San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-05-08
SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1886.
MEXICO AND UNCLE SAM.

The celebration this week OF the VIC
tory of Benito Juares, across the Mex
lean border, which freed that Republic
from the grasp of Louis Napolean and
settled the fate Of the unfortunate Maxi
milan and his "pOOr CarlOtta," taken
in connection with other recent events,
is at least suggestive. The downfall OF
that monarch was most intimately con-
neOted with the downfall of the French
empire under the mismanagement 1.-THE
nephew of his uncle and with the
triumph of the United States forces in
the war of the Shareholders rebellion.
France, Mexico and the United States
were the three great actors in that
bloody drama which sealed the fate OF
imperialism on this continent, and so
largely settled that principle of non-in-
teryentiOn by foreigners, known as the
Monroe doctrine, which may now be re-
garded as firmly established.
That unsuccessful attempt OF France
to intermeddle in American affairs is
now being repeated in commercial
way, and bids fair to be as unsuccessful
and disastrous, financially, as was the
attempt OF twenty-five years ago to es-
tablish an empire for Maximillian. The
attempt of France to construct canal
across the isthmus at Panama has never
been regarded with cOmplaisance by the
~ Init rot
that project been successful it would
have benefited the commerce of the
whole world at our expense, introduced
grave complications into Americo-cOnti-
mental politics, and been serious
breach of the Monroe doctrine. That
scheme is, however, predestined to fail
ure as surely as was the former attempt
to plant an empire in Mexico. From
every quarter there is heard the reports
OF the utter improbability of De Lesseps
ever completing his work. The company
is not only bankrupt and driven to the
extremity of seeking 500, 00O,0 600 loan
by lottery eXpedients, the engineering
difficulties are pronounced insurmount-
able by those who have expert knowl-
edge of such matters. The immense
sums already expended have been prac-
tically squandered, there being very
little work done, and the oatlook Is such
as to give force to the opinion expressed
by competent engineers that the work
will be a gigantic failure.
As an American substitute TO the
French Panama Canal scheme, we have
the Tehuantepec route across the
Isthmus, Familiarity known as Eads' ship
railway route. This plan is reported
feasible and is strongly endorsed by emf
nent engineers. 1t has secured the
favorable report of the House and Sem
ate Committees, and is before Congress.
This route will be controlled by the
United States and Mexico; ii will be
constructed, IL at all, by American en-
gineers 1t will open up to American
commerce the Pacific sea ports, our own
and those of Southern and Central
America, and secure for us the most de.
sirable markets for our surplus pro
ducts. 1t would be forever free from
foreign control and Intervention, and Dc
more to establish fully and permanently
the great principles embraced in the
Monroe declaration than any othel
event of the century. 1t would
cement our relations with the Mex
lean Republic, SO rapidly growing
into Importance on our southern border
and open almost new world to the
commerce and enterprise Of this Coun
try. The progress Of the Eads' ship rail
way will be watched with interest by
those who are awake to the importance
of opening direct communication viii
the trade of the North and South Pacific
coast, and at the same time keeping tn,
channels of such communication within
our own control and free from foreign
Intervention.
The Waco Day thinks the Democratic
party must have lost its grip If 1t car
not capture the Alliance and knights
movement in politics and throttle 1t al
It did knownothingism 30 years ago