The Benton weekly record., 1880-04-02
DE LES.SEPS PROJECT.

It is now several weeks since it was an
nounced in a dispatch from Washington
that the French Government officially
disavows any intention to set up a pro-
tectorate on this continent, or to guarantee
or protect, or in any way make itself res
ponsible for, OF on account of the plans of
NJ. De Lesseps in the negotiations for Or
the building Of ali interoceanic canal. It
regards NJ. De Lesseps as an eminent
French citizen, but his plans on the 18TH
mus have no political color or signif1-
cance.'
This is all very fine and seems to bear the
ear marks and particularly Of an utterance
put forward to set the French Government
straight, SO far as any national complica-
tons are concerned between that govern
ment and this. So far so good, but it Is
well enongh to remember just here that
the Suez canal was undertaken by priv
ate company of French capitalists with NJ.
De LesseOs at its head, although the active
sympathy and cooperation, as well as pro-
all through and England watched the pro-
gress of the enterprise and straightway
moved her Sappers and miners, so to speak,
to Egypt, within convenient strikidg dis
tance, aud when the canal was done and
opened with great eclat by the Empress
Eugene i'll person, the British Govern
ment was gnaWing It's finger ends to seek
how to get its paw upon this great work.
The opportunity came very soon, since III
due time onea hundred and seyenty-six
thousand six hundred and two shares, a
controlling interest in the Suez Canal,
were offered for sale in Paris, and owing
TO the chaotic condition of affairs there did
not readily find buyer; the Empire hav
rtiss5s
Sedan. The promptitude with which these
shares were seized by the English Gov
ernment is a matter of history that every
body is familiar with, as with the fact that
that canal is now as much British posses
sion as though built with British gold
under the eyes and direction of the British
Government.
Except for the timely and decided re-
nunciation the other day by President
Hayes Of the Monroe Doctrine, that has
been a fixed policy of this Government for
many years, there is no reason to doubt
that the same meal-tub strategy would have
been pursued insthe Panama Canal, and
our beloved English friends ultimately in
stalled with the keys that bind and loose
the commerce of the world that is to pass
from the Eastern to the Western Oceans
hereafter.
The Importance to the commerce of this
country and the peculiar situation that we
occupy, stretching as we do from sea to sea
across the continent, make it imperative
chat no power other than our own should
mold control of q highway fraught with
such vital interest to our people. What is
one or two hundred millions of dollars to
the American people in comparison with
the cost Of dislodging a foreign power once
installed there? France has officially sfgni-
fed her recognition of the justice of the
American policy i'll this matter, and hence,
by inference, warned lis that now is the
time to renew the hint to other powers
We are glad, therefore, that this Govern
ment has lost no time in making its inten-
tions known that the Monroe Doctrine is
to be maintained on this continent, and we
trust that moral. and il need be pecuniarv
aid, will be given tomy company Of capi-
talists who win build the canal and place
its control unqualifiedly in the hands of the
United States Government. This much is
our due and this much is our duty as well,
and any party Or statesman who attempts
to place himself across the inevitable logic
Of this fact might better havea milestone
hung about his neck and be cast into the
depths Of the sea. An inter-oceanic canal
and the enforcement Of the Monroe Doc
trine should be the WatchWords Of the
American people