The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-03-18
TIE INTER.OCEANIC CANAL
HOW THE PRESIDENT RE-
CARDS 1T

engineers, where fourteen routes were
considered, seventy-eight votes were
cast for and eight against the Panama
line. He said the canal would greatly
promote the commerce of the United
States, and that the enterprise should
have the protection of this country.
His sole purpose in going to Panama,
he states, was to verify the decision
made at Paris, and that he had been
accompanied, among others, by two
well known American engineers, Col.
TotteD, of the Panama railroad, and
Gen. Wright, of the United States en-
gineer corps. NJ. de Lesseps stated
that the company which he proposed
to form would be controlled as any
corporation, by it's stockholders, and
that no official control by any govern
ment was contemplated that if ma
jority of the stock were taken in the
United States, the headquarters of the
company would most probably be in
New York or IN Washington I;
if in France it might be
at Paris, or otherwise as di-
rected by the stockholders that
there was no settled purpose that all
judicial decisions regarding the con-
duct of the company should be decided
in France. He explained the FEAST
bility of the canal, and produced the
highest authority as to the success of
the undertaking, and said it would
take from six to eight years to COM
plete the canal at cost of $168, 000,-
600. Being asked how many vessels
could pass through canal with locks,
he stated that only fifteen could pass
through such canal with seventeen
locks, the number required, in one day,
while through sea canal one hun
dred vessels could pass.
The great French engineer evidently
regards the isthmisn canal In no other
light than as business undertaking,
thinking that those who psy for its
corstruchon should govern its con-
duct. If American capital take, hold
OF it II the style in which our pol.ti-
clans again take hold of the Monroe
doctrine, there will be no trouble
about the matter. But there is a great
deal of difference between the politi-
clans stock IN trade and subscrip-
tions in hard cash, and 1t may be q
very long time, longer probably than it
would take to construct the canal, for
American capitalists to taEe hold of the
undertaking in a way to make 1t anAmer-
lean enterprise. There is much being
said abb ut it in Congress, and even our
Mr.. Reagan has presented resolution
that calls for the expression, "lsrge
and sta;esmanlike views" but it is
very evident that this congress
sional thunder, if it roll around NJ.
de Lssseps' head much longer, will
scare HIM off the American con-
tiuent, and then Admiral Am
men and Grant will probably have
it all their OVID way, and we may never
have canal. In this move at Wash
ington both parties are taking stock.
Republicans and Democrats are both
asserting the dignity of the American
Union, and all worship alike at the
shrine of Mr.. Monroe. President
Hayes has been aroused from bis leth-
argy, and in a message to the Senate
says:
In further compliance with the resc-
luton of the Senate, deem it proper
to state briefly my opinion as to the
policy of the United States with re-
spect to the construction of an inter.
oceanic canal by any route ACROSS the
American isthmus. The policy of this
country Is q canal under American con-
troll. The United States can rot con-
sent to the surrender of this control to
any European power, or to any combi-
nation of European powers. If exist
ing treaties between the United States
and other nations, or if the rights of
sovereignty or property of other ma
tions, stand In the way of this policy
contingency which is not sppre-
hended-suitsble steps should be taken
by just and liberal negotiations to pro-
mote and establish the American pol
- al kar, klr~
the rights of the nations to be affected
by it. The capital invested by corpo-
rations or citizens of other countries IN
such an enterprise must, in q great de-
gree, look for protection to one or
more of the great powers of the world.
No European power csn intervene for
such protection without adopting meas
ures on this continent which the United
States would deem wholly insdmissi-
ele. II the protection of the United
States is relied upon, the United States
must exercise such control as will en-
able this country to protect its national
interests and maintain the rights of
those whose private capital is en-
barked in the work.
To sill this Congress and the Presi-
dent are night. The canal would be
simply continuation of the coast line
of the United States, between the At
lantic and Psci6c states. and this coun-
try should hAYe good deal to say in
policing such line. All that is OBJ
jected to is, that where there is such q
fusilade along the line nobody may be
left with the hardihood to face the
storm, and Ammen aud Grant may just
60 along having good time. being fetsd
and toasted to the end Of time. Tc
cut the mstter short, the people Of the
Unitsd States might with modssty
simply put up or shut up, and let ii
have . rest upon this momentous ques-
ton. out Of which nothing VIII CON.
without 500, O00, 600 in hard cash.