Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-01-22

COuCeeslOu prOvlslou 10 tiiaOo i0t tuo
entry and clearance of vessels at the
terminal ports, with the delays and
annoyances usually attending such re-
qnirsments, the Nicaragua concession
aveids all intsrfsrencs BY castom-
house officials, except so far IS to pre-
vent smuggling and violations of the
custsn laws. This concession pre-
vides: "Thsre shall be . free zone
upon each bank of the canal of II
hundred yards in width measured
from the waters edge, it being un-
dsrstsOd that the lake shores shall
never be considered as the margin Of
the canal. Within this zeMe no
illegal traffic shall be conducted,
aud the customs authorities will
watch aud prevent smuggling in &C
cordancs with the provisions Of article
50 fof the cencession1. It is expressly
understood that every vessel travers-
ing the canal will, whenever the au-
| thorities desire it, receive on beard a
guard lcustoms o%ficsrl appointed by
the government, who will, in case OF
discovering their violation, exercise
his powers in accordance with the
law" The articles of the concession
also provide that the 1.-TWO ports to
be constructed aud to serve for EN-
frances to the canal on each ocean are
declared to be free. and will be re-
cognized as such from the beginning
of the work to the end of this con-
cessi0n." While the administration
aud management of the Panama
Canal, moreover, are placed in the
hands of an independent company,
deriving its powers from q foreign
government, aud organized on the
plan adopted in the construction of
the Susz Canal, the commerce avail
ing itself Of the benefits of the
Nicaragua Canal 10 protected by the
government of that country against
all extortlsn. In article ~ the COLI
csssion provides that :. "Itis uuder-
stood that the company, in the oxer-
ciss of the powers here conferred,
cannot make other regulations than
such ~ are necessary for the admin
lstration aud Management Of the
canal, and before issuing these regu-
lations will submit them to the gov
eminent for its APPROVAL" In order
to protect still further the interests
Of those using the canal, it 10 provide
ed that oil sums necessary to secure
interest en- the funded debts, 0biiga-
lions aud shares, net exceeding 6 per
cent. for interest, aud also q sinking
fund, shall be reserved; and that
t.What remains shall form the net
gains, Of which at least 80 per cent.
shall be divided among shareholders,
It being understood, after ten years
from the time the canal is completed,
the company cannot divide among
the shareholders, either by direct
dividends, or indirectly, by issuing
than Is per cent. annually, or in this
proportion, for dues collected from
Che canal aud when it 10 discovered
that the charges In force produce q
greater net gain they will be reduced
to the basis of 15 per cent. per year."
These provisions indicate net only
the confidence Of the projectors in
their enterprise, but also the detemina-
itien of the Nicaraguan government TO
guard agxinst all possible injustice
to the commerce finding . highway
there.
That there are other advantages
contained in the concession Of the
N~icaraguan government and in the
proposed administration and man
agemsnt Of the Nicaragua Canal,
there should be ne doubt in the MUD
Of every American who believes in
the power and supremacy Of his gov
srnmcnt on this continent. The con-
cession IL made to Americans, the
society 10 made up of Americans, the
co%rporaters are Americans, and the
act of incorporation is asked of an
American congress. Every step Of
this project recognizes the right ofthe
United States to guard with jealous
care the American continent against
the sncroachment Of foreign powers.
To this policy no nation and no clus-
ter of adjacent nations, watchfqi of
their W individual or collective
interests, should take exception. Ii
IS the foundation OF national exist
ence everywhere. An American
msn-of-war, having on board the
greatest naval commander of modern
times, pauses for torty-eight hours
ut the mouth Of the Bosphorus to
recognize the right Of an European
power to control the waters OF the
Dxrdanslles aud the Black sea. 1t
csnuet be supposed for q moment
that an American company, incorpo-
rated by the American govern
ment, organized on American
soil, would have been allowed to
construct the Suez Canal, even if it
had established abpanch of its enter
prise in France aud placed it under
the supervision of = distinguished
aud representative French official.
And SO it is with US. The pelicy laid
down in the early days Of the repub-
lie, and accepted from that time to
this by tne American mind, by which
the colonization of other nationali-
tics on these shores was protested
against, should never be forgotten.
The violation Of this policy has
always reused the American people
to a frm assertion of their fights aud
cost one American Statesman at least
a large share Of tbs laurels he had
wen by long aud honorable service.
The application of this principle even
new secures safety and protection to
q line Of railway spanning the 18TH
mus and connecting the eastern and
western waters. The assertion of
this principle by q treaty made with
Nicaragua in 1849 il. accepted to-day
by all Americans, peoplo and officials,
with entire satisfaction. The rejec-
ton of that treaty, in order to pre-
| vent q collision between the United
States aud Great Britain aud to pre-
serve unframed the policy of an adj
m%lnistration, is regarded az one of
the most complieatins and cempro-
missing acts of American diplomacy.
The accepted aud acceptable policy
Of the American government 10 con-
tanned in the doctrine announced
more than half a centuary ago by
President Monroe. 1t is to be found
in the attitude assumed by our gov
ernment in all the long diplomatic dis
cussion which followed the r%atiica
tioa of the Clsytou-Rulwsr treaty-a
discussion i'll which General Cas-,
then secretary of state, declared Al
analogous treaty a. rscognizingssprin-
ciplss Of foreign Intervention repug.
nant to the policy Of the United
States"-~a discussion in which by
negotiation Great Britain was com
pslled to recognize the "soyereignty
of Honduras over the islands con-
posing the ss-callsd British Colony
Of the Bay Islauds"-a %dlscusaion in
which the President Of the United
States DENOUNCED the Clayton.
Bulw q treaty as one which had bssn
fraught with Misunderstanding aud
mischief from the beginning" eli
the senate" said the president 10
Lord Napier. chad Imagined that the