The record-union., 1898-08-20
Momentous Questions in the Republics
History Being Discussed.
Territorial Expansion the Subject
of an Address by Judge Glossop
of Chicago-Warner Miller Of
New York Speaks in Advocacy
Of the Construction Of the Mic
aragua Canal.

here to-day with an address by Henry
Wade Rogers of Chicago, Chairman of
the Committee Of Arrangements. Mr..
Rogers says that the conference was
called TO consider some of the mo-
mentOuS questions in the history of
the Republic. He spoke Of the war,
and returned prayerful thanks for the
peace now at hand. While peace has
arrived, he said, there were many seri-
Gus problems to be considered
He referred to the close friendship
between the Americans and British,
which would promptly lead to inter-
national arbitration, and finally to
universal peace.
The speaker spoke favorably of the
Nicaragua Canal which, he argued,
should be built and controlled by the
United States Government. The canal
will shorten the distance by water to
San Francisco by 10000 miles.
A reference to the trip of the battle
ship Oregon elected hearty applause.
Mr.. Rogers said that the principal
problem before the present conference
was that of territorial expansion, on
which many distinguished men of ma
tional reputation hold widely different
views. Indirectly, he referred to the
positions respectively held by the ex-
pansionists and the nti-expansionists.
Whether we should annex the col
onies that were acquired from Spain
or to control them by carpetbag gov
ernments is a problem that has be-
come the most serious one to Ameri-
cans who should ponder wisely over
it in order to not make a mistake. Com
mercial interests urge that we should
adopt colonial system" said Mr..
Rogers. "but business alone ought not
to control our conduct"
The question of the Nicaragua Canal
was taken up, and Warner Miller of
New York took the platform. He briefly
spoke of his persistent advocacy Of the
canal Evidences of the past three
months demanded the construction, and
he believed all Americans We're now
universally in favor of it, as was also
all of Europe. He spoke of the nu-
merous surveys made of every pro-
posed route to pierce the isthmus, and
said the route by the way of the Mic
aragua Canal has received the greatest
consideration, as both feasible and de-
sirable
Mr.. Miller gave the history Of the
Nicaragua route, beginning with the
administration of General Grant and
down to the present time. Had not
the canal treaty been blocked by an
tagonistic legislation years ago, the ca
nal would have already been built and
now in actual operation. Financial
distress for a, number of years also
hindered the work.
THE distinguished Senators have for
years urged the building of the canal"
said Mr.. Miller, "but Congress did not
act favorably upon it. The Nicaragua.
route is looked upon as the most
feasible and far more preferable to that
Of Panama The canal can be built
for from $1OO,O0O,OOO to $4,000, 900,
as shown by statements made by ex-
perts. Is the canal desirable? That
the canal would reduce the distance be-
tween New York and San Francisco
10000 miles is alone a sufficient an
swer in the affirmative The railways
and canals of the country have made
all sections available and have increased
have increased the wealth of the Unit
ed States. Railroads have been built
in advance of the population and have
carried emigrants to the Western
plains, where there is now a teeming
Mr.. Miller referred to several canals
that have materially aided in opening
up the country. The Nicaragua Canal
would alone save us 10000 miles, and
would be a great outlet for those States
on the Pacific Coast The continent
is gridironed with transcontinental
roads, but these do not alone afford
the advantages that could be secured
If iS nf n
transportation, and the Nicaragua Ca
nal would solve the problem Within
ten years after the completion of the
canal the population of the Pacific
States will have increased to 10000
600. One of the best results of the
Spanish American war is that it will
compel the building of the Nicaragua
Canal. The entire morning session
was devoted to discussion of the Mic
araugan Canal.
The annexation problem was taken
up at the afternoon session Carl
Schurz Of New York spoke at length,
giving the views of the anti-annexa-
tionists, whose cause he advocated.
He was opposed by Judge Grosscup
of Chicago, who is an earnest expan-
sionist. Judge Grosscup said in part:
Il am among those who believe that
the people of the United States with
out breach of faith to the promises of
our past, or serious danger to the ex-
pectations of our future hold perma-
nently all, or portion, of the territory
that has been occupied by our troops
during the progress of the war. I am
ready to go a step further, and assert
that the obligations of our duty toward
mankind, and especially toward the
particular peoples who have been
drawn within the sphere of our opera
tions and toward the future useful
ness Of ourselves demand that we
should permanently retain so much of
these, the captures of war, as are need
ed to round out the moral purposes for
which it was inaugurated, and the
greater destiny on which as a. nation
we are about to enter
-Four months ago the eyes of the
nation were habitually turned inwardly
upon itself The industries and COM
merce of this continent monopolized u.s.
Our policies were the policies of Amer
lea alone-running too frequently par
ticularly in their financial and CONNER
cial phases-into a thing apart from
the corresponding systems OF the world
In the smoke of battles we were led
out from these confining boundaries to
the mountain spur we now occupy.
There is moral elevation in a wide out
lnaL q v,aOr1lc. for fbo arsf time