The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-31
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.

before our representatives VINO may now
have an opportunity to serve themselve',
their friends, and their country in push
ing the greatest enterprise Of the present
day. The practicability OF an Inter
Oceanic Water Way by the Lake Of
Nicaragua Is not doubted at this particu-
lar moment when the subject Is before
| Congress. II has been demonstrated by
the best engineers that the San Juan
river on the east and the lake In the
middle section can easily be made into a
water way for the largest ships, and that
the cut on the western side Of fifteen
miles Is an easy piece of work. The in
telligent American citizen can appreciate
the results of ship canal across the
Isthmus Ii makes continuous coast line
for American trade from Maine to Alaska.
II holds the key to the commerce OF the
world so far as trade has anything TO do
with the Pacific ocean. When number
of respected citizens ask the mere recog'
milton of such a scheme by their Govern
ment, and there is any hesitation about it,,
the question is where is the why and
wherefore of the objection
The Government pledges itself to moth
ing, and the people who constitute the
Nicaragua Canal Company are entitled to
consideration.
The members of Congress who propose
to oppose the bill should state some
reason for their opposition, or else people
will think that NJ. DeLesseps is defend
ing his great fraud in the usual con-
gressiOnal way.
We hear of one objection to the char
ter, and only one; and pause, ye gods
and little fishes, while the objection is
cited II is that the digging OF an Inter
Oceanic Canal at the lsthmus by an
American company might incur the risk
of foreign complication, which is against
the policy of our Government.
Now, Is there smar! school boy who
could not tell anybody that the inside
of such of an idea is gross ignorance,
timdity, or simple follyY The policy of
the United States as a Republic is one
thing towards complication with Euro
pean affairs, but If there ever was a
Government that all the time, In every
chapter of Its history represented the
progressive character OF its people. 1t is
ours. The war of 1912 and the attitude
In the Alabama claims show this. If it
had been otherwise we would be cover
ing on the Atlantic coast and tremb'
ling at the frOwn of every king that
sought TO lay hands on the Western con-
tipent. Jefferson's master stroke in ac-
curing Louisiana and with 1t opening
the first magnificent volume OF our
Western development proclaims what
is the policy of the American
people. The requirement of Cali
fornia, the next greatest step in
our history, illustrates the spirit of the
people, and Is shining example of the
power and intelligence Unpopular instinct
that overrides the trucking hesita-
ton of politicians. For there never was
more forcible illustration OF a great
idea in the heart of the masses than was
the contamination of the Mexican war
Now, if these shortsighted men in Con-
gress-we hope there are but few-pro-
pose to make silly objections to great
measure that points towards he destiny
of our country as the people feel it, al
We won't to ask il that they will make
ycir objections on Hhe floor Of the
House. and help to see that this question
Is taken out of the committee pigeon
hole. If the directors want to say any
thing about foreign complications they
will be answered by the simple statement
that If the United States gets possession
of the isthmus first that is the wise way
to take time by the forelock and prevent
complications. The way not to have
difficulties is to remove the cause, and
the cause Is at present standing, because
every powerful European nation has its
eye on that same Inter Oceanic Canal.
1t was stated In London paper Just
before Disraelli's death, that his first gi-
gantic stroke had been to seize the Suez
Canal as the key to the East, and his next
would be to get the Isthmus between the
two Americas. Does any member OF
Congress after the bill has been passed
by the Senate 81 to 10, need any better
argument
We pause to hear from the friends of
NJ. DeLesseps.
GOV. LEES PRESIDENTIAL PREFER
ENCES.