The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-13


Editor Morning News Now that the war
with Spain is over, and soon our country
and her people will have again settled
down to stale of profound peace. not only
with Spain, but We hope with the whole
civilized world, one great enterprise ought
TO engage the earnest thought and consid-
GRAFTON of our people, and that is the Mic
aragua canal.
The first question to consider In attempt.
ing this gigantic enterprise, is it's FEAST
bility especially the expense. Probab
the most forceful argument adduced in op-
position to this route across the Isthmus
is the difficulty of permanently dredging
the San Juan river which we are told has
its channel INSTRUCTED very largely with
treacherous quick-sand In many places,
which at first view would be an insur-
mountable barrier to the passage of large
ships | have consulted several of the most
eminent civil engineers in the country,
and they all agree that this can be sue
cessfully overcome by driving down pilinga
on each side for the desired width of
channel building training wall on each
side of the proposed artificial channel and
dredging 10 the required depth OF course,
the balance of the route from Lake Mica
ragua TO the Pacific is of minor import
ance, as the distance is short and the ex-
cavation Is less than one-third of that by
the Panama route, with its stupendous
range of Andes mountains 10 cut through.
While We have just had an Illustration
of the great advantage of the geographical
and strategic Importance to US in times OF
war by this canal the lesson of the battle
ship Oregons famous journey of nearly "A =
00G miles to go from California to Cuba
wnen the voyage by this proposed canal
would have required about fourth the
time and distance that 1t is the central
gateway 10 the Pacific ocean, to our new
~ acquired possessions, the Hawaiian Is
lands and to what interests we seem soon
destined to acquire In the far east, yet by
far the greatest Importance to us in this
canal Is in times of peace, in our commerce
with the Pacific and the east. But it will
not stop here The leading countries of Eu-
rope VIII take this route for an Pacific
ports in North and South America, and
their countless possessions in the North
and South Pacific oceans. The tolls would
be simply enormous, and Congress at this
coming session should take up and act
upon the measure now before that body
looking to the building or rather the COM
pletIon of this canal by the United States
by endorsing the bonds and holding the
canal and collecting the tolls, and it Is to
be hoped that Congress viii pass the pro-
posed biil, If not in its present shape, then
with such notifications as may be for the
public good, and that this government may
ultima tely become owner of this great
key TO the east, by way of the west"
As stated in a communication on this
subject several years ago in these columns
by the Undersigned let us take nothing
short of the Monroe doctrine. Let no for
eign nation dare attempt to come in here
and take this precious franchise from us
yet we must be true to ourselves, to our
country our national responsibility to the
rest of the civilized world, and not assume
the position of the dog IN the manger by
refusing to let other nations acquire con-
troll and yet do nothing ourselves. The
canaf should be built at once, and if il is
70 be owned or even controlled by any ma
ton of people. the United States Is the
only logical proprietor, from the point of
geographical position, independent of the
Monroe doctrine. If the United States
should endorse the bonds of the Nicaragua
Canal Company, these would Immediately
find their way into our financial circuia-
ton, and increase the volume of our cur
rency and the beneficial effect on business
generally would be soon realized. l am no
advocate of expansion, in it's present ac-
ceptation, as the outcome of this war just
closed, other than what territory lies con-
uguous or near to the United States on this