Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-01-25
TO ALTER THE TREATY.
Revise CIayton-B ulWer Pact to
Permit Building of NiCara-
qua Canal

qua Canal.
New York, Jan. 23.-The Tribune's cor
respondent writes: The Nicaragua canal
question has been taken up by Secre tary
Hay and Lord Salisbury in a practical
rather than Il controversial spirit 1t is
not probable that either Of these states
men is anxious to attempt to unravel the
tangled skein of diplomacy with which
the Clayton-Bulwer treaty has been en-
meShed in the course Of fifty years They
will prefer to make Il fresh start in a
spirit Of mutual accommodation and good
feeling. The practical business now in
hand is that of adapting the Clayton
Bulwer treaty to new conditions affect
ing the interests of both countries.
Would Aid Commercial Interests.
The commercial interests Of the world
and the highest ends Of civilization will
be promoted by the construction of a
waterway through Central America.
One country may be more directly inter
ested than the other in the completion
and control of the interOceanic canal,
but both England and America will bene-
ut commercially by the opening Of the
waterway and neither can have any adj
equate motive for hampering or retarding
the progress and civilization of the world.
On this high ground the two govern
mentS can meet and devise practical
measures for facilitating the conStruc-
ton Of the canal and for providing for
It's control and maintenance as a neutral
waterway open at al times to the ship
ping and natives Of all nations. This IS
policy which they are now endeavoring
to carry out III an enlightened and pro-
greSslye spirit worthy of the genius Of
the Anglo-SaXon race
The relative interests Of the two cou1-
tries, both III the construction and in the
control of the inter-oceanic waterway
have changed materially since the Clay
ton-BulWer treaty was negotiated fifty
years ago, This is a point which Eng
lish statesmen Of the highest rank frank
IL cQncede. Since 1850 the SueZ canal
has been open and it Is now practically
under English control. 1t provides di
rect communication with India and Aus
tralia and is the chief link in the chain
OF imperial possessions dependent rDon
sea power. influential Englishmen Go
not hesitate to say that from a strictly
British or imperial point of view the pro-
jected Nicaragua canal is less important
now than it was in 1850. England's in
terest in it was mainly commercial, since
1t will supply shorter and more direct
communications with China and the west
coast Of North and South America. On
the other hand, the truth is recognized in
England that Americas interests in the
Nicaraguan canal have materially in
creased since the negotiation of the Clay
ton-Rulwer treaty. 1t is now essential
as a military work for uniting the At
lantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts and for
concentrating the naval forces. AS a
power with possessions III the East and
West Indies it will be an essential link
in the American imperial system as the
Sue2 canal is in the British empire.
Change of Balance in Interests.
This change Of balance in the interests
of the two countries in the Nicaragua
canal has Il direct bearing upon the two
questions of construction and control,
which are affected by the treaty of 1880.
1t justitieS the substitution of single in
place Of joint control as the necessary
condition of the construction Of the work
by the American government. English
statesmen frankly cCncede that if the
American government supplies the CAPT
tai required for the enterprise, the treaty
Of 1850, ought, in justice, to be revised
so as to allow the United States to CON
troll its own work. Under the Clayton
BulWef convention the Americans would
be debarred from landing even a cor
pOrafs guard of marines for the protec
ton of its property at either end of the
canal.
The attitude of the British government,
when properly approached and asked to
revise the treaty of 1880 in a spirit Of
accommodation and comfy, may be fore
cast with confidence. That government
has no desire to obstruct the construction
of the Nicaragua canal. 1t wishes to
have the canal completed and opened as
speedily as possible, in the interests of
the worlds commerce. 1t prefers to have
tho United States government undertake
the WolE because this is the only method
of cconGmical construction, by which the
cost can be kept down and low tolls Sc
cured.
The Panama enterprise has warned
British ministers that private company
cal,not undertake SO great a work with
OFT a vast increase of financial outlay.
I hey are convinced that the success Of
the Nicaragua canal as an engineering
and financial undertaking will be imprac-
ticable under the management of pri-
vate company, whereas with the credit of
the United States government behind it
the bonds will be foated above par and
the ENTERPRISE be released from the bur-
dens of high rates of interest. On this
account the British government will
readily consent to alter the treaty so as
to allow the United States to construct
the canal and TO be responsible for its
regulation and control