The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-04-22
THE PANAMA CANAL.
How an Isthlnian Ditch Would Ar ct tie
Commerce of the World.


Commerce of the World.
The situation may thus be summarized:
The existing lines of trade seem sutii-
cient to carry the products between
countries that are in line with an 18TH
mus canal. To multiply ships will not
make trade, as the products to be traded
in must first be raised. A survey of
the East and its needs and supplies leads
to the conviction that an economic revo-
luton must take place before any great
change in production and expansion of
commerce can be expected. In South
America the centers of production are Oh
the Eastern coast. and would receive lit
tie demand from Asia or the west of the
United States. What is obtained from
the west coast of South America will
bear transport around the Horn. The
carriage of merchandise between the At
lantic and Pacific coasts Of the United
States alone may offer prospect of some
small increase, but this increase cannDt
be measured. The rise of the Suez pas
sage in Importance is no gauge of a Pan
anna canal. for the productions of India
and Australia. which have more and more
appealed to the markets of Europe. and
made the canal what it is will still U.s..
that path. and find little or no advantage
in passing through Panama. Ny conclu
sion is that Il canal will be an undoubted
commercial convenience: it is not Il he
cessity. 1t will not result in an mme
diate or extensive development of trad"
among the continents. and the commercial
interests of the United States in any
event are of even less Importance than
the interests in Europe.
One more important feature of the COM
MERGE to be affected by the isthmian
canal is to be found in South America
\ canal through the isthmus can bene
fit South America only as it encourages
the trade of the eastern coast with Asia
or the Pacific coast of North America.
and the trade of the western coast with
Europe and the eastern coast of the Unit
ed States. The prospect of any large de-
velopment is remote. for the commodities
of the respective sections do not appeal to
the wants of the section supposed to he
benefited by being brought nearer to the
producing country. Asia wants little
that South America now produces. and
its>lf exports few items that would appeal
to South American market. Europe
takes very much more from Brazil and
the river Platte countries than from
Chill. Peru or Colombia. and her inter
ests are due to natural conditions which
no canal could modify.-From "Cummpr-
cial Aspects of the Panama Canal by
Worthington c. Ford in Harper's Maga-
zine.
Gen. Rosecrans' Later Years.
Gen. Rosecrans spent his last years in
Washington as register of the treasury.
His three terms as Il member of the
Hcuse from California had given him
Il strong taste for Washington life, and in
quitting the congressional field he es-
teemed himself fortunate in securing so
comforta BILE an Office at the seat of gov
eminent. 1t was at this time. too. that
he made the pleasant discovery of how
strong a hold he still retained on the
confidence and admiration of prominent
men all over the country. The pressure
for place under Mr. Cleveland was ex-
ceedingly strong. and for so desirable
a place as that Gen. Rosecrans desired.
it brought into play some of the most
skillful canvassing agencies. The gem
eral himself was a poor politician in adj
vancing his own interests, but his friends.
upon learning his desires, rallied to him
with energy and won the fight over
strong field of applicants. 1t proved to
be one of Mr.. Cleveland most popular ap-
pointments. and one of those which Gen
Harrison ratified by leaving undisturbed
his home at Wizards hotel. only block
away from his Office, and led Il quiet life.
His daughter, who afterward became
Mrs. Toole of Montana. lived with her
father and assisted him in entertaining
his friends. Both We're Roman Catho-
lies and strict observers of all their re-
iigious duties. and on a Sunday morning
the old soldier. with his young daugh-
ter on hi; arm. could he seen making
his way to early mass. His health was
seriously impaired when he left Wash
ington. and he lived beyond the limit of
general expectation there.