The weekly tribune., 1893-05-05
THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
FRIDAY. MAY S. 1898.
THE OGDEN CONGRESS.

A resolution passed by the trans Mis-
sissip congress on Wednesday called or
the directors of the worlds fair to eel
aside day in the month of September
to be known as "Silver day" The sug
gestion is an excellent one, as it contem
plates series of silver lectures by men
who are well qualified to enlighten the
people on the true inwardness OF this
theme. These lectures will be given in
halls on the fair grounds which have
been set apart for purposes of instruc-
ton. As there is no subject on which
the people of the east are more in need
Of information than the true relation of
silver to our circulating medium, the di.
rectors of the fair could not do wiser
thing than accede to the request of the
congress.
Silver has been a great help to the
fair, and now the fair directors ought to
do something for silver.
1t appears that many members of the
congress are wide of the mark in their
views respecting the Nicaraguan canal.
The remarks OF one or two Of the dele
gates on this enterprise were absolutely
childish. The canal will be as strictly
an American enterprise as the Suez canal
is European enterprise, and the prof.
ect is to all intents and purposes just
as feasible as that which has proven so
successful between the Mediterranean
and Red seas.
One speaker opposed the canal on tho
ground that all the money the govern
ment could afford to spend for water
ways is needed to improve the natural
waterways OF the United States, and to
establish irrigation systems. He also
said that there is no certainty the Mic
araguan canal would have business
enough to pay interest on the cost of
construction. and that in case of war
the United States would not be in
position to defend it. This is all sheer
moonshine The figures are cxtant
which prove beyond question that the
canal will pay from the day it is opened,
while its defence will be simple enough.
much simpler indeed than that of the
Suez, though the latter is not thought
to be in much danger.
1t is true that government aid, or some
efficient state system will be required in
the near future to bring the water of
riy hn L.,
The fact that the older states, even of
the western tier, have little or no land
left for free settlement will bring the
homeseekers of small means by thous-
ands into this region in the next few
years. For the benefit OF these settlers
the rivers must be tapped, and portion
Of their contents diverted to the use Of
people who must of necessity locate at
considerable distance from their banks.
But the government will not be pre-
vented from doing it's full duty in this
direction by placing itself IN command
OF the Nicaraguan canal. On the con-
trary it's participation in this great en-
terprise will teach us many lessons that |
we need in the construction of works
which can be turned to the advantage
OF semiarid districts. 1t will probably
not be long before the vessels which will
carry to Europe the products of the
northwest will take in their cargoes at
Duluth. This will be the final outcome
of present efforts in that direction. Tho
great northern waterway will benefit
the whole northwest and Great Falls in
particular. But the Nicaraguan canal
will benefit the whole world.