The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-21
New distractions to the Canal.

While the Davis amendment TO the
Hay pauncefote Treaty has excited some
criticism on account Of its teXtCal vague
ness and perhaps ambiguity, still in gen
eral the country has been disposed TO ac-
cept it as at least the declaration OF a
determination on the part OF the United
States to consider the Nicaragua Canal
as essentially part of the American
coast line, and as such TO reserve the
right to prevent its Use as strategic
base for hostile operations against our
shores.
Because the Davis amendment, if adopt
ed. would accomplish that much toward
reducing the exclusive control of the ca
nal by Great Britain. which is plainly
contemplated in the treaty as it went 20
the Senate the change has naturally been
obnoxious to the views of the State De-
partment and the British Foreign Office.
The joint diplomacy of the two institu-
lions has been actively at work TO pre-
vent any alteration in their original
agreement. Pressure has been brought to
bear on all Administration Senators to
induce them to vote against the Davis
amendment, and American and British
diplomacy have joined hancj in coercing
the States of Central America TO object
to the same. We are now in position
to see some of the results Of this Nc
Kiniey- Salisbury concert of action.
1t is strongly asserted by persons who
usually do the outside talking for the
State Department, that the little countries
of the isthmus are prepared to protest
against the assumption of any right by the
United States TO take fOrcible measures at
any time to protect its waterway or the
coasts which might be attacked by its
means, by defending it with troops or
ships, or in any other way. What the
Central Americans want, according to the
anonymous high official and "distin-
guished diplomat" of the inspired utter
ances, is a canal built and paid for by the
United States, but SO thoroughly neutral
led in times of war as well as of peace,
that IL will be always under the power and
control of British fleets, and of British
Notifications in the adjacent waters
We have not the patience to seriously
discuss so nonsensical proposition, No
doubt, the Governments of Nicaragua
Costa Rica.- Guatemala. Honduras. AID
Salvador could be, and probably have
been. bullied into assuming an attitude
antagonistic to the canal sentiment and
fixed purpose OF the American peop.e but
the result is so clearly Il fabricated o1e
that It will not delude any Intelligent
citizen of this or any other country. 1t
is not so easily forgotten that before the
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty was sprung urcn
the Senate, after ii had been approved in
advance BY all the Cabinets of Europe, it
was notorious that, in the hope that the
United States would undertake the pro-
lection of the isthmus from transatlantic
aggression, Nicaragua and Costa Rica were
willing and eager TO lease or cede TO Us
a strip of territory from ocean to ocean
That the canal and its environment might
be placed under the American flag and
sovereignty.
Among other things it was apparently
one object of the Hay Pauncef1te Treaty
to render such an arrangement impossible.
The agreement in question OF course had
many objects. and some of them no doubt
were Interior and are still concealed. How
long they may remain SO is not given us
to know: but circumstances may soon oc-
cur which will compel the Administration
10 lift the veil Of mystery.