The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-01-05
MR.. BLAINE's FOOLISH BOAST

A spec OF war comes up out of all
this fuss about the control of the in
ter-Oceanic routes across the neck of
land connecting the two Americas.
The DeLesseps canal scheme is now
regarded as certainty, so much so,
that the Paris stock market is re-
ported active with American de-
mand for Panama canal stock. Be-
sides this canal it is more than pro-
bable that Eads will build his ship
railway across the isthmus OF Tehu-
antepec, and another canal is
probable through Nicaragua, via
the Chagres river. One or more
of all these schemes are to be
accomplished, and the question of
their control has been brought con-
spicuously forward for treatment.
Mr.. Blaine has laid down the doc
trine, that whatever may be done,
must be absolutely and exclusively
under the control of the federal
government. and this doctrine
must be enforced or there will be an
ignominious backing down from the
stand assumed by the government.
The indications are, that most I'M
portant personages in shaping the
course of the present administra-
ton and even that of congress on
this subject, will seek to modify the
position assumed by the govern
ment, and, if so, the speck of
war may disappear under
sort of international compromise,
doing away with all the boasted
sway of the Federal Union over the
American continents. What Mr..
Blaine meant was that if the De
Lesseps canal were opened the
United States government would
control it; that if Eads built ship
railway, the United States must di-
rect its operation; that if the canal is
cut through Nicaragua the govern
ment of these United States must
say how and i'll whose interest it
shall be operated. 1t is pretty broad
ground to take, and this country
would have its hands full of very
hard and expensive work to enforce
the idea against the will of other
countries holding adverse opinions.
The simple expression of Mr.. Blaine
causes England and the other mari
time countries of Europe TO assume
in advance an attitude Of defiance.
Is this country ready to oppose all
these powers i'll denying them the
right TO free traffic between the At
lantic and Pacific by any
means that may be provided for
commerce. Ask "Sir Joseph" Hunt,
and then let US hang our heads in
shame, that ATr. Blaine made a fool
of himself, just at this time, after the
party to which he belongs has de-
graded the United States, as naval
power. TO the standing of the weak
est South American state. We have
no navy comparable to that of the
weakest European power; and
how, then, could we assert and
maintain protectorate such as MIR.
Blaine boldly and foolishly asserts
must be maintained over these pro-
posed lines of commerce? The
RepuGtcdR puts the Blaine PROPOSE
ton in this wise: IT we station
half dozen war ships at each end
of the water-lIne, they would be
surrounded by four times their
number of European war ships, and
if matters should come to the worst,
our vessels would be captured out
right. In fact the combined fleets,
or even the British fleets alone,
could chase our whole navy from
the vicinity of the isthmus and seize
the canal. There is but one way IN
which we could make good our
claim to an exclusive protcctorate,
and that is by formidable forts at
/ each end of the canal, constantly oc-
cupied by powerful garrisons. This
would call for not fewer than five
thousand men, one-fifth our army,
in time of peace, and $4,000 to 100000
men in time of war. Public senti-
ment in this country has never been
favorable to the maintenance of dis.
tant garrisons in foreign terri
tory, and it is certain that it would
require high excitement of the na-
tional spirit to tolerate tho perpet-
ual maintenance of garrisons of 5000
men under the equator, and the very
strongest considerations to provoke
our people to a war thousand
miles distant from our own shores,
with the advantages against us. Mr..
Blaine went out of his way to tell
the European powers, in the spirit
of boast, that while our navy is
feeble, our military power is resist
ible. He needed to say this, even
if it be true; and it is not certain
that it is true in the case which Mr.
Blaine's letter presupposes. IRE
sistible we may safely cIaim to be al
home but it is far from clear that
we would be irresistible on battle
fields thousand miles away-par.
ticularly when it is reflected that
troops could not be drafted into
such a service against their consent
1t is to be observed that the discus.
sion of the question has not aroused
any perceptible degree of national
spirit. Our people are languidly il
favor of the Monroe doctrine, it i:
true; but there are no evidence:
that they are ready to fight for it.
In begins to appear that wher
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