Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-11-17
A,IERIcAN SHIP cANars

AMERICAN SHIP CANALS.
 When ihe Panama canal project was
 iirst inaugurated there was considerable talk about the Monroe doctr1ne," and
 what effect the construction Of such a canal would have on tbe United States, etc., but during the past year or two the question seems to have been lost sight Of, ana an that we now hear of the P'na1na canal is reports of the progress ol the work, an an occ si0nal announce
 ment tha- a few thousand more work men have been put on. About 5000
 men are now at work on the canal, SO it
 ls sad, and It Is announced that 6,OO0 more iaborers will he put to work on the
 G-~t day Of next month.
 The Ulited States are as much or
 more inter sted in the construction of
 this ship canal than any other country,
 yet We have nothing ID it, and all inter-
 est seems to have abated, leaving De
 Lesseps master of the field 10 manage
 gbe canal and its construction in his
 own way. France has SO far. fl we are
 correctly informed, furnished most of
 the capital that has been expended in
 the canal, but as French capitalists are
 ever ready to hypothecRte their paper in tune Of need, and as there IS but one county in the world where they can do it, ]. l5 safe Co conclude that the Pan- anna ship canal, when completed, will belong to Great Britain and France. This being the most natural turn that will likely result it is not exactly clear what position the United States will occupy, or what interest we will l have iu the Panama canal. unless we iil the position @, gawk, and hold the | 'ag,' while Jonny Bull and "Ze French ulu," drive the suipe in'O It, or through | .-. i5 IS most unfortunate that instead l ot taking a sensible and business like !! interest in tle question. thas our people .a0lisIlt organized two so-called com fauies, one ship canal, and one ship railway. Had ihe United States gwen and support to the former, and az once suppressed Captain Eads lad his visionary project of building -al-oads for the purpose Of carrying .hi9s ove-lund, which most of the engineers iu the country pronounce im- practicable, we might have occupied .ome standing ard held some place ID Inc ship canal question, but Rs it now tauds, ~e scarcely have sufficient inter- .s. there fo h.ht for, and nothing that .-auis=s any return for the investment }. capital There ls but one way in gl.cH We can save self respect, and that 8 by insisting upona strict enforce heat Of tae Monroe doctrine. If the .-aseu- vi-tar is allowed to pass, with s .lt talug a decided stand upon this 2 aesIo1. the United States will have TO -er- power for good in the Americas han she -aU bls in Europe.
 Aside .rm tle political significance ttacLsl Co the construction of a ship C anal across the Istlmus of Panama, she | '-i-.l o-ats have greater commercial | nd maritime interests iuits coustruc- .
 n than any other country. IL will s l.ui~h taa shortest and cheapest out let Il ) al European countries for the | r1duc; of fine Pacific States and Ter l. q .ries; it viii IurnisI the shortest water n 'gte fog all of our Eastern seaports to Q i5 Western States Of South America 1T I'd Lezico, as well as to Australia. a laaH, China, IndiH, and all of the si lands oI the Pacific. The manufac- n -ad goods of this country, which are o' lw bu- a tithe of what they will U . ID the course of decade or two, h' ust hava a market, and the St instruction of a canal across the 18th c1 ms of Panama .ofTers the best outlet 'l P our manufactured goods. This be- E the ease, the United Stafes should
 vs moneysd investment in the ca- Le r U, and as there IS no need of more n au one canal, and as but one will D -H -'y he built, it is high time We should isa Eu-EIng drldsions, and take hold
 h De Lesseps and help build the ~, mama canal before We are shut out a-eilsr By investing m the canal T"
 would at least have an interest to E after; but if tine United States 'o' ltiuues SO neglect this public enter ''- se, which IS of great importance to p' af tle civilized nations of the world. "0 let slip an opportunity fir political D D-' ] maritime p wer such as We never '--I . before, and can nl yer have again.