The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-24
Great Britain viii Not Object TO
Our Building the Waterway.
VIII Promote Commercial Interests Of the
World to Have Il Completed.
Lord Salisbury and Secretary Hay
Take Up the Task of Adapting
the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty to
New Conditions Affecting the
Interests Of Both Countries.

NEW YORK, Jan. 23.-The Crib
une's" London correspondent writes:
The Nicaragua Canal question has
been taken up by Secretary Hay and
Lord Salisbury in a practical rather
than controversial spirit. It is not
probable that either of these statesmen
is anxious to attempt to unravel the
tangled skein of diplomacy with which
the Clayton-Bulwer treaty has been en-
meshed for fifty years. They will pre-
fer to make a fresh start in spirit of
mutual accommodation and good feel
ing. The practical business now in
hand is that of adapting the Clayton
Bulwer treaty to new conditions af-
fecting the interests of both countries.
The commercial interests of the world
and the highest ends of civilization will
be promoted by the construction of
waterway through Central America.
One country may be more directly in
terested than the other in the compile
ton and control of the interoceanic
canal, but both England and America
will benefit commercially by the open
ing of the waterway, and neither can
have any adequate motive for hamper
ing or retarding a great work which
civilization of the world. On this high
ground the two Governments can meet
and devise practical measures for ia
cilitating the construction of the canal
and for providing for it's control and
maintenance as a neutral waterway,
open at all times to the shipping and
navies of all nations. This is a policy
which they are now endeavoring to
carry out in an enlightened and pro-
gressive spirit worthy of the genius of
the Anglo-Saxon race.
The relative interests of the two
countries both in the construction and
in the control of the interoceanic water
way have changed materially since the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty was negotiated
fifty years ago. This is a point which
English statesmen of the highest rank
frankly concede. Since 1850 the Suez
Canal has been opened, and it is now
practically under English control. 1t
provides direct communication with
India and Australia, and is the chief
link in the chain of imperial possessions
dependent upon sea power. influential
Englishmen do not hesitate to say that
from strictly British or imperial
point of view the projected Nicaragua
Canal is now less important than it
was in 1890. England's interest in it
is mainly commercial, since it will sup
ply shorter and more direct communi-
cations 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
Nicaragua Canal have materially in
creased since the negotiation of the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty. 1t is now es-
sential as a military work for uniting
the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Coasts,
and for concentrating the naval forces.
As power with possessions in the
West and East Indies, it will be an es-
sential link in the American imperial
system as the Suez Canal is in the
British Empire.
This change of balance In the inter-
ests of the two countries in the Mica
ragua Canal has direct bearing upon
the two questions of construction and
control which are affected by the treaty
of 1850. 1t justifies the substitution of
single in place of joint control as the
necessary condition of the construction
of the work by the American Govern
ment. English statesmen frankly con-
cede that if the American Government
supplies the capital required for the
enterprise the treaty of 1850 ought in
justice be revised SO as to allow the
United States to control its own work.
Under the Clayton Bulwer convention
the Americans would be debarred from
landing even a corporals guard of ma
rines for the protection Of it's property
at either end of the canal
The attitude of the British Govern
ment, when properly approached and
asked to revise the treaty of 1850 in a
spirit of accommodation and comfy,
may be forecast 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 interest of the worlds
commerce. 1t prefers to have the
United States Government undertake
the work, because this is the only
method of economical construction by
which the. cost can be kept down and
low tolls secured.
The Panama enterprise has warned
British Ministers that private COM
pany cannot undertake so great work
without a vast increase of financial out
lay.
They are convinced that the success
of the Nicaragua Canal as an engineer
ing and financial undertaking will be
impracticable under the management
of private company whereas, with
the credit of the United States Govern
ment behind it, the bonds will be float
ed above par and the enterprise be re-
leased from the burdens of high rates
of interest. On this account the Brit
ish Government will readily consent to
alter the treaty so as to allow the
United States to construct the canal
and be responsible for it's regulation
and control.
Anti-Po1ygamy Bill.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Represent-
q five Clarke of Iowa today introduced