Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-04

The telegraph, day or two ago, gave
information that the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations had taken up the
| Monroe doctrine resolution of Senator
Morgan, Of Alabama, which asserts that
the consent OF the United States Govern
ment is condition precedent to the con-
struction of any interoceanic ship canal
across the isthmus connecting North and
South America. The said committee
decided to refer the resolution to Senator
Burnside, as a subcommittee, with in
structions to examine and report it back
to the full committee at an early day.
With all due regard to the opinions
Of the Senator from Alabama, and all
others in favor of the United States in
voking the Monroe doctrine as a means
of preventing NJ. de Lesseps from con-
structing his interoceanic canal, it seems
TO US that such proceedings are not only
useless, but calculated to bring the gov
eminent into ridicule.
We have never yet been able to see
what possible application the Monroe
doctrine can have to this proposed inter
national work That doctrine only de-
clares in effect that no foreign monarchi-
cal government should establish, or main
tain, any form of government on this
continent inimical to our own, and if
any attempt of that character were made,
it should be regarded as an act unfriend-
ly to the United States. In other words,
that our republican government should
not be threatened by the establish
ment on this continent of any form of
government inimical to our system.
What possible connection can this
have with NJ. de Lesseps' plans? He does
not desire to establish any hostile system
Of government on the isthmus, or do
anything which threatens the welfare or
integrity of the United States. He mere
lY wishes to construct a canal in the in
terests Of the commerce of the world,
and be has invited citizens of the United
States, as he has citizens of al other
countries, to take stock in the work,
and give him their money so that he may
have the capital needed for its successful
completion. He, no doubt, would be very
glad if the United States Government, or
citizens of the country, would guarantee
him every dollar he desires. but since
the one cannot, and the.other will not, do
this, he calls for help wherever he can
get it. In all this there is nothing which
We can see to threaten the government,
nor is there anything political whatever
about the proposed scheme. 1t is moth
ing more nor less than constructing
a great work within the territory of the
United States of Colombia, for the bene-
fit Of international commerce, with for
eign capital. The United States of
America might as well object to any of
the Mexican, Central or South American
States borrowing money in Europe for
the construction of railways within their
territory, and the Mexican Govern
ment might. with equal propriety, OBJ
ject to the construction of the roads now
being built in Mexico with capital fur
uished by citizens of this country.
Under these circumstances, it is not
reasonable to expect that foreign ma
tions will accept the theory that the
Monroe doctrine can intervene to enable
the United States Government to carry
out the dog-in the manger-policy of not
building this very important work
itself, and not allowing any one else to
build It. Indeed, 1t is not even to be ex-
pected that the United States of Colon
bia, which wants the canal, will quietly
submit to what it may properly regard
as an undue interference with its rights
and wishes. Suppose, then, that De
Lesseps, backed up by the European pow
ers, determines to continue the work,
what can the United States dor We can
not afford to go to war for our theories,
and if we did, we could not expect, with
our inefficient navy, to successfully cope
at sea with any one foreign nation, to
say nothing Of an alliance against US
should one be formed. All we could do
would be merely to shout, frantically,
Monroe Doctrine" and protest, while
old De Lesseps would quietly go ahead,
regardless of either the shouts or the
protests, and carry his designs into exc
cution. Truly in this, history would re-
peat itself, for it would be but carry
ing out, in this day and generation, the
policy of old Wouter Won Twiller, of
Knickerbocker fame, who sat back and
smoked his pipe while he fought his &C
tive enemies with proclamations.
1t seems to us that it would be far
more dignifed for the United States
Government to drep the Monroe doctrine
theory in the isthmus canal scheme, and
do something which may prove practical
and useful. 1t would be much better
for the government to encourage this
great international work, which promises
so much benefit to the world at large,
and take steps both to secure the
neutrality of the canal, and to protect
our interests when it is completed, than
to be continually conjuring up visions of
imaginary dangers, which, if they
existed in reality, the government, in its
present condition, would be powerless to
avert
The present season promises to be one