Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-05-04
NICARAGUAN TREATY.
Removes Danger for Monroe Doctrine
infringement and Canal RIVAL

The Nicaraguan Congrcss-the House
on April 18th and the Senate n week
earlier-having ratified the treaty he
I tween Nicaragua and the United States
which was approved by the United
States Senate on February 18th. all that
remains to put the convention in opera
| tion is the formal exchange Of ratifica-
ton and the payment of the consldera-
ton stipuatcl, according to n report
/ from the Philadelphia Commercial
Museum
| This treaty confers on the United
States three rights i'm Nicaragunn terri
| tory. 1t grants the exclusive proprietary
rights necessary and convenient for
the construction. operation and main
tenance Of an interoceanic canal by way
| of the San Juan River and the Great
Lake of Nicaragua, or by way of any
| other ruote that may be selected Then
, in order to protect the rights granted by
| the treaty and to protect the Panama
| Canal. Nicaragua leases to the United
States for the term OF 90 years, subject
! to extension for like periods, two small
islands in the Caribbean, known as
| Great Corn Island and Little Corn
| Island. And third, and for the Same
reason and for tho same term. the Unit
/ cd States is granted tho right to cstab-
| fish and maintain naval base at SUCH
| NcaraEuHn point on the Gulf Of ronseca
as It may select. In view of the fact
that Costa Rica. Salvador and Honduras
claim certain territorial rights around
this Cu'f Of Tonscca. IT Is expressly
| stipulated in the treaty that all such
I ri, I,.f J.. .,
by the United States.
In exchange for these three grants the
tnited States agrees to pay Nicaragua
the sum Of three million dollars. to be
| used for the purpose Of reducing the
present Indebtedness of that republic on
to he applied to other public purposes
! for the advancement of its welfare.
| The expenditure of this money is not to
| be left to the determination Of the Me
araguan authorities alone. however, for
there is a clause in the treaty which
| provides that Disbursements out Of the
! fund may he made only on the order
| Of the Nicaraguan minister OF finance
| with the approval of the secretary OF
| state of tho United States This none
| tary payment is the only consideration
specifically provided, yet, in viewing the
convention from the Nicaraguan point
| OF view. the fact must not be overlook
ed that the Independence and safety of
! that republic are assured through the
| implied protection Of the United states.
| Whether tn" United states will ever
exercise its right of traversing Nicara-
! qua with an interoceanic canal is hardly
worth consideration at this time The
real value of the treaty in this respect
rs on the negative side. What it does
! Is to effectually prevent any European
| power, or any other nation. from cs.
tablishing an interoceanic canal over
| this much-debated route. Moreover II
removes the danger OF a possible in.
frlngement Of the Monroe Doctrine al
| this point. and It precludes the pos
sibility of building. except by the United
states. of IL nearby route rivaling the
| Panama Canal
| The advantages Of the Nicaraguar
! treaty do not lie altogether, however
In the fields Of politics and strategy
! There is the added ADVANTAGE of tina
local stability which underlies and mus
nrcccde any thought Of closer relation
| ship in the commercial field. pifferln.
from, but in the same general di~ectio,
as the conventions with Cuba, Panama
the Dominican Republic and more re
now takes its place among those mutua
, agreements which have for their mai,
purpose the promotion of general wei
fare in and among the REPUBLICS Of tn
| American continent