Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-12
Russia and the Nicaragua Canal.

Tho project to construct the Nicarag la
canal under the auspices Of the United
States has been discussed by the people
of this country upon the assumption that
The only European nation to he consulted
in the matter would he England. owing to
the obligations imposed upon the two ma
tons by the Clayton-Bulwer treaty to re-
frain from building that waterway stpa-
rately and independently. 1t trans
pircs. however, that our entrance
upon a career OF territorial ex-
panson into the bread Pacific with tho
certainty that we are to become actively
interested in the affairs of the Chinese
empire. has led Russia to assume new
attitude toward the United States, and
particularly toward the Nicaragua canal.
So long as England was hostile toward
the United States and Russia could peso
as our best friend among the European
powers she had no particular interest in
the opening of an interocean waterway
across the isthmus but the situation has
suddenly and radically changed. Russia
not only beholds in us powerful and pos
sibly dangerous rival commercially and an
obstacle to ner territorial schemes in the
Far East, but she is also confronted by
the fact that we have become in senti-
ment If not in name a close ally of Eng
land, her ancient and most powerful en-
envy and the nation with which she has
been preparing for decades to measure
swords in Southern Europe as we'll as on
the plains Of India and in Farther Asia.
She realizes that the construction of a
ship canal across Nicaragua would make
it possible for US to transfer our war
vessels from one ocean to the other with
great CELEBRITY so that in the event Of a
conflict over the Chinese situation. VIC
could mobilize in the Pacific practically
our entire ilect, already superior TO her
own In fighting strength, and have her at
marked disadvantage. Moreover she APP
preciates the fact thai if she Were to pur-
sue n course calculated to weld more
closely the Anglo. Saxon alliance. British
warships you'd undoubtedly be able to
use an interocean waterway controlled by
our nation freely and advantageously.
! Consideration of these new conditions
undoubtedly accounts for the utterances
of the Russian press cabled to this coun.
try with reference to tho Nicaragua ca
nal. The Russian newspaper Novot
Nremya is said to have published an ar
tiGle in which 1t not only warmly advo
Gates the French Panama canal scheme
but also employees expressions of the mos
bitter dislike for the United States. /
says the predominance of the United
states would have been desirable for Rus
STA few years ago, but all this has
changed since the last war. The writer
goes on to say that having despoiled poo
Spain the United States has become
colonial party and an Asiatic power
Forgetting the Monroe doctrine Of Am
erica for Americans which implies thu
other doctrine that American dominion
must be confined to America, the Yam
KEGS, he says, are now entering into opel
competition with us in China and Corea
They have no scruples over an allianc
with their traditional enemy, England
and with Japan for this purpose II
then proceeds to urge Russian financier
and diplomats to give their support Il
the Panama canal scheme, which is
French project.
In the article thus outlined we can be
hold the evidences of the realignment o
: nations with reference to the situation
in the Far East which must inevitab
! follow our control of the Philippine Isl
ands and other territory In that quartz
| of the globe. We must be prepared 70
. final farewell to our ancient friendshi
| for Russia, and to see her use every pos
: siblc means of checkmatng our adYanc
} out into the Pacific. Russia will favo
the Panama canal in opposition to ou
2 projected Nicaragua waterway becaus
s France is her ally and she would bear tn
same relation toward a Panama cans
q constructed under French control this
q England would sustain toward the Nae
, sragua canal opened under the auspics
I OF the United States government. ST
Q knows that the success of the Panam
project would seriously handicap our ri'
. al undertaking. even II the complet
! abandonment of the latter project did nj
o result; and in view OF the strategical az
J. vantage which the United States will Ell
d JOY in the Pacific through the possessio
/ Of naval stations In the Sandwich Island