Editing Big stick ideology (section)

===== Proposed construction of the Nicaragua Canal =====
{{Main|Nicaragua Canal}}

In 1901, Secretary of State [[John Hay]] pressed the Nicaraguan Government for approval of a canal. Nicaragua would receive $1.5&nbsp;million in ratification, $100,000 annually, and the U.S. would "provide sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity".<ref name="Berman">{{Harvnb|Berman|1986|p=149}}</ref> Nicaragua then returned the contract draft with a change; they wished to receive, instead of an annual $100,000, $6&nbsp;million in ratification. The U.S. accepted the deal, but, after [[United States Congress|Congress]] approved the contract, a problem of court jurisdiction came up. The U.S. did not have legal jurisdiction in the land of the future canal. This problem was on the verge of correction until pro-Panama representatives posed problems for Nicaragua; the current leader ([[José Santos Zelaya|General José Santos Zelaya]]) did not cause problems, from the outlook of U.S. interests.<ref name="Berman" />