The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-09-23
The Next Great EOEsrprIse.

For several years small parties of
engineers have been engaged in ex-
amining the narrow neck of land be-
tween North and South America,
with a view to the construction of q
ship caral, which would save the
long journey around Cape Horn to the
Pacific. This is not a new project.
1t is so old and has been so long in
contemplation thar it has lost its
novelty in the public mind, and prob
ably it may languish for want Of
friends to intelligibly place it before
the public. The people Of the United
States have never had any very en-
thusiastic mbItiOn about establishing
highways to create commerce with
other portions of the world. They
have supposed the virgin soil OF tas
West of sufficient extent and impor-
tauce to use up all the surplus OF
population or production so far as
manufacturers were concerned, aud
they have left the Southern Pacific
coast and the Central American
States, As well as South America, to
the fostering care of England, France,
and Germany, so that We are not sur
prised to know that the direct trade
with the United States from these
countries is almost too Insignificant to
be mentioned.
1t Is not because these c0uptri-s are
nearer, or goods can be transported
cheaper from Europe, hut because
Communication has been opened aud
relationship established between them
and European States. II France had
not believed that it would be Of decid-
edly greater advantage TO the United
States than to herself she would have
constructed canal across the 18th
mus years ago, as she was the first 10
make the survey for that purpose.
Now that there is q probability that
the mouth Of the Mississippi will be
deepened there Is s6me reference to
this ship canal on the part of the live
men of the West, and it is hoped that
sufficient interest will be awakened
upon the subject to secure an early
commencement OF the undertaking.
Its Importance to com merce ia suffi-
cient reason for building it, while the
credit to be derived from such a work
by establishing q character for enter
prise among nations Is a yet further
consideration to prompt its speedy
construction.
The whole territory of this COnti-
nent is bound together by a common
interest, and, although there is no
need OF even imagining that it Will
ever be under one govern ment, it is
still virtually one country and should
contain one people. Whatever bene-
fits one benefits all, and, although y
canal across the Isthmus would great
ly add to the importance OF the Cen
trail American States, and the pros
perity of Mexico and Chill. there can
bs no ground for aHwillingness to
prosecute the undertaking from that
caase. A canal may not add to the
value Of the stock In the Panama
Railroad Company, nor to that Of the
Pacific Railroad enterprise here at
home, but it should afford a cheaper
Communication between China, Ja-
pan, Australia and the Eastern States,
and at the same time open a great
track for commerce from Europe to
those countries which would pay
tribute to this new world, aud enliv-
en- its seas by the presence of unnum-
bered argnsies whose influence could
not but be felt upon our shores
Mercantile Journal.