The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-03-19
A Matter of Business.

The enterprise aud vim OF COM
mcroo has of late years been directed
toward shortening routes and re-
ducing time in transits. The great
Suez canal, the Panama railroad and
other great cuts have been the direct
result OF this desire. Indeed il deep
ly underlaid our vast continental rail
way system and sent the iron horse
laundering through the deepest dells
of the Rocky mountains and over the
highest peaks of the Sierras. The
great problem of water connection
between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans has for quarter of century
exercised the best brains of christen-
dom, as il has excited the cupidity OF
all maritime nations. Its advantages
are so enormous that men are not at
all staggered by the stupendous naiu-
raj obstacles in the way, nor by the
almost incalculable expense ofthe un-
dertaking, The Nicaraugan canal
completed would completely change
the face of commerce. and IL
would draw to it fully one-half of the
carrying business of the globe. This
great possibility lies directly at our
doors. and no other nation must be-
permitted to touch it. We must build
and operate it. Its immense tolls
must go into the treasury of the
United States, aud not into
that of England, France or
Mexico. Such matter as this ought
not to be placed at hazard every time
Barrios rises up in Central America.
Guatemala, San Salvador, and, in
deed, all other petty states combined
should be disrcgarded in the light ot
the great sum of Importance of the
finished work. The Nicaraguan trea-
ty completed last fall gives this right
TO the United States. and such is its
vast importance, both negatively and
positively TO us, that we would be
~ NiiN vi
nation for hundred years ere we
would see its control pass INTO otner
hands than that of our own govern
ment.
Before these considerations both
Barrios and the petty states he gov
ems or coerces, sink iutO mere ily-
specks in Importance. Before these,
even Mexico, with all her millions OF
population and her vast extent of ter
ritory, would become a mere circum-
stance, mere nothing. The war OF
'46 gave us vast territory, the pur-
chase of Louisiana from Napoleon
gave us another vast slice of rich and
profitable country, but, in our judy
ment, the Nicaraguan treaty did more
for us than these, if only its advan-
tages are seized promptly and steps
are taken at once to utilize it. 1t is
not, therefore, likely that Mr.. Bayard
will relax his grasp by per-
hitting Barrios, or any one else,
to build up a power on the isihmus
which threatens to rob This govern
ment of boon of such inestimable
present and future value.
The day we commence in earnest to
dig on the basis furnished by the
treaty which Mr.. Arthur concluded
with Nicaru aga, will mark the first
step taken to the peaceful possession
ultimately, not only of the Central
American states, but those of
Mexico, as well. All IL is vast
dream ofpolitical ambition, and after
all these years, how grandly are the
purposes of Gen. Walker, the re-
nOwned fillibuster illustrated. He
saw then what but few Of even our
brightest see now, one universal, all
pervading and all-powerinl republic
under one government stretching
from this southern line of the lsthmus,
to Behring's straits, and from Atlantic
to Pacific.
If practical steps are taken to con-
summate all this during Mr.. Cleve-
lands Administrations the voriest Irish
ditch digger who voted for him in
the most remote precinct in the land,
will be gloritied. Those who have
ever visited or who have become ac-
quainied in any way with the land of
which we write, are enthusiastic over
any prospect OF its ultimate acquire
ment by this government.