New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-26
4yTvpOPr1NT STATE PAPER.

Nj. Blaine's letter to Mr. Lowell sets at rest
all questions concerning the attitude OF the
United States toward the Panama Canal. 1t Is
not mere reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine,
and its application to the project for inter
oceanic transit; il is in effect explicit dccla-
ration of the intention of the American Re
public to protect all its interests which the
canal NAV affect and courteous notification
to European Powers that any combination on
their part to supersede the United States in its
right to guarantee the neutrality of the canal
would be regarded by our Government as par
taking of the nature of an alliance against us
and a. an indication of uufricndly feeling The
language of the letter is plain and unmistak-
able. There is no diplomatic obscurity about
it. No European Power which may coyct the
control of the canal can hereafter seek shelter
for projects to that end behind an assumption
of doubt as to the attitude and purposes OF this
country.
Mr.. Blaine does not PIT our claim of right to
n paramount influence in the control OF n
waterway which will unite our Atlantic and
Pacific shores, and become practically part of
our coast line, upon the ground Of our great
COMMERCIAL and political interests alone. He
shows that our treaty with Colombia, made in
1916, puts us in peculiar position toward the
canal, and gives us rights and duties belonging
to 10 other nation. BY that treaty the United
States guaranteed, "positively and eiIica
ciously,' the neutrality of any inerocclnic
communications that might be constructed
across the isthmus, and also guaranteed the
rights OF sovereignty and property Of Colombia
over the territory of the i,thmu5 included in
~, ,F L. L.,
especially advantageous to Colombia, for while,
when it was negotiated, the canal project was
an affair OF the distant future, she rcapcd the
immediate benefit of being made secure in the
possession of her sthman territory by the
guarantee of the most powerful nation on the
American Continent. This benefit she has en-
iOycd for third of a century. while we have
waited all this time for the cOmpcnsaing bcnc-
fit which the treaty gave to us of being the
only Power having the right in conjunction
with Colombia TO guarantee the neutrality of
an istlmus canal.
This right, we may safely assume, will not
be exercised in any way calculated to injure the
interests of the ColOmbiais or even 10 hurt
their susceptible national pride. They, like
ourselves have a coast line upon both sides of
the isthmus, and they cannot be Indifferent to
the danger Of the canal falling under the con-
troll of some great European naval Power. In
reminding them of the mutual Obligations and
benefits OF the treaty Of 1916, Mr.. Blaine shows
no spirit of suspicion or unfriendliness. So far
as the isthmus and the canal arc concerned the
United States aud Colombia are close allies,
and the nature of their contract is such that 40
other nation can be admitted to tho cOpartner-
ship. We have fulfilled our share of the treaty
obligations in the past and mean to fulfil them
in the future and We make no question that
Colombia is ready to fulfil hers.
To other nations Mr.. Bane's letter speaks
with vigorous directness concerning the. poti-
cal control of the canal. 1t declares that in the
event of war in which either the United
States or Colombia might be party, the pas
sage of armed vessels of hostile nations through
the canal would be no more admissible than
would be the passage of their armies over our
Pacific railroads. 1t furthermore gives ample
notice that the United States will insist upon
her rights to take all needful precautions
against the possibility of the isthmus transit
being used Extensively against our interests
upon the land or the sea. This means that if
our Government should at any time think the
protection of its interests required extraor-
binary military and naval measures TO defend
the p-rances TO the canal, it will not recognize
the right of any European Power to object. In
other words, the political control of to- canal
and its defence in time of war, or in view of the
contingency of war, is a matter which concerns
only the United States and Colombia.