The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-07
CURRENT COMMENT.
CANAL NEEDS NO FORTIFICA-
TION,

Secretary Hay and the Nicaraguan
minister have signed q treaty by which
the governments of Nicaragua comedies to
our government the necessary rights and
privileges for the construction OF the
Nioaraguan canal. This dou btiess will
set forward the project to degree. al
though doubt has been EXPIRE sssd whether
the bill will be passed at this session OF
Congress. With 1t or with any canal
project must go the -Pauncefote
treaty. We have to settle our relation
with Great Britain by this treaty or by
accepting the Ciayuon-Bulwer treaty,
which has stood these many years. We
have already expressed the opinion that
the Hay Pauncefote treaty lie wise. sWe
believe the idea that we shall have a
canal fortified and kept as a private water
way Is a barrow and mistaken view
The only great worlds canal, that Of
Suez, was built Without Notifications or
the suggestion OF them. IL Is an open
waterway ike the sea, through which all
1t will not be forgotten that when the
Spanish government started its second
fleet to Manila, as II to menace Dewey,
the fleet reached Alexandria, paid its
duss for going through the canal, and,
had the Spanish policy been changed,
would have gone through. There Is not
merely precedent. but practice, In the
case or the Suez canal to teach US the wise
way. II the time should ever come when
we are at war, and should wish to close
the ishthmian canal against the enemy,
the question would simply become a war
measure, which takes precedence of every
thing and suSpends all rules. And be it
noted that the absence of Notifications
would be no hlndranOe to such move.
Our navy could easily defend the canal,
or the canal could be rendered useless In
very short while.
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
(Boston Hersld.)
Now and then there is found in the
southern section of the country an indi-
yIdual addressing the public who seems
to be obtuse to what has transpired in
our national history. We tina such an
instance in an editorial In the Macon
ga Telegraph. That paper says:
But ordinary conditions do not exist
in the South. We are a peculiar
people, not because we are better or
worse than our northern brethren, buk
because we have peculiar" environ
ments. We would not be misunderstood
on this point. Our only defence Is the
solidarity which so troubles our Republi-
can friends of the North. Without 1T we
would be undone. Repeal the fifteenth
there will come division in the South
on economic lines. Until then there
must and there will be compact white
IN ans party not in accord with the one
or the othar political parties OF the North.
This assn mes that the South must al
ways be distinct element in the nation
-''pec uliAr" is the designation used by
the writer-until the fifteenth amendment
a.. Lad he a.
ment could be repealed Why, it is as
much fixed in the character of the nation
as ia the abolition OF slavery itself. 1t
may have been premature action; some
of those who participated In It's adoption
have lived Co think that it was prema-
ture. Mistaken or not. 1t is irrevocable.
If 1t is to be repealed at all, the measure
must be initiated and carried out at the
North, and we doubt II any politician OF
any party tn sEe could be found to iden-
tify himself with such action. Imagine
the impossible eyant Of such an attempt
being seriously made. and the tedious
proceedings necessary under 10 would
require years for their carrying out, only
to end In newt able and ignominous de-
feat.
The South itself accepts this state Of
affairs as existing. It's own people who
have any claims to being practical have
no thought of repeating the amendment.
Theyihave turned their attention to evad-
ing the effect OF its operation, and they
have to a great degree succeeded. There
are few of them 50 peculiar" as 60 In
dulge the faintest hops Of relieving them
selves from negro suffrage more directly.
The amendment. Objectionable rs it may
seem to the south now, lie strictly in con-
sonance with the spirit Of our government
and the character of Austrian institu-
tions. 1t Ii what was anticipated to be
In the future by the men who made the
government. They thought that slavery
was to come to an end eventually In the