Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-27

tween the United States and petty Cen
trail American Government, the former is
practically free to do as it likea, he would
have been nearer the truth. It is OF course
quite clear that the United States has a
very deep interest in the question of IN
Isthmus canal. It has in fact even a
deeper interestin 1t than England has in
the Suez Canal. But it does not follow
from this that the United States is en-
titled to exclude all the rest of the world
from taking stock in an Isthmus canal,
and it may be said further that to under
/ take this exclusion is to necessitate the
exhibition of more coercive power than
is either convenient or possible at the
present time.
The American doctrine is no doubt pecu.
liarly calculated to fatter national vanity,
but it belongs to the category of doctrines
which require very formidable military
and naval equipment to sustain them. 1t
is within the discretion of the United
States to adopt this doctrine as the ma
tional policy, but it viii be an impracti-
cable policy so long as the country is with
out the means of backing its bold words
by as bold deeds. Secretary Blaine's semi
defiant language would have much better
effect if we did not know that all such talk
addressed to the great powers Of Europe
= 81
possible that these powers may not care
enough about the matter to question cur
position, though the Isthmus canal is SO
important, and in many respects so cosmo-
politan an undertaking, that we can hardly
hope TO escape challenge in regard to it.
The demands Of commerce, for example,
are SO imperative that it would be very
serious matter to have such canal in the
hands of one power, which could close it
at will. The right to DO this is practically
what Mr.. Blaine contends for. ard we do
not think it is right which Europe will
be disposed to concede, or which would be
for the best good of the whole worlu.
The Panama canal ought to be r.,dei The
protection of all the powers, with special
conditions as to the course to be taken in
time of war. We are inclined to think
that the Importance of it to this country in
the event of a war with an European
power has been greatly overestimated.
The supposition that we should be able to
use it ourselves and keep the enemy from
using it, is not tenable. In the event OF
I'VE should have to fight for its posses.
sion, and it is highly probable that even if
we succeeded in holding it, it would be
rendered useless to us. To guard such an
outlet powerful navy would be required,
and we have 10 navy. In a war with al
most any European power-say. with
England, France, Germany, Italy or
Spain-we should be pitted against vastly
superior maritime forces, and it is quite
certain that at the beginning of the war
we should be unable to effect anything.
As, however, it would be precisely at such
time that the Panama canal would be
seized, it is difficult to see how we could
hope to hold it. In fact it is evident that
we could not hold it, and that long before
we had been able to patch up a navy the
enemy would have sent fleet through the
Isthmus, and have taken or destroyed our
Pacific coast possessions. Not, indeed,
that it would be necessary to send a fleet
specially to do that, for there are always
enough war-vessels of almost every Euro
pean power in the Pacific to effect that
purpose without further reinforcements.
Secretary Blaine's bold and even some
what aggressive tone is therefore wholly
without justification. 1t is neither more
nor less than what card. playera call
.'bluffing" Bat "blufingp here is i'm.
possible, since Europe thoroughly under
stands our weakness on the sea. There is
nothing dignifed in an attempt to do more
than we are capable of, and there is moth
ing Of craftsmanship in making threats
which everybody understands mean
nothing. The simple truth is that we
have not the means wherewith to maintain
the Monroe doctrine. If any European
power chooses to dispute Mr.. Baine's
proposition, and declares its intention to
take as much interest in the Panama canal
as it pleases, We shall be reduced to two
equally disagreeable alternatives we must
go to war with the certainty of being beat
en-, or we must swallow our naughty
words. As the adoption of the first alter
native might involve the second, it would
probably be the soundest policy to begin
with number two. There would certainly
be no option for US outside of these
courses. And since this is apparent to all
who are capable of forming judgment in
the simplest matters, it seems very bad
craftsmanship and even worse taste for
Mr.. Blaine to persist in using this hector
ing and melodramatic tone in his instruc-
tions to our ministers. Certainly it is not
thus that the great military and naval
powers of the world are to be frightened
into leaving us alone, and chronic pursu-
ance of this policy is apt to bring us,
sooner or later, into collision with some
power that we are not prepared to encoun-
ter. If we had navy we could afford to
talk big;" but not having one we must
adapt our pretensions to our capacities.
THE TREASURY.