Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-31
The nicaragua Canal.

The Importance OF the projected Nicara-
qua canal ought TO be emphasized and
impressed upon tho minds OF the people OF
this country By our recent troubles or mis-
understanding with Chile. The Presidents
message of Monday last to Congress caused
war-cloud to arise Ia the southern sky
about as rapidly as ELuAH's cloud, no big
ger than mana hand, spread over the
sky; but in our case the cloud fortunate
" passed away almost as soon as it rose
above the horizon. Indeed. Mr.. BREoErs-
RIDGE, Of Kentucky, whilst saying on Tues
day nothing unbccomin0 an American pa
triot. left bis hearers TO infer that Mr..
HAREIsoN's war message was at least I'M
necessary. However, we do not propose
to discuss that or any similar question in
this article. but to say q word in favor OF
the Nicaragua canal, which will DO OF in
calculable assistance to rs in any war
which viii compel us to order our vessels
into the Pacific Ocean.
We are inclined TO the opinion that ex-
Senator WARNER MILLER, OF New York. was
not extravagaut In bis utterance when be
said. as he did recently. that if New York
city ever becomes the centre and regulator
of the worlds exchanges II will be because
we have connected the two great oceans
which wash our eastern and western
shores, and thus opened the shortest route
for ships between the millions Of people OF
the Oriental world and the commercial ma
tions of the West. "There lies the East"
said Mr.. BENTON, pointing directly west
ward. He was ahead OF his generation;
but let it not be said that he was ahead OF
the present generation. The construction
of the Nicaragua canal will help us to make
the teeming East our West, or, as Mr.. MIL
LER said, will make New York the regula-
tor of the worlds exchanges
To require our war vessels and all other
vessels TO round Cape Horn. and sail thou
sands Of miles over route that can easily
be superseded by the construction OF
short and cheap canal would be to be guilty
of an inexcusable blunder.
But has Congress the power to engaeein
such work as the Nicaragua canal? Mr..
OATES, of Alabama, has made most In
genious argument in the House OF Repre-
sentatives on this point. He says the
question is not new one, but an old one.
1t is the same question that arose when
Congress was asked to appropriate money
for the relief Of the suffering Irish in 1S4S,
the sufferers from the earthquake in Cara
cas-, and for other such purposes. MIR.
OATES says that it seems to have been the
conclusion Of majority both IN the Sem
ate and the House of Representatives upon
those occasions that the Constitution of
the United States is limitation upon the
power of Congress within the territory
over which the Constitution was intended
to operate. In other words, that it is
Limitation upon the parties TO It's creation.
And, although 1t seems psradoxical to say
that Congress may aid the people of other
nations with charity voted out OF the Urea
sury, but has no right to vote such charity
to any portion Of our own people, yet that
seems to be the fact beyond controversy
to the mind of any lawyer who will tho
roughly investigate the question" This
argument is almost enough to take your
breath away when first presented. but the
more you ponder it the more plausible il
becomes. And we may add, as Senator
MORGAN. of Alabama. did. that If Congress
has the power to make an appropriation Of
money for sweet charity's sake certainly
that body may pass an appropriation for q
subject which has in 1T governmental
purpose.
A BUSINESSMAN presented in last
Sundays issue of the DISPATCH a number
of reasons why Congress should aid in the
construction of the Nicaragua canal.
In the various debates III the two houses
on this subject unanswerable arguments
have been brought forward. Indeed. we
find ourselves wondering that we have not
been more jealous than we have in press
ing this scheme upon public attention.
We must do better hereafter.