The Bill which Congress passed at its last session providing for the construction of an inter-oceanic canal declared for the Panama route, but provided that if a clear title to the property of the old Panama Canal Company could not be obtained, and if a satisfactory treaty with Colombia could not be made, the President should proceed to construct a canal by the Nicaragua route. What met with most doubt has proved easiest of solution. The Attorney-General reports that the French Panama Company can give a clear title, sufficiently guaranteed. But Colombia is delaying consent to a treaty which meets American desires. The United States insists "upon securing perpetual control of the strip of territory through which the canal shall be constructed. Colombia maintains that this would be a concession of her sovereignty forbidden by her constitution. The American authorities insist that there is nothing in her constitu-ition to prevent. Meantime, Nicaragua,
of its route. taking fresh hope, is urging the choice Congress may find the whole question of question of route once more laid before it for final decision.
0 Revision of the Ta!
The section of the Republican party which believes that a revision of the tariff is advisable is not likely to press for action at the short session of Congress. Without this subject there is abundance of work before Congress at this session and parently deep-seated, is not' especially the demand for tariff change, while. apurgent. Furthermore the deferring of the matter for a year may serve to effect a better agreement among Republicans on the general policy than now obtains.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.