The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-10

0nt and prospective Oh this country, and III
peculiar location render IL essential that this
country shall not permit u foreign govern
ment TO exercise control over its affairs.
This doctrine Of foil-Interferenee was
plainly and forubly enuuoiated by Mr..
Monrge III his famous message al time
when this country was weak and but
poorly prepared to maintain the POSI-
tlon then taken. and IL has never ceased
to be cherished by Tho people as correct
policy. the enforcement Of which ls essen
tlal to the ultimate welfare and development
of the nation. II III 1899 We were strong
enough TO make such declaration to the
world. we are surely now In position to
maintain II, aud the constituencies Of the
people on this subject ls clearly shown by the
profnptness with which both the press and
Congress- have spoken. England, more than
France. will look with covetous eyes upon 80
Important commercial highway, end she
will naturally long and probably seek
to control IT, We suspect that any
difficulty that may grow ont Ok the
construction Of this or other canals will be
with England rather than with France, aud
there are evidences already cropping out OF q
uAspOFi1SuA vi buS phIt VI bU6 HDEllAN people
to Interfere In the matter.
" ls apparent that the people OF the United
States do not fully appreciate the Importance
and magnitude of the South American trade !:
neither do they seem to take In the great
benefits which would enure TO this country
by the construction OF an lntsroeeanlo canal.
IL should be remembered that Mexico has q
population Of about 10,Oo0,0DO; that Central
America has q population Ut about 100000;
while South America. lying south Ut the 18TH
mus Of Panama, has q population Of ~ 900 OoD.
Many suppose that the main Importance Of
building the interoceanio canal consists In
thus affording better facilities for commeree
With our own Pacific coast California Oregon
and Alaska) and with Mexico, tho wheat and
beAvy products Of which when sent by ships
tlnd their way To Atlantic markets European
more than American) around Cape Horn.
through the Straits of Magellan. This Ia q
great mistake. Or th ffeights that cross tho
isthmus by tho Pan Railroad only one.
ninth come from the north of the iathmuH,
while elRht~nlnths come from the aouth Of 1t,
mainly from South America. It is the a.
900. 900 of population u South America who
population or our nited States Pacific eoast.
milne business that would How through the
canal would be enormous and past all pres
ent computation. The ompletion OF the
work would give n wonderful Impetus to tho
settlement of all those vast and rich eotip-
tries on the Pacific coast that are almost In
their infancy. The trade with China, japan
and most Of the Aaiatio countries, as we'll as
Australia. would Immediately be diverted
through the canal and largely Increased. The
business Of the Buez canal would dwindle Into
az compared with IT, and II Ia
Wise and proper that the United
States should give fair notice to the world at
large that che Will not permit any foreign
power or powers to assume any rights Of pro-
lection or control over q highway that 50
deeply and nearly concerns her az nation.
Il IL manifest that should we permit any Eti-
ropean company to control the canal that all
differences and disputes arising between such
company and the shipping using the canal
would have to be finally settled In Europe,
which would In itself be serious evil 30 far
AZ American ship owners were concerned.
We fall to understand the hardness with
which those Interested In the Nicaragua Ga
nal are moving. and should suppose this a
most opportune moment for them to push
their project forward. ~ they could now OBJ
tain the aid Of Congress, and would probn- |
,ly have no trouble Ia raising the necessary
'unds to complete the canal. II, as we have
.sen led to believe by the engineers, II Ia
feasible.