The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1900-02-14

NOW 4OEk 4JthlAS NoMS'
If the United States should un-
dertake to build q canal across the
American continent by way of the
great lakes and handy streams
would Great Britain insist on en-
joying it's use on an equality with
ourselves, who pay the costP
And if Great Britain had the eff
frontery to demand this what would
the American people think of an
Administration which conceded the
privilege and patted itself on the
back at the same time for having
done something to be proud OFF
And if the American people
would consider it preposterous to
spend their money ou canal to
connect the Atlantic and the Pa
oifio oceans on this latitude and
give Great Britain equal rights to
it's use, why should they not object
to doing the same thing further
south, where the continent is mar
row and the cost of digging less?
Why should the United States
undertake to construct an inter
ocenic canal at all their own ex-
pense if they are not to derive any
advantages from it either in peace
or in WARP
What makes the construction of
such canal so popular among the
American people now is their recol-
lection of the long voyage the bat
tleship Oregon had to make in or
der to get from the Pacific Ocean
to Cuban waters, where she was
needed to fight the Spaniards.
There is no desire on our part to
pay out hundreds of millions of
dollars for the purpose of benefit
ting other nations with large NOR
chant fleets and war squadrons.
The isthmian canal, if built at
all, ought to be under absolute
American control. 1t ought to be
fortified, the territory through
which it runs should be policed by
us for miles on both sides, and in
case of war to which this nation
is party, we should have the right
to CLOSE it against the vessels of our
enemies at least.
Teddy Roosevelt talks as if he
were glad that Governor Goebel
went to his death from an assassin's
bullet. AS contemplate as Roose-
velt is there is no one who would
rejoice at murderous assassination
even though he were the victim.
The official who rejoices that muir
der is employed to prevent the con-
tinuance of contest that is regu-
lar and according to tho forms of
law is himself as much of COW
ardly assassin as the man who fired
the shot, for he approves the crime
It ill becomes a governor of great
state like New York to defend
crime under such circumstances.
Such remarks as he has given ut
terance to recently concerning the
killing of Governor Goebel, of Ken
tncky, demonstrate that the only
difference between the actual as
sassin and Roosevelt is that one
committed the crime and the other
did not. There is no marked differ.
enoe in the bent of the respective
gentlemen's minds, nor in their in
clination to fire a murderous bullet
from a secret hiding place, the diff
ference is merely one of opportu-
nifty. After the remarkable utter
anoes of Roosevelt suppose that
Thomas @. Plat should fall by an
assassin's bullet who would the peo-
pie suspect2-Parkersburg Senti-
mel.
The twelfth census is expected
to show q population for tho Uni
ted States of 100000. This is
figuring on an increase of 12,5OO,-
600 over the population of 1890,
which was the approximate gain of
1890 over 1880. The new census
will render necessary a re-appor-
tioning of the representation in
congress. at the last reapportion-
ment on additional representation
of thiry-one members of congress
was made, though the ratio of rep
resentation was raised from 151,-
Oil to 173,9O1. The number of
representatives in the lower house
was increased thereby from 1926 to
1856, and one representative has
since been added from Utah, max
ing tho total membership 357.