The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-12
THE PANAMA CANAL,

The tone OF some OF the American press,
insisting on American control Of the Panama
canal, while avowing that not dollar u
American capital will ever be subscribed
toward its construction, and other evidences
of American hostility to any canal begun by
M. de Lesseps on Colombian territory has, 1t
Ia said by a Panama correspondent. led some
Of the Uololnblans to believe that the Amerl-
cans are opposed To the construction of any
canal whatever, and that they are disposed
to prefer claims based on the Monroe doe
trine, which are dlstasteful to the dignity of
free people. Senor Antonio Ferro, who was
the commissioner appointed by the Cnlom-
bIaD government to receive de Lessepa or,
hls arrival at Aspinwall In November last.
and who has recently arrived In New York,
denies that his government participates In
this belief, and he thinks when the people
Of the United States have reflected upon
the subject and taken the palms " inform
themselves concerning It, they will see that
It has no political bearing whatever. Ii la. he
says, a purely commercial enterprise In which
the United States and Colombian States
happen TO be mutually Interested. There can
be no more objection. he says. to Englishmen
and Frenehtnen putting In their money TO
construct the canal II they gee At to do So
than In furnishing capital to build railroads
In the United States and other parts of
America. az they have frequently done. So
far as the Colombian government was con-
cerned, he said, any one who would stop a
moment aud reflect could see that II
Was az vitality Interested In maintain
ing the Monroe doctrine az was The
United States. There had always been the
most cordial relations between his own
Government and the United States, and that
Government would not cede any rights to
European power which would interfere with
the political welfare OF this country. He
said the contract with Lieutenant Wyse
covered the whole ground clearly, and he
thought any one who took the trouble to read
that document carefully could not help being
convinced that there was no intention On the
part of the Colombian States TO grant any
political privileges to any foreign power
There was no occasion for any uneaslness on
the part Of the American people. for they
could at any time obtain control Of the
canal by purchasing the stock. SENIOR
Ferro appears to have the greatest
amount OF faith In de Lesseps, believing
him to be thoroughly In earnest and at the
same time considering him the very best
man In the world to undertake the great task
His prestige az the builder of the Suez canal.
aided to hs wonderful energy and ability
gave him advantages that no other person
possessed. That he entertained no narrow
view OF the subject Senior Ferro stated that
before leaving Asplnwall he had heard M. lie
Lessepe declare In public that 1t was not his
ambition that this canal should be begun and
built exclusively by Frenchmen. On the con-
trary, he would much prefer to soc England,
France and the United States equally repre-
scented In itH construction. In the opinion
Of Senior Ferro the cost OF the canal
ready made. bringing the total amount down
to not more than one hundred millions. or
course Senior Ferro takes II rosente view Of
the enterprise lnaugurated by de Lesseps,
which promises to be so profitable to the
country which he represents. but all this does
not alter the fact that the Panama scheine ID
not conceived In the interest Of. OF calculated
to give satisfaction to Americans. The Mica
ragua route is one which should command the
attention of American capitalists. as Its con-
struction will most surely rebound to the nd
vantage Of the United States.
Americans cannot view with unconcern the
attempt of foreign nations or capitalists 10
control the greatest highway Of commerce. on
the A meriean continent.