The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-10-30

Knowing that United States Minister
John Barrett had made thorough study
Of the Nicaragua canal prior to his APP
pointment to the mission TO Siam, and
that since he has taken up his quarters
at Bangkok he has had an opportunity
OF learning the views of the most en-
lightened and enterprising Orientals in
terested in international commerce, the
Chronicle has invited him TO give the re-
suits to the public through its columns.
This Mr. Barrett has very courteously
done in the subjoined letter, which is d.
rectly TO the point and which will be read
no doubt with great interest:
I hope that the people of San Fran
cisco and California will not forget the
Nicaragua canal in the excitement of
the Presidential campaign. Free silver,
bimetallism, monometallism, protection,
and tariff reform may be important ques
lions, but none of them more directly
concern CaHfornia's material welfare
than the construction of the Nicaragua
canal. In my opinion, the prosperity of
the State and of the whole Pacific coast
will be more favorably influenced by its
completion than by the contamination
of any new money or tariff laws. They
may have q bearing that many deem
paramount to the canal, but in the keen
struggle for votes the vital issues may
be hidden in the quiet unanimity of opin-
ion in its favor. In other words, it will be
so generally assumed that California IA
vors the canal. that the effect on the
country at large of earnest agitation win
be lost.
California should seek every opportu-
nifty TO impress the East and Central
West that she is terribly in earnest in
the canal question, that the permanent
development of the entire coast hinges
largely upon on its construction, and that
the failure to build it will result in an
Unreasonable loss of commerce and pres
tige to the whole land in its relations to
the great awakening in Eastern Asia and
throughout all the countries that border
on the Pacific Ocean.
Bsery platform that is drawn up should
contain plank that speaks in unmistak-
able terms concerning the canal: every
candidate for Congress should be made to
declare in unequivocal language that he
will work as faithfully for the canal as
ne viii fight any effort TO injure the
State; every voter should make sure that
he does not by oversight cast his ballot
for a man whose position is not specific
ally stated and known. and every paper
should keep up the agitation without rest
until the successful candidates go to
washington with the demand of the
people on this issue uppermost in their
minds
The more I see the tremendous infu-
enee Of the suez canal the more I study
its advantages right on the ground where
this influence is greatest, the more I am
Convinced that the control of the Pacific
waters by the United States depends on
the opening of the Nicaragua canal.
I wonder if California appreciates the
fight that is being made to kill the canal
project I have seen strong evidences Of
this. not only in New York, but in Lon
don and in Paris and in Hong Kong,
Shanghai and Yokohama; and yet in
spite Of this I was impressed with the
unanimity Of sentiment expressed per-
sonally 10 me by the ablest and best in
formed men OF liAlS Duss ASladS SOdSlb
including both foreigners and natives. 1t
is noticeable how well informed the heads
Of great japanese and Chinese firms are
on the canal project. They surprise one
with the data at their tongues end
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha is one of the
largest and wealthiest steamship compa-
MES in the world. It runs scores of stea-
mers TO Japanese, Russian, Corean and
japanese ports. 1t has started a new line
to Europe, competing successfully with
the old established companies. It is now
starting a line to the United States
possibly to San Francisco. but probably