Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-12-12

ing as l do the tenets of a line O.
presidents from Washington's day
which prescribe entangling alliances
with foreign states, | do not favor 6
policy of acquisition of distant terri
tory or the incorporation of remote in
terests with our own. The laws o.
progress are vital and organic, and we
must be conscious of that irresistible
tide of commercial expansion which il
a concomitant of active civilization anG
day by day is being urged onward BY
those increasing facilities of production
transportation and communication te
which steam and electricity have giveI
birth. But our duty in the present, in
structs us to address ourselves mainly
to the development of the vast re-
sources of the great area committed te
our charge and to the cultivation of the
arts of peace within our border. Jeal'
Ously alert in preventing the Ameri.
a hemisphere from being involved in
the political problems Of distant gov
ernments. therefore I am unable to
recommend propositions involving
paramount privileges Of ownership OF
rights outside of our own teIritory when
coupled with absolute and unlimited
engagements to defend the territorial
integrity of the state where such
interests lie.
MORE PRACTICABLE PROJECTS.
While the general project of connect
ing the two oceans by OF a canal
is to be encouraged, | am Of the Opin-
ion that any scheme to that end to be
considered with favor should be free
from the feature alluded to. The
Tehuantepec route is declared, by en-
gineers of the highest reDute and by
competent scientists, to afford an en-
tirely practical transit for vessels and
cargOes, by means of q ship-railway
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The
obvious advantages of such q route, if
feasible, over others more remote from
the axial lines of traffic between
Europe and the Pacific, and particu-
larly between the valley of the Missis-
sippi and the western CO asst of North
and South America, are deserving of
consideration.
Whatever highways may be con-
structed across the barrier dividing the
two greatest maritime areas of the
world must be for the worlds benefit
"a trust for mankind to be removed
from the chance of domination by any
single power, nor become q point of
Invitation for hostilities or q prize for
war-Iike ambition. An engagement
combining the construction, ownership
and operation of such a work by this
government with All offensive aud de-
fensive alliance for its protection with
the foreign state whose responsibilities
and rights we would share, is, in my
judgment, Inconsistent with such dedi.
cation to universal and neutral use,
and would moreover entail measures
for its realization beyond the scope of
our national politics or present means.
THE WISDOM OF THE PAST.
The lapse of years has abundantly
confirmed the wisdom and foresight Of
those earlier administrations which
long before the conditions of maritime
Intercourse were changed and enlarg-
ed by the progress of the age, proclaim
ed the vital need of interoceanic transit
across the American isthmus, and con-
secrated it in advance to the common
use of mankind by positive declaration
and through the formal obligation of
treaties Toward such realization the
efforts of my administration will be
applied, yer bearing in mind the prin-
ciples on which 1t must rest, and which
were declared in no uncertain wav by
Mr.. Cass, who, while secretary of state
in 1858, announced that "What the
United States want in Central America
next to the happiness OF its people is
the security and neutrality Of the
inter- oceanic routes which lead
through it."
The construction of the trans-contin-
entail lines of railway all in successful
operation wholly within our territory
and uniting the Atlantic and the Pacific
of a most interesting and impressive
nature, and has created a new cOndi-
ton lot in the routes of commerce on
ly, but in political geography, which
powerfully affect our relations toward
and necessarily increase, our interests
in any trans-isthmian route which may
be opened and employed for the ends
of peace and traffic or in other con-
%tingencies for uses inimical to both.
Transportation is a factor in the cost
of commodities scarcely second to that
of their production and weighs as
heavily upon the consumer. Our ex-
perience already has proven the great
Importance of having the competition,
between land carriage and water car
rage fully developed, especially as a
protection to the public against the ten
denotes of monopoly which is inherent
in the consolidation of wealth and
power in the hands of vast corpora !
tons.
The suggestions may serve to en- |
phasize what l have already said ON the |
score of a naturalization of any inter-
oceanic transit, and this can only be
accomplished by making the uses Of tho |
route open to all nations and subject to
the ambitions and warlike necessities of
none.
The dra awnings and report of a recent
survey of the Nicaragua canal route
made by Chief Engineer Menocal will
be communicated for your information.
RELATIONS WITH CHILL N CHINA.
The claims of citizens OF the United
States for losses by reason of the late
military disturbances of Chill in Peru
and Bolivia are the subject of negotia-
ton for a claims convention with Chill
providing for their submission to arbi.
The harmony OF our relations with
China is fully sustained In the applica-
ton of tie acts lately passed to execute
the treaty of 1880, restrictive of the i'm
migration of Chinese laborers into tho
United States Individual cases Of
hardship have occurred beyond the
power of the executive to remedy and
for judicial determination.
DANGERS OF ANTI-CHINESE OUT
BREAKS.
The condition OF the Chinese cues
ton in the western states and terrific.
ries is, despite this restrictive legisla-
lion, tar from being satisfactory. The
outbreak in Wyoming territory,
numbers of inoffensive China
men indisputably within the protection
Of the treaties and the law, were mur-
.ered by a mob, and the still more re
cent threatened outbreak of the same
character in Washington territory are
III the minds of all, and there IL
apprehension lest the bitterness of feel
ing against the Monaghan race on the
slope may find vent in similar
demonstrations. All the power
of this government should be exerted
to maintain the amplest good faith to-.
ward China III the treatment OF these
and the infiexible sternness OF the
in bringing the wrong doors TO
should be insisted on. Every