The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-08-09

Mr.. President and Fellow Members
Upon the question under con-
sideration 1 would like the senators of
the opposition to tell us what earthly
reason they have, or on what ground
they favor an alliance with England or
any other nation, and ourselves in the
building of the Nicaraguan Canal.
Will it give this nation any more
prestige than she now has? Will it
advance our maritime power? Will it
add to our commerce? Will it be dan
gerous to our existence to build this
canal without this alliance? If any of
these contingencies are to rebound to
our benefit or if this danger menaces
us, the speeches of the opposition have
failed to show it. Then if none of
these benefits are to accrue to us, ask
in all sincerity, what are we to receive
in lieu of this barter of American
manhood, of national pride, patriotism,
and independence?
Mr.. President, we are facing grave
and serious question; one which not
only affects our present, but our future
welfare and safety. In the contract
ing of alliances, either between nations
or individuals, the greatest care should
be taken that such alliances will be
for the benefit and happiness of each
mutually, that even the after course or
conduct of either shall and may be
fully sanctioned and maintained by
the other. 1t is no more nor less than
an article of partnership whereby the
act of one partner will bind the other
which no doubt some of us have
learned to our sorrow-and for the
purpose of illustration as to the scope
and breadth of this alliance, we will
suppose that two or more persons en-
ter into an agreement in writing. to
form partnership for the conducting
of certain lire of business. Now the
article of agreement in its language
may pertain to nothing but this par
ticular business; not word, not a
syllable, to imply anything further,
either directly or indirectly as
to the conduct of the individual
members of the agreement outside of
the business in question, and yet, Mr..
President, this agreement to agree on
this one question will imply and does
imply moral obligation reaching far
beyond the scope and intent of the
article TO matters that involve each
member in his outside conduct, and
the partnership for the sake of peace
and harmony in its business, must
either sanction outside conduct of its
members, or in refusing so to do, be-
comes "a house divided against ITSELF
which we learn from the highest au-
thority cannot, nor will not stand.
Now we are offered an article of
partnership to enter with England
into the building and control of this
canal. Perhaps not a syllable or line in
this treaty, treats specifically of any
other matter or matters outside of this
one particular purpose. But, Mr.. Pres
ident, there is possibility contained
in this treaty of alliance with England
that will mean more to us by its adop-
tion than the gentlemen of the opposi.
tion have ever thought of. The entire
world will believe and Judge us &C.
,cording to the just inference carried
with this alliance; and justly, too, that
if the United States has formed a
treaty of alliance with Great Britain
on this project, that the two nations
will and must of necessity act together
on all other international matters, anG
hence the future possibility of us ad
herring to our ancient policy of neutral
ity. l say this is the just inference
given to the nations of the earth, anC
it is question we cannot dodge; it il
the dangerous part of this whole ques