The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-08
CIRCULATION STATEMENT.
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY s, 1909.
An American Canal or None.

would be better TO leave the isthmus in
its presen. shape as a barrier between the
oceans, and thus protect our Western
coast from convenient attack by fleets from
Europe.
Under the terms and conditions of the
Hay-Pauncefote convention, the single ad-
vantage accorded TO this country in return
for the trouble and expense. CT building,
operating. and policing the Nicaragua
Canal would be the privilege of calling it
an American waterway. Perhaps Mr.. Hay
and Lord Pauncefote have fancied that
that would sufficiently appease and satisfy
national sentiment If 50. they have been
egregiously mistaken. The people OF this
country not only want a canal that will be
called American. but one that will be so in
fact.
The negotiators have not provided for
such a thing They have, on the con-
trary. arranged for canal which will be
termed American, but will in reality be
British. The convention fOrbids us 10 erect
fortifcations commanding the canal or
the waters adjacent" That means that the
United States must neither build defences
on its bouf 1t or leased territory in Mica
ragua or Costa Rica, nor acquire and fortify
the Danish West Indian Islands in the
Caribbean. nor the nearby islands of Ecua-
dor in the Pacific. The nearest fortiica-
tons to the canal must be those of Great
Britain in Jamaica. These being the prop
ositions of the -Pauncefote agreement.
il is clear that the only protection possible
TO the termini of vitality important Amer
lean waterway, forming a necessary part
OF the coast line of the United States. will
be that derived from war vessels.
Translated into simple everyday Eng
lsh. this is to say that, in the event OF a
war between this and some other country,
or Of any war sufficiently affecting British
interests, Great Britain, as the chief and
strongest naval power in the world, would
be in a position TO seize and hold the
Nicaragua Canal at will. The British feet
is more than three times greater than
ours. In short, the canal would belong 10
the strongest naval power to all intents
and purposes.
Does anyone doubt that England would
shut the canal against us or any other ma
tion IL circumstances gave her any strong
military reason for acting in that way?
Would not she stop the mouth of the Medi-
terranean at moments notice if it suited
her purposes? England is fond OF having
things neutralized in her favor; but how
many years ago is it since she was insist
ing that the English Channel from low
water mark on the French shore to her own
coast was a British mare clausum? In
fact. she was not driven from that position
until in 1919.
II is exasperating and deeply humiliating
TO reflect that our first serious appearance
in the role OF world power should be in
connection with an humble petition to a
European power that We be allowed to
construct great waterway and secure
a necessary naval base within cur own
exclusive sphere of influence, practically
on our own soil. The idea is monstrous.
What has England TO do with the matter
anyway? If any foreign states have the
right to be consulted in the premises #
is TO Nicaragua and Costa Rica that we
should turn, and not TO a European nation |
barred from Interference in the concerns of |
this hemisphere by our basic policy and
eighty years of public notice concerning the |
zane.
We viii not stop here to discuss the
Clayton Bulwer convention. The existence
Of the british settlements on the MOSQUITO
Coast is sufficient proof that the wicked
md perfdious agreement in question was
broken and abandoned forty-five years sgo.
Let us be thankful that British contempt
for American weakness on the seas in 1855 |
led the ministry OF that day to violate the |
obligation OF its country with contemptuous
csrelessness Of the future. and that We may |
now take the advantage Of that action. as I
we should have done a generation ago. For |
practical purposes. as far as the Clayton
BuiWer treaty is concerned. there is a |
tabula rasa. and unless American pa /
triotlsm is a sham and our assumed posi-
ton as a world power screaming farce.
Great Britain will write nothing again on
that Central American slate
Tho Nicaragua Canal is a strictly Amer
lean matter with which England has no
shadow of right to meddle II we can be
compelled to neutraIize in peace and war
what in effect viii be an American river
connecting the waters of our two CONT
mental shores. why, indeed. may we not
be forced TO submit to the same subsection
In The cases OF other American rivers? II
we must not close our canal to an enemy.
there is no reason why we might not be
forced tc "neutralize" the Mississippi and
the Potomac. and in case OF war be estop-
ped from fortifying them or using them for
naval operations. On the other hand, Il
England is recognized as the arbter of our
movements. developments. and aequisi-
lions in ,ur own territorial Jurisdiction. to
the extent that we dare not build a canal
without her gracious permission, and then
must operate and maintain IL according.
not 10 our own. but 20 her views and inter
esis. what has become OF our position as
the American power paramount?
When We ge; right down to the principle
.-,roived in this paralyying illustration OF
British arrogance. there is no more reason
why England should come over here and
interfere In our canal building. or other
exclusively hemisphere affairs, than there
would ne for the United States 10 have De-
manded the naturalization and non protce-
,ica OF the Manchester Ship Canal In peace
snd war. or OF the River Thames We leave
Encland alone on iier side OF the world -