The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-18
THURSDAY. JANUARY is 1900.
THE CANAL.

The Senate Committee has reported the
hiil apprepria.inc S14n,0on GOO for 1le con-
.,,ructio1 OF the Nicaragua Canal, and it IS
TO be hoped 7ar;isanry Will be subordinated
10 the public good. and that all members
of Congress will unite in pressing the bill
10 its massage. This canal should he con-
.s.,ucted Our war with Spain demon
strated its necessity as a military meas
iIre for the couutry'S defence. and If there
were no other consideration involved that
one alone would impose upon "A nation
possessing our enormous wealth the duty
of spending Sti0GN, 900 to insure this source7
of protection l., the country. We annually
nay out that sum in pensions. and most
of il goes 10 bounty jumpers deserters
+ and general humr1crs. If we can afford
TO spend s1is much money upon the old
lulks Of a pas: conflict we can surely at
ford 10 spend an equal sum an insur-
;illce against the risks OF a future con-
ilc;.
lsu, in the pas, few Years conditions
that relate 10 our commerce have so al
tered that The canal is indispensable 10
it. 1: is Nair for MIR. Bryan and Mr..
lirar to preach anti-eXransion. As old
Judge Cuiberson, of Texas, put it, we
came to us i'll the Providence of God. and
.tlsoui any purpose or intention upon our
3 part 10 acquire them We acquired them
as one OF the natural incidents of every
day life We found them a waif and a
lcreiict and found them under such
circumstances as compelled us 10 take
possession of them. The whole American
people might earnestly desire 10 be free
of them now. but conscience. duty and
moral obligations would not permit them
fc free themselves of their onerous trust.
They nave accepted a trust and they
must fulfil it Before the time arrives
when they can declare before God and
man that their moral obligation TO govern
the Philippine Islands has ended, It is
almost certain that American interests
will have become 50 intertwined, by nat
ural processes, with Philippine interests
tina, neither the Americans nor the Fill
i,!ros will consent to see separation. We
look on it, therefore as fixed fact that
The Philippine Islands Will remain here
after ard forever as, in some way. con-
nectioa of the United States. either as a
dependency like Hawaii, or as an indie
pendent nation under our guardianship,
which would he independently in name
hut in fact AN integral par, of this coun-
Try.
That being so we will have pedis
lositio in the East that will give us i'm
mcuse advantages IN securing Eastern
trade and tha. is the trade that the
whole world is about to so into scu1iie
:or. and it is well worth scufliins for.
There is prodigious market for our
wares In Japan. the Philippines. India.
Australia, hut most of all in China. and
il We. get the full advantage of that mar
kci II will add TO ahe riches of this copn-
try more than a Jules Verne could dream
o. The Philippines being secured as our
base. Tbs Nicara guanICanal is irdespensa-
bic 10 The full utilization Of them. We
need the canal :uperatively upon every
consideration, and an act for construct
ing il should be passed and passed at
once II is not {. case for efforts at par
tisan or party advantages. II Is case
an which uartisanry should be sunk. and
the good of the whole country alone
& looked az.
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