FLORENCE YESTERYEARS: 104 years ago
NOVEMBER 4, 1898
After four days public discussion, the Nicaraguan congress has unanimously approved of the agreement provisionally made between President Zelaya and the American contractors and engineers, E. F. Cragin and Edward Fyre, authorizing the construction of an inter-oceanic canal and empowering the concessionaires to negotiate with the Maritime Canal Company.
The news that the Spanish peace commissioners at Paris had referred to their government a formal demand of the American commissioners for the absolute secession of the entire Philippine group caused the greatest surprise in Madrid. The strongest feeling prevails that government should protest energetically against what is regarded as a violation of the spirit of the protocol.
