New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-09
TIE AMERICAN POLICY.

TIE AMERICAN POLiCI.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs
has reported the Grape resolution, but with
notifications which considerably alter It's
character. The resolution as originally
presented declared that I" the construction OF
IAN interoceanic canal, connecting the waters
"of the Atlantic and Pacific, by means OF for
leigh capital, under the auspices or ana
Through a charter from any European Gov
"ernment. is hostile to the established policy
of the United States, is in violation OF the
"spirit and declarations of the Monroe doc
"trne, and cannot be sanctioned nor assented 10
"by this Government There was further
declaration that 1.-THE United States VIII as
&C. ert and maintain such control ana super
vision over any interOceanic canal as may 10
necessary to protect its natural interests
"as O means of defence, unity and SAFETY,
"and to advance the prosperity and augment
"the commerce of the Atlantic and Pa
"cfc States of the Union" The
wisdom of this latter clause was
never entirely clear, and 1t Is not
surprising that the Committee should have
refrained from adopting it.
But there is not q great deal left OF the
first named portion. That part OF the
resolution, as reported, which can per-
laps be interpreted as a rebuke to the
intention OF foreign corporation TO
construct a commercial highway on Amer-
can SOIL whose neutrality is OF SUI
preme Importance to the United States,
declares that "the introduction from any
"quarter of scheme or policy which could
"carry with it right to any European
"POwer to interfere" with the concerns OF
any of the independent States of this CONT
nent, cor to control in any other manner
&" their destiny, or the transfer to any such
"POWer by conquest, cessiOn or acquisition IN
any other way OF any Of those States or any
"pOrtOn thereof Is measure TO which this
Government is opposed, and which, should the
:" attempt be made, it will regard and treat
"as dangerous to our peace, prosperity. and
safetyr The further declaration that the con-
struction of ship canal between the Atlantic
and Pacific "by any European Government or
Power" would be in violation OF the spirit
"and letter of the Monroe doctrine" was
doubtless necessary to n consistent presentation
of the views of the Government, but it has no
present Importance, for the reason that no
European Government proposes to engage III
such n work. The remainder of the resO-
luton demands that if the canal should b.
constru, ted it shall not be under the control
of any European Government, and shall be
free to all commerce on equal terms,
and that no discrimination shall be
made against this country either
in peace or war. The President is requested
to take steps for the abroGaton of treaties III
conflict with this declaration. The So "a, of
Al .1,,f;n, 70 Ia mn N
in q single sentence of the Committees report,
which says that our sister Republics cannot be
denied the right to improve their own terri
story"
Though the declaration OF the Committee
Is less positive than was expected,
it is perhaps sufficient if Congress
will put into the Presidents hands
the means of carrying these views
into effect if the announcement of them
should be dsreoarded, or will give prOmpr
and practical aid to some American enterprise
which can defeat the scheme of DE LrSscps.
The people of the United States ale not will
lug to sec the canal in hands which may prove
to be uniriendly hands. There Is no
precedent. perhaps. for such nm attitude
in the letter of the Monroe doctrine, but there
is in its spirit. The Monroe doctrine
was simply a protest against the tx
tension Of mOnarchlcal dOmini0ns
Oh this Continent. The utimatum
of the United States to the mOnarchical Gov
ernmpnts Of Europe would go much further
than that to-day. 1t is not the Monroe doc
tlinc, perhaps, but it Is the American policy,
aud one which our Government should be
swift to uphold