The sun., 1900-02-09
Another Word About the Hay-Paunce-
fote Treaty.


TO the ratification OF the instrument, which,
as TEE Sun has pointed out, while osten.
sibly substitute, is essentially a revival
OF the most obnox xious features OF the for
mer treaty, these are insurmountable:
First, the asserted paralelsm between the
projected Nicaragua Canal and the Suez
Canal does not exist in fact; secondly, an
agreement on the part OF the United states
MOTTO fortify the Nicaragua waterway would
place our relatively unprotected cities on
the Pacific coast at the mercy ofany stronger
naval power with which We might happen to
be at war thirdly, suchan agreement would
especially disable US in the event OF war
with Great Britain, which is not only the
greatest naval power on earth but possesses
in close proximity to the Atlantic entrance
OF the proposed canal a coign Of vantage IN
British Honduras which she would be at
liberty to fortify and garrison; finally. the
agreement that Great Britain shall jointly
guarantee the naturalization of the Nira-
ragua Canal, and the invitation to other
European powers TO join in such guaran-
toe are fragrant violations OF the Monroe
Doctrine.
There is no paralelism between the Suez
Canal and the proposed Nicaragua water
Tbara iyht ha 10 We al IA
absolute control over all the entrances to
the Caribbean Sea as England possesses to
the single entrance to the Red Sea. Such,
however, is not the case. Tho Joint guar
antee Of the naturalization OF the Suez
Canal is farcical and worthless ms against
any public enemy of Great Britain, because
it does not cytond to the Red Sea which is
the continuation of the artificial waterway.
but which can be closed at any time by
Great Britain through her possession Of
fortified ports at its mouth. This single
i1ct is enough TO dcmclish the alleged
analogy between the Nicaragua and Suez
ranals, but we may add that Great
Britain is also able to block, as against
a public enemy the Mediterranean
entrance to the African waterway through
her possession Of Gibraltar Malta and Cy-
prus, and through her occupation Of Egypt
which involves the control OF all the fortihca-
tions and military forces In the Delta Of the
Nile A true parallel between the Susz and
Nicaragua canals could only be presented
il, while allowing the free use OF the latter
waterway To all powers with which We
should be at peace, We should assert and
exercise the right for which American
statesmen have repeatedly contended the
right namely, oi fortfying the canal and Of
closing II in time Of war against public
enemy. In the absence Of such n right, tho
cutting Of the American sthmus would
prove to us no blessing but curse
What We have here said OF the effect Of
our remuneration OF the right to iortify the
proposed canal and to close it in time Of
war against public enemy Is applicable to
any other power on the Continent OF
Europe which either now has, or may
hereafter acquire, navy superior at all
times, or on some specific occasion, to
our own. H. through a great prepon
derance OF force our war vessels collected
near the Atlantic entrance of tho Nicaragua
Canal should be overpowered by their oppo-
nents, we should have opened at our own
expense short and easy path for
the latter To assault our Pacific cities
Such q danger would he greatly EN-
phasized in the case Of Great Britain
for not only would she normally he
able, in the event OF war with this ceun-
try, to concentrate at distance Of three
miles from the Atlantic end OF the Ncars-
qua Canal naval force much superior to
our own, but she would also have in British
Honduras port of refuge and repair to
which we should possess no equivalent. II
tHc IItdtS snOul0 De rati-
fed, we should see Immediately turned to
account, by the construction OF a great
naval arsenal, the tremendous strategic
advantage which Great Britain would enjoy
through her sovereignty over British Hon
duras, to which under the Clayton -Bulver
Treaty she has no just title, but which shA
converted by force and In violation Of faith
intos Crown Colony while We we're absorbed
in our Civil War.
We observe, finally, that the Nay
Pauncefote convention, by permitting
Great Britain to guarantees jointly with
ourselves the neutralization etsn American
waterway and by inviting other Eurepeal
powers to join In such guarantee reproducss
the worst feature OF the Clayton .Bulwss
Treaty. namely, its taet Reputation Of the
fundamental principle laid down by Presi-
dent MONROE. There Is no doubt that Mr..
CLAYTON intended, in negotiating he Treaty
OF 1880, to disregard the MONROE Doctrine
as in any sense binding This he himself