Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-02-05

| and Panama, to connect the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans, has disturbed its
long repose. This contemplated en-
tcrprise is by no means Utopian.
We are in an age noted for gigantic
schemes and are witnesses Of many of
them carried through to complete sue
cess, which in an older time would
have been regarded as utterly imprac-
ticable and as the mere visionary fig
ments of an unbalanced mind. And so
with the isthmian connections of the
two oceans. 1t appears to be a huge
undertaking, and when one thinks of
the amount of labor and the expendi-
ture of capital involved in its construc-
tlon they may seem almost fabulous.
Still decade or two may witness its
accomplishment There can be no
doubt that the idea of an improvement
of this magnitude controlled by Euro
pean capital, under the protection of
some European nation, is exceedingly
distasteful to our people. 1t comes too
near home not to excite the liyeliest
concern and the gravest apprehension.
1t involves the business welfare and
the commercial prosperity of the coun-
try, and without the most ample guar
antics that it shall at all times, in
peace and war, be open to our merchant
marine and the armed ships of our
navy, it would stand as constant men
ace to our safety and inevitably pro-
woke troubles and wars. So thought
ful and conservative n statesman as
Mr.. Bayard, in recent speech in the
Senate, with wise insight into its
momentOus consequences TO us rs a
people, alluded TO this scheme of unit
ing the two oceans, taking a strong
American view of its demands upon
the United States. He said "There
is no cloud of war now upon the ho-
rizon, but who can tell when it may
arise ? The scheme of uniting the
1.-TWO great oceans by canal across
"the Isthmas on the southern border
"of this Continent is one of world wide
Importance, and the heart of every
American proclaims that it is to be
"under the control of the government
"of the United States. Our power
may be questioned, but it will be
maintained"
These words of Mr.. Bayard, it is
said, made profound impression upon
all who heard them uttered, and they
have since received almost unanimous
approval in both branches of Congress.
There is not, however, much proba-
bility of trouble arising between the
United States and France. Indeed it
is already announced that the French
government has officially disavowed
all intention of setting up protector
ate over this project on this continent,
or as a correspondent Of the New York
Herald says, "to guarantee or protect,
or in any way make itself responsible
for or on account of the plans of NJ.
de Lesseps in the negotiation for or
the building of an interoceanic canal.
If this statement of the intentions and
policy of France towards the proposed
work is correct, there may be no occa-
sion at this time for another assertion
of the Monroe doctrine of "hands off, "
and it can resume its quiet nap and
remain undisturbed in its slumbers un-
I'll some future necessity again awak'
ems it to life. But it is we'll enough
once-in-a-while to know that we have
such principle to assert, and it is
none the worse for an occasional air.
ing, if only to remind us that it still
exists and is useful to keep European
intermedlers in our affairs at a dis
tance.
ONE good reason, says the Washing
ton Post, for Democratic opposition to
the exodus was given by an Indiana