Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1883-08-02
Transit Across the Isthmus.
The Position of the South In Relation
to the Canal Problem Ably Set Forth
by Senator Butler.
To the Editor Of tie Industrial Re.
aiie1u. PkiLadeLphia::

EDGEF1ELD, .. VI, June, o, 1909
Your letter of the Cd instant ask
ing my views upon an article in you
paper of last month entitled Th
Canal and the .War-Warning t.
America from Egypt" has been re
ceived. received also by the SAM
mail copy of the Rer'esO.. The case
of Egypt and the United States o
Columbia are not altogether parallel
Egypt had no friends. If she hac
friends they were unable or unwilling
to help her, and the corruption anc
imbecility of her government and de
praved aud hopeless condition of hel
people deprived her of all sympathy
and moral support from other nations
England knew this, and hence pro.
ceeded boldly with the work Of spo'
liation that has always character
lied her policy toward a weaker
power.
She would find very different
condition of things if she were. to at
tempt similar course towards the
inter. oceanic canal in the Central
American States. The United States
government could not afford to allow
England or any foreign power to get
a controlling interest in that canal,
either by purchase or otherwise. 1t
would be fatal to our commerce in
the Pacific. We have not much to
be destroyed, it is true, bat l trust
in the near future we shall have such
change in our navigation and reve-
nue. laws as will aid in building up a
foreign commerce worthy of the name.
England acquired fighting interest
in the Suez Canal by a purchase of
stock. She helped Russia to paralyze
Turkey, and then as usual, as she
helped the United States to paralyze
the Confederate States, and the Con-
federata States to cripple the COM
merce of the United States by fitting
cut Confederate cruisers, she came in
for the lions share. She would pur-
sue the same policy towards the
Panama Canal if she thought che
could do SO with impunity. think,
therefore, the views expressed in the
article above referred to are eminent
ly proper and timely. This govern
ment should take such a position in
relation to the inter oceanic highway,
whether it be a canal or ship rail
way, as will give England and other
foreign powers to v.derstand~.as-, ne
cannot permit any other supremacy
there than our own. No need for
entangling alliances with foreign
governments" or any departure from
the foreign policy of this government.
We surely have the right, and it is
our duty, 10 protect our commercial
interests against ercroachments, COM
ing from whatever source and through
whatever channels they may.
One Of the gravest difficulties now
besetting US is orerproduction. We
may create home market for our
eurplus, but there is such thing as
overstraining it. This we are now
doing, and but for the rapid increase
in our population and the unoccupied
lands of the West, both Of the public
domain and in the hands Of railroad
and other spectators, to partially
absorb this overproductior, We should
be in a bad way. But there is a
limit to the increase of population
and the extent of unoccupied lands,
so that we mast turn our attention TO
foreign markets, if we expect to
maintain our prosperity and the
proper development of the country.
To permit England or France, or
even a private corporation Of for.
eigners, to draw a cord around our
throats through the Panama Canal or
other inter. oceanic highway, would
be an act of folly, if not crime, that
I cannot think any patriotic citizen
would tolerate. The South is pecu-
liarly interested in this matter. The
development of her industries, agri-
cultural, manufacturing and mechan-
ical, especially her cotton industries,
is much greater than is generally un-
derstood md she will want market
more extensive than she can have at
home. She can find it in the islands
Of the Pacific Ocean, China, Japan,
the West coast of Mexico and South
America, if she can make the transit
across the Istnmus untrammeled by
The domination of a foreign power. l
say, therefore, that whatever can be
;onstitutionally done by this govern
ment, or any department of it, to
secure our supremacy in the control
Of the inter oceanic highway or high
ways ought to be promptly done. If
it is to be accomplished by negotia-
tion or diplomacy, then the Ezecu-
tive ought to inaugurate measures in
That direction. If legislation is nec-
sssary, Congress ought-to'adopt prop
er measures at the earliest practica.
bic moment.
l do not think it is so much ques.