The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-19
wAsH1NGroN.s CANAL ORATOR
Delegate Drew Addresses the MICA
ragus Convention.

Delegate Drew Addresses the Mica
ragus Convention.
Gov. Ferry appointed Delegate shomas Z.
Drew a. one of the delegates from e,e state OF
Washington to the Nicaragua carsal conven-
ton at New Orleans Mr.. Drew was eai.ed upon
to address the convention. He responded In the
following terms:
1t was deserved tribute to the melsory Of the
inKton was ushered into the sisteri:ood Of the
American Union. Occupying Is it doss the posi-
ton of polar star in the folds OF our nstonal en-
sign, having within It's borders nearly IVY, ~"
highway OF commerce and peopleg with the
best American brain and energy. it Dands as
sentinel on the outpost OF the westeSn horizon,
and bids for commercial i'm portancethat needs
but the construction OF the Nicaragus canal Tor
Its contamination.
Within her boundary is found the counterpart
OF any soil in the American union; ger timber
interest is the wonder OF the worle, and her
climatic condition can suit the most Iastidious.
To the tourist, the scientist and the ci there
is a very treasury vault of interest asd reveia.
ton, and it ali needs but the realization of this
great project to be properly understood and ap-
preciated If to travel 5000 miles to attend this
convention means anything, then ting people Oh
Washington are interested, and in dCung so are
actuated by the broadest possible construction
of the duty Of sovereign state to Die parent
government.
Our position of commercial importance en-
braces timber district, which, according to the
United states Government forestry, 10 the
heaviest continuous belt OF forest grosth in the
United states, and II can be understood when
say that there is 2o,0o0,0o0 acres whicn will cut
an average of $4,000 feet to the acre. Srhe state
10 yearly manufacturing over 1000 00o0o0 feet OF
lumber to supply the markets OF the world.
This great natural body of timber belongs not
alone to us, but to the civilized worle. and the
Nicaraguan canal is the solution.
1t has been conservatively estimates that this
young state possesses the largest cos. fields of
any state in the Union, and coal is kn- wn to ex-
list in over half the counties in the stare.
The Horn is our dilemma. Give US the Mica
raguan canal. In the iron trade great enter
prises are springing up and vast minek are being
develo. ed, while for the precious mesals. sucn
as gold aud silver. we are very mountain OF
wealth.
In the agricultural interests the state pro-
duces hops that are always sold in tho London
market, and the producer rust pay ttss railroad
transportation across the American continent,
whereas, if the canal was q reality, he would re-
ceiye q just compensation for his leDor. The
wheat product Of the state OF Wastsngton is
annually 25.0o0,0oo bushels. while its possible
annum, and the most conservative estimate that
in five years, when the canal will be completed,
the wheat product for one year will Smount to
sufficient to build this canal. Yet tt is only
one of its industries, and when you co.iple with
it the great states OF California and Oregon with
their splendid resources, who can resisf such an
are at the mercy OF the railroad, and. rs we are
an exporting people, there is very littts left for
the producer when the commission ansn and
the common carrier gets through.
Then, too, our great and little understood ter.
ritory OF Alaska with its rich minerals and fish,
ing trade must seek an outlet through she means
OF this canal, for at present being witsout rail-
roads all it produces must first be loaded on
steamers and then rehandled where th- railroad
meets the salt water, all involving a s<eat and
ill-afforded expense to the producer.
But above aud beyond all this there = ques-
ton of public safety involved, and il 10 this:
Today we, on the North Pacific, have mo coast
defenses, while against our very boundary the
British government has erected the great Esqui-
malt naval station menace in time Of peace
and an engine of fearful destruction IL time of
war;
The state of Washington comedies What she
demands and demands what she comedies. and
the canal must be built
cts streams the whole creation reach,
And plenteous is its store;
Enough for all, enough for each,
Enough for evermore."