The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-22
TnE IsTHmUs CANAL.
Position Of Government on
the Water WaY.
About the mOnroe Doctrine.

~ e~ASA
About fhe Monroe Doctrine.
Washington, Pile is reported
that President Hayes, in communi-
eating to Congress the information
and correspondence called for by the
two houses in regard to the subject of
inter-ocsanie canals, will take advan-
tsge of the opportunity to send IN a
special message expressing his OVID
views. It is known that he favOrs the
Nicaragua route on account OF the
preference given to it by our eDgin-
GERS after examining it and the
rival routes acroes the 18th
mus, and it is also known
that the President believes in the
Monroe doctrine as TO American su-
premacy on this continent, but it is
doubtful whether be will announce
his views in special message TO Con.
gress at present. At any rate, it has
not yet been decided to do so, although
the President has substantially the
united support of his cabiDel in his
position on the question involved.
A formidable obstacle in the way of
any official declaration by the United
States against the DeLesseps project,
and an announcement that canal
shall not be constructed by any other
than the Nicaragua route, is found
in the Olsyton-Bulwer treaty between
the United States and Great Britain,
ratified July 4. 1850. This treaty, it
is true, referred especially to the
Nicaraguan route, guaranteeing its
neutrality, and the protection by the
United States and Great Britain o!
eny parties who might construct it.
The eighth article of the treaty has q
wider significance. Il is SO follows;
Z" The governments OF the United
States and Great Britain having not
only desired, in entering into this con-
Yention, to accomplish particular
object, the construction and neu-
trality ola canal by way of Nicaragua,
but also to establish general
principal, they agree to extend their
protection by treaty stipulations to
any other practicable communication,
whether by canal or railway, across
the isthmus which connects North
and South America, and especially to
the inteT-oceanic communications,
should the same prove TO be practic-
able, whether By canal or railway,
which are now proposed 10 establish
by the way OF Tehuantepec and Pan
ANA. Granting, however, their joint
protection to any such canals or rail-
ways, az are by this article specified,
it is always understood by the United
States and Great Britain that the par
ties constructing or owning the same
shall impose no other charges or con
ditions of traffic thereupon than the
aforesaid governments shall approve
of as just and equitable, and thai the
same canals and railways being open
to subjects of the Unitsd States
and Great Britain On equal terms,
will also be open On Ike terms to tho
citizens and subjects of every other
state which is willing to grant thereto
such protection as the United States
and Great Britain engage to afford. 3"
Under this article of the treaty the
Panama route not having been shown
TO be impracticable, it is considered
very doubtful by the President if this
government has any right to inter-
fere, especially if DeLesseps intends
to recognize in full the provisions of
this treaty, as it is said he does. For
this reason it is very doubtful if the
administration will assume any
decided position till Congress acts,
and the intentions of DeLesseps are
efectuaily known.
Another published statement is tina!
the sending OF the KearSargs and
adams to cruise in the waters on
either side of the Isthmus Of Panama
is proof positive that the American
eagle is ruffled and is about to scream.
This Is untrue. The presence of those
vessels in the alter mentioned has no
significance whatever, and they did
nos sail under sealed oreers. One
belongs to the North Atlantic and the
other to the North Pacific squadron,
aud they are only on general cruising.
The statement that Secretary Thomp-
son has purchased coaling stations on
either side Of the isthmus is also IN
four ded' He could make no such
purchase without authority from Con-
gress and an appropriation. 1t is
possible that if nothing was doing on
the isthmus the RearSage and adams
would not have been sent out, but
they are not on any significant or
Warlike mission.