Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-02
MORGAN ON HIS BILL.
He Would Frighten the Nation Into
the Nicaragua Trap by
HOLDING UP THE BRITISH LION.
Our Coast Line, He Says, Bounds the
Whole American Continent
ONE DAT AT THE CANAL CONVENTION

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 1.-The Nicaraguan
Canal Convention held q session to-day.
The Committee on Future Work and Or
ganizstion reported among other things
that each delegation Immediately organize
State auxiliary association, and commit
tee Of five, whose duty it shall be to pro-
coed at onoe to Washington City, be ap-
pointed
Senator Morgan is author of the Nicarau-
qua Canal bill in Congress, and was most
enthusiastically greeted. He said this
question is centuries old. When our great
nation was born the first thought of her
statesmen and her people was to consum-
mate the discovery by the completion of a
connection between the two oceans. The
building of this canal is the demand of the
nineteenth century. This is to be an Amer
lean canal and controlled by Americans
This is an of-shoot of the Monroe doctrine.
Further, this must be United States
canal, under United States control
Considering our resources, our geo
graphical and financial relations we could
not fail to build this canal. He spoke of
the riches and genius of this country, and
said we are, indeed, the grandest power in
the world. The knowledge of that fact
ought to impel us to do that work.
Virtually Our Own Coast Line.
In 1886, before we had acquired any great
hold on the Pacific except. Oregon, when no
part OF Mexico was ours, the statesmen of
this country made a treaty with New Gren-
ada That might have been considered an
en;angling foreign alliance, but the people
of America don't consider any section of
this hemisphere, from the Arctic Ocean to
the Pacific Ocean, foreign territory. In
that treaty it was provided that the
people OF the United States should have
the same transit and passage across Panama
as the citizens of Panama. There should be
no tolls or dues, demurrage or otherwise.
That was q very broad concession to u.s. the
meaning of which was that the coast line of
the United States was extended
across the Isthmus of Darien. Might
it not happen, as result of
the building of the Panama Canal
by the French Government, that we should
have trouble with that Government if 1t
Its own citizens to deny the people of the
United States free transit across the
isthmus?
Senator Morgan said the guarantee of
neutrality on either side OF the isthmus is q
great boon to commerce. We guarant eed,
also, to preserve the peace there, and we
have preserved the peace there.
More About American Treaty Rights.
Why have we undertaken TO do this? |
Because the isthmus, geographically, is |
identified so close with the United States, |
and because the United States is SO Jealous |
of its control of the coast lines of this |
hemisphere. The aim of our great states |
men had always been to preserve the coast |
line for the benefit of the people of the |
United States
Coming down to later treaty, this time
with Nicaragua, we provide for a transit |
for our people, equal rights with the people
of Nicaragua, transit tor our armies and
munitions of war, with other provisions
We further speak of canal to be run
through Nicaragua, and to preserve our
right to send troops along the line of
travel to protect not only our own people
but other people whose peace may be dis
turbed or whose property threatened
Speaking of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty,
Senator Morgan said provision had been
made that neither the United States nor
Great Britain shomld disturb the SOW
ereignty of Nicaragua by building fortifca-
tions along the canal or in any other man.
ner; but who questions the right OF Presi-
dent Harrison to send troops to Nicaragua,
under the earlier treaty, to protect our citi-
zens and their property?
The Hungry British Lion Alert.
There could be no doubt that Great
Britain's purpose is to ultimately steal the
great key of the Western Hemisphere. He
did not blame Great Britain, but he did not
mean to be blind or shut his eyes to her
purpose 1t will be idle for the United
States to take the sweet consolation to her
bosom that Great Britain will magnani-
mously refrain from any attempt to control
the canal if it is within her power to do so.
Senator Morgan said the canal company
is truly and greatly American. 1t had been
made so by the Senate Committee. It's
habitation is to be in New York, and your
own distinguished Senator from Louisiana
had felt it an honor, after he had left his
seat in the Senate. to accept position as
director in that company.
In closing his address Senator Morgan
expressed his high qualification that the
bankers, the financiers, the commercial
men. the exchanges and the State govern
ments were awakening to a realization
the commanding Importance of their enter
prise. As mark of honor to him, the con-
vention took q recess in order that the dele
gates might individually greet him and pay
their compliments.