Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-12-20

WASHINGTON. Dec Ex-senator Nor
gan chairman of the senate commit
tee on inter-oceanic canals, to which
was referred the preliminary report
of the isthmian canal commission mas
submitted a partial report thereon III
connection with the protocols otagre'-
nents with Costa Rica and Nicaragua
relating to the proposed canal Whlch
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 Uhlleu
States for the canal under control OF
this government 1t is law OF neces-
sitv rather than expectation OF pront
or advantage to the United States, that
cOmnels us to construct, own and con
troll ship canal through Costa Rca
and Nicaragua, and the geographical
relation of those states to our countr!
and the prestige of the United States
governments point to us as Il power
that must incur the expenditure 10 De
invested with the authority to control
the canal as a marine highway LOT
shins of all nations. The assured
profits of this enterprise are sum
cient justification for the expenditure
that is necessary to acquire the rlght
of 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 theiI
sovereign independence and deal with
them without any attempt atencroach-
ment on their national rights. me
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.
An 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 foreign state
the severance of her territory by such
mutilation would destroy its 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
lev. 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 d clares 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 I'VE 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 a protest from
Great Britain if that government
considers any right of hers is in con
nict with that measure If the pas
sage of that measure through the sen
ate calls forth such protests then
will be time for its consideration apd
for taking measures to answer it"