Middletown transcript., 1900-11-17
THE NrCARAUGA CANAL

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of the Nicarauga Canal. This
Government has made several
surveys and has had many
schemes presented to it, but the
project has now reached such a
stage that it has become an i'm
perative necessity, that some
thing be done. Whether this
something shall be the building
of the Canal by the Government
itself or in the guaranteeing by
the government of the bonds of
q private corporation under pro-
per restrictions and subject to a
measure of control by the Gov
ernment as was done in the cases
Of the Pacific Railroads, is about
the only question to be decided
by Congress. Of its Importance
and necessity there can now
be no doubt. The country has
by an overwhelming majority
and the largest popular as well
as electoral vote, endorsed un-
qualifedly the policy of the Ad-
ministration of President Nc
Kinley. The one itemof charges
that was shouted from beyond the
Mississippi, even to the utmost
parts Of the earth, was antrim
perialism, or anti-expansion.
But all the "antis' are dead and
safely buried beneath an ava
lance of honest votes. The
country has expanded and with
the coming Of the dry season in
the PHILIPPINES which will be in a
few days, the bush-whacking re-
bellion will be entirely suppress
sed, and the people of those
islands will soon resume their
wonted occupations. There will
come an immense trade in the
products of the islands, espec-
ially in sugar and the hemp
from which the best binder twine
is made. In return they will take
our cotton goods, iron manu-
factures, and such other of
our productions that are needed.
In addition to this, we already
have a great and growing trade
with Northern China, the extent
of which is hardly credible.
Steamships are building at sew
eral OF the big ship yards of the
East, the Western builders not
being able to fill the orders Of
fered in the time required. For
this trade there are now three
avenues open; one around Cape
Horn, one through the Suez
Canal and the third by rail to a
Pacific Port, there to be reloaded
and cross the ocean in ships.
The building of the Nicarauga
Canal will shorten the distance
between Atlantic ports and
Manila or Northern China by
thousands of miles, reducing the
time necessary to make the trip
at least one-half. Another i'm
portant reason for the building
Of this canal is toprovide shorter
trip between our. own sea-coasts.
Every oneremembers, during the
Spanish American war, the
suspense in which the
whole nation was left for days
and weeks, as to the fate of the
Oregon" and her gallant crew.
When she left the last Of our
Pacific ports behind her, she was
at the mercy, not only of wind
and wave, but any Spanish tor
pedo boat or cruiser that might
have fallen in with her. While
everyone was confident that she
would render a good account of
herself should she meet the feet
that was said to be on the hunt
for her, still great sigh of re-
lief went up from all over the
land, when Captain Clark senthis
message from Jupiter Inlet, that
"the Oregon is safe and ready
for action" AL this suspense
and anxiety would have been
saved had she been able within
Q few days sail of San Fransico,
to have entered a canal owned or
controlled by this Government,
and from it passed into the Gulf
OF Mexico and reached Key West
In few more days of sailing on
waters that are practically ours.
The opposition to the building
OF this canal centers in and
around the selfish motives of
certain Pacific Railroad interest,
but these should not be consid-
cred for moment. They would
not have any weight but for the
lobby maintained at Washington
to work on the political and Sec
tional animositias of the MEM
bers of Congress. A powerful
lobby has opposed this project
Tor years, but with the verdict of
Ataa w1nn,.1o e&sl1 Ill.