Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-12-24

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Nor
gan. chairman of the senate commit
fee on inter-oceanic canals, to which
was referred the preliminary report
of the isthmian canal commission, has
submitted a partial report thereon III
connection with the protocols ofagree-
ments with Costa RIGA and Nicaragua
relating to the proposed canal which
were submitted recently to the senate.
"The Hepburn bill. now on the SEN
ate calendar says the report, is
declaration of the policy of the United
States for the canal under control OF
this government. It is law OF neces-
sitv rather than expectation of profit
or advantage to the United States, that
compels us to construct. own and con-
troll a ship canal through Costa RIGA
and Nicaragua, and the geographical
relation of those states to our country
and the prestige of the United States
governments point to us as power
that must incur the expenditure to be
invested with the authority to control
the canal as a marine highway for
ships of all nations. The assured
profits of this enterprise are a suffi-
cient justification for the expenditure
that is necessary to acquire the right
If way and to contruct the canal.
The United States must first acquire
from Costa RIGA and Nicaragua by
agreement the right to construct, own,
control and manage the canal. In do
ing this we must fully recognize their
sovereign independence and deal with
them without any attempt atencroach-
ment on their national rights. The
acquisition of sovereign ownership Of
the tract of country, including the line
of the canal, would separate Nicaragua
into two parts, between which the
sovereignty of the United States
would be interpoSed.
can act more fatal to her autonomy
cannot be conceived, and if her gov
eminent had power to do this under
her constitution, which forbids any
cession of territory to a foreign state,
the severance of her territory by such
mutilation would destroy it's territorial
integrity and with it the republic.
Such effort is beyond the purpose of
the house bill and is unnecessary to
the enjoyment of any privilege or
right that relates to the ownership,
control, or management of the canal.
''The house bill deals with our own
national policy, defining it clearly and
writes it on the statute book, which
is the highest record of the political
and international policy of the United
States.
"In making this declaration of pol
icy, the house bill proceeds on the as
sumption that there is no obstacle in
the way of it's full, just and peaceful
enforcement. If the senate shall con-
cur with the house in the passage of
this bill it will be a movement of such
force as will draw after it the settle
ment of any international difficulties
that may exist without friction or dan
ger to the peace and good will that
exists between. the United States and
other nations"
The report declares that by the
treatey of '67 between the United
States and Nicaragua, the United
States is prohibited from exercising
permanent military occupation of that
state; but eve have the right to enter
Nicaragua with military forces TO pro
tect the canal through that state, at
the request of Nicaragua
After reference to the Clayton-Bul-
wer treaty and the pending Hay-Paun-
cefote treaty, the report says: "The
passage of the Hepburn bill by an al
most unanimous vote in the house
must have called for protest from
Great Britain if that government
considers shy right of hers is in con-
fiict with that measure. If the pas
sage of that measure through the SEN
ate calls forth such protests then
will be time for it's consideration and
for taking measures to answer it.