The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-02
THE NICARAGUA CANAL OUR BEST
DEFENSE.

This Chill can difficulty forcibly reminds
Us of the utter "reminiscences of the
Pacific coast for the lack of a trans
isthmian canal. If our government, when
it was granted a concession to build such
a canal several years ago, had built it, we
would now be in position to defend our
Pacific coast, because we could send our
iron clads through this canal to the Pacific
before Chile could steam to San Francisco.
The scheme of trans-isthmian canal was
supported by Henry Clay in 1924, and by
President Jackson in 1885. It was
Endorsed py the United States Senate of
1885 and by the House four years later. In
1913 it was the leading motive of the treaty
with New Granada, and of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty of 1850. From 1854, when
the impossibility of canal by the Darien
route was proved by Lieutenant Strain,
the project of a trans-isthmian canal
rested, until General Grant urged it upon
congress in 1866, and when be became
president appointed an inter-oceanic COM
mission, which in 1876 reported in favor
of the Nicaragua route. Before Grant
went abroad in May, 1877, he strongly
urged President Hayes to officially for
ward the construction of this canal.
The only prominent American that ever
deprecated the construction of this canal
was President Cleveland, who, in his mes
sage of 1885, seemed to think that the con-
struction of this canal was a matter of but
little moment and might as well be con-
structed by Europeans, if at all, as by our
selves. Had ii not been for Cleveland and
his administration the treaty with Nicara-
qua empowering our government to con-
strnct the canal would have been con-
frmed by the Senate, but when Cleveland
came into power the treaty was with
drawn on the pretext Of amendment, but
really to stiAe it. The Pacific coast may
thank this fat-brained Democratic demo-
gogue. Cleveland for the loss by our gov
eminent of the grandest chance to build
the Nicaragua canal.
We have already wisely let France waste
her millions at Panama, but if we do not
support. in accordance with the view OF
John Sherman, the construction of the
projected Nicaragua canal, probably some
day it will drift into the hands of Great
Britain, just as did the Suez canal. Sena-
tor Hoar warned US in 1861, in his
speech in the Senate, that if we did not
wake up and seize our opportunity, Eng
land would surely some day seize or pur-
chase the control of the trans-isthmian
passage from ocean to ocean at Nicaragua
or Tehuantepec. The example of Eng
lands splendid commercial sagacitv.
which has discerned the value of the great
natural commercial highways of the world
and appropriated them, has been utterly
lost upon the United States. England has an
immovable grip upon the tour great roads
by which ocean commerce goes; the route
around the Cape Of Good Hope; the route
around the Horn; the one via Suez and
one across the American continent If
had been bold and sagacious enough to
initiate Beaconsfeld who took the first
opportunity to secure control of the Suez
canal. and promptly used our opportu-
nifty 10 control the Nicaragua route in
1SSi, the canal could have been completed
by this time, for its highest estimated cost
was 100000 and the time necessary but
five years.
If We had done this General KautE
would not be able to say without contra
diction that the cities OF the Pacific coast
were at the mercy Of the Chilean navy in
the event OF war between that country
and the United States. And until the
Nicaragua canal is built and under Am
er.can control on the same terms that
England holds control Of the Saez canal
the United States viii not be able to de-
fend her Pacific coast against Chile, be-
cause without this trans-isthmian canal
We cannot shift our ships quick enough
from ocean to ocean 10 effectively meet
| any respectable naval enemy on this
Coast.