The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-10-04

qua treaty tina, project was dead, and the only re-
mainng rival OF the Panama Canal was the Tchuan-
tepec Ship-Raiway."
"why do you say that 2" he was asked.
1.-TWO reasons" he said, "nciher OF Witch are
scientific, as you might suppose; hut commercial and
political instcad'
"poluical?"
ayes; on,y Europe OF the United states care TO OF
can afford to build short route across the Cont.
nent to the great aud growing South Pacific markets
Europe has espoused THE Panaina Canal scheme
rhc United States has rejected the Nicaragus
scheme, and there is nation left to back up thai
enterprise. " Is, therefore, dead and not worth
talking about. The nation which first crosses the
Continent by the shortest practical route Will domi
nate the southern half Of this hemisphere, whether
1t be European nation or our own. The United
States has no project looking to this supremacy,
takes no interest In any now on foot, and looks su-
plnely while Europe takes possession Of the 18TH
mus OF Panama"
"IIas the United States. any interest In securing
this supremacy"
"Politcaly that ia OF the great theories OF our
Government, az declared In the Monroe Doctrine.
But II Is sentiment still; we have never taken steps
to enforce It. As 10 the commercial view OF It, the
Importance OF nrst crossing the Central American
1sthmus cannot be ovcrestlmated II we cross first
by the contemplated Tehuantepec Ship Railway
and then, OF course all European trade must go by
our route and pay tribute to us. We shall dominate
the Continent In fact, as VIC do by resolution, and
make the declaration OF President Monroe something
more than mere words. But, commercially speah1
ing, look at the effect on our own home trade and
manufactures OF the completion OF short cut across
the lsthmus. In the United states-and mostly In
the Nohern States east OF the Mlsslsslpp-we manu.
faclute annually $500 900 OF goods selling 10 eur
own countrymen nnety-cight per cent, exporting
only two per cent, and that going TO South America
only. open mp the whole South Pacific 70 us by
shorter route than any, now existing for ships and
we double this dcmandr ct.
"And double the cost to our own Counirymcn 2.
"Nonscnse, man alivc!" exclaimed Mr. Corthell.
1--WE simply double the manufactures. Supply will
nightly quickly follow the demand Increase the
manufactures OF New England AMI the Middle
states OF the North by even afty per cent by OPEN
ing such vast markets a. the growing South Pacific
colonies present. ana what great prosperity at home
VIII follow The northeastern quarter OF the coun.
try could alone aord TO build the Tehuantepec ship
Railway But the far West ana our Pacific Coast arc
equally Interested. Their immense cereal and ium.
Der products still go 10000 miles out OF the way,
around Cape Horn, to European markets, for the
reason that the Pacific railways cannot carry such
bulky freight at rates cheap enough to Justify ship
ping by those routes To the East, or breaking bulk
here and shipping by foreign vessels to Europe.'
"why do you think the ship-railway superior TO
the canal?"
For the same reason that think the Erie Rail-
way superior to the Eric Canal. ship with It's
cargo can be carried by rail across the 1874 miles Of the
Tehuantepec 1sthmus In fifteen hours, while the
same ship would be fifty hours In steaming through
the fifty miles Of the canal"
" How long do you suppose II would TO take TO
build the Tehuanepec ship. Railway ?"
" Four years."
"And the Panama Canal?"
"Fifeen or twenty, II ever built, but 1t will not be
fnished II the railway is opened. Trade will incvi-
tably geek the shortest and cheapest route. 1t has
not particle OF sentiment about 1t; and even John
Bulls pride and obstnacy Will give way before Eng
lsh interest In the South Pacific"