonesty fragrant that theft is the only
which properly describes 1t.
The French came here 10 dig a canal What they
CID was to steal upon a scale which put John Laws
mississippi Bubble in deepest shadow, and which
makes our own Shipyard Trust muddle look like
work Of novices. OF the s26O.oooooO that taken
cut Of France to feed this gigantic swindle, not
more than $50.O00.OOO expended upon the actual
work Of constructing the canal In other words,
out Of every IS paid in by the creduous French
subscribers nearly IS stolen outright by those
actively engaged in perpetrating this awful hoax.
The canal as it is to-day shows only family the
result Of this 100000 investment. for of the actual
work necessary 10 complete it not more than one
NTH according TO competent engineers has been
zone. The crime is In the light OF these cursory
Facts. revealed as monstrous one II means
simply this: After more than a score OF years and
the expenditure OF more money than would have
been required 10 finish the waterway four-ffths
OF the necessary work remains to be done and
nearly s-1O9eO,OOo remains 10 be expended In the
cong OF It, Add TO this the fact that for a decade
ana half interoceanic commerce has been re-
strlcted. its development retarded the growth OF
nations stayed, and trade subjected TO the most
Fe1Ahous and costly delays. and one may realize
the enormity Of IL all
Inc world at large little appreciates what a riot
49, NA4s hLlp OF oeSolate, niaSmatic land
i1S Witnessed Neither letter press descriptions
nor photographs can impart accurate idea of It.
eeen Win the naked eye. gagged by personal OBJ
'NNol' however, II stands out glaring and in
Upon every hand. from the moment
one enters the mouth OF the canal at Colon until
after traVersing its route. he energies at the Pa
enc entrance. there obtrldes upon the raze indis
putsbe evidence Of most wicked waste .. MONEY!
The scene Is one which makes an American nroud
OF his people: for. corrupt as American. NAV n.
their is die
enort there is some honesty Here there u1.ra
only "grafters,' and the game OF graft" was
worked constantly and with unaaggins tndustr,,
me result is an unanswerabe indictment Of French
honesty, competency and capacity. for no punish
nent which could be devised would At the crime
which created this enormous wreck robbed France
sna ruthiessly blackened regulations.
II Is with convictions such as I have e1pressad
MAI every American on the spot must contemplate
aus enterprise. True. the ruin Of the French un-
sAhg has given our nation opportunity TO
p-ay ITS resources, parade its enterprise and