The National tribune., 1900-12-20
TO BE AN AMERICAN CANAL.

| of 65 to IL, has decided that the Nicara
qua Canal which is to be built by Amer
| lean capital, shall be American property
without entangling alliances. 1t has takei
a roundabout way to reach the result, but
| it has reached it. The Hay -Pauncefot.
Treaty, now before the Senate, starts out
| with an expression of desire to secure the
construction of the Canal and PROPOSE
ton to so modify the Clayton-Bulwei
Treaty as to permit the United States
TO build it. 1t then goes on to lay down
the following rules in regard TO 1t, COPIED
from those adopted for the Sucz Canal:
1. The canal shall be free and open, in
time of war as in time of peace, to the
vessels of commerce and of war OF all
nations, OH terms of entire equality. so
that there shall be no discrimination
against any nation or its citizens or sub
fleets in respect of the conditions or
charges of traffic, or otherwise.
. The canal shall never be blockaded,
nor shall any right of war be exercised nor
any act of hostility be committed with
in it.
3. Vessels of war of belligerent shall
not revictual nor take any stores in the
canal except so far as may be strictly
necessary: and the transit of such vessels
through the canal shall be effected with
the least possible delay, in accordance
with the regulations in force, and with
only such intermission as may result from
the necessities of the service.
Prizes shall be in all respects subject
to the same rules as vessels of war OF
the belligerents.
4. No beligerent shall embark or dis
embark troops, munitions of war, or war
like materials in the canal except ih case
of accidental hndrance of the transit, and
in such case the transit shall be resumed
with all possible dispatch. >,
,. The provisions of this article shall
apply to waters adjacent to The canal
within three marine miles of either aud
Vessels of war of n belligerent shall moi
remain in such waters longer than a
hours at any one time except in case OF
distress, and in such case shall depart as
soon as possible: but vessel Of war OF
one belligerent shall not depart within "A
hours from the departure of vessel CT
war of the other belligerent.
6. The plant, establishments, buildings,
and all works necessary to the construc-
ton, maintenance, and operation of the
canal shall be deemed to be part thereof
for the purposes of this convention, and
in time of war as in time of peace shall
enjoy complete immunity from attack oil
injury by beiligerents and from acts cal
culated TO impair their usefulness as part
of the canal.
Z. No fortifcation shall be erected com
manding the canal or the waters ada
cent The United States, however, shall
be at liberty to maintain such military
police along the canal as may be neces.
sary to protect it against lawlessness and
disorder.
1t is not within reasonable comprehen'
sion why Secretary Hay ever brought
himself to sign such an agreement. 1t is
highly Objectionable in every way. In the
first place, it is violation of the Monroe
Doctrine, and admits right, which nc
American should eoncede, to England to
interfere in the purely domestic affairs OF
this continent The Suez Canal furnishes
absolutely no comparison. That was a
matter complicated with the Eastern
Question, and was settled in connection
with it, The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty was
a mistake, and so regarded by both par
ties in very short time after its ratifi-
cation. Great Britain began violating il
at once, and our Secretaries Of State gen.
orally treated it as dead letter, until Mr..
Gresham revived it.
In spite of the strong popular and Sen
atorial opposition to the Treaty, which has
grown the more that it has been discussed
Secretary Hay has chung tenaciously to it.
and threatened to resign If it were not
ratified. The President has supported him,
but the opposition in the Senate has been
so decided that the President has agreed
TO accept the Treaty as amended, and pre-
sent it to Great Britain.
The amendment prepared by Senator
Davis. and which was adopted by vote
of to l last Thursday. adds the follow,
ing TO Sec. 3:
1t is agreed. however, that none of the
Immediately foregoing conditions and slip.
uations IL sections numbered /, 2, 5, 4
and ) of this article shall apply to meas,
it necessary to take for securing, by its
own forces the defense OF the United
States and the maintenance of public or
der.
While this is not nearly so acceptable as
would have been clean-cut declaration
of the abrogation of the Clayton BulweI
Treaty, and that we proposed TO go ahead
and build the canal as purely American
enterprise. with no dealings with anyone
but Nicaragua, it still gives up practically
everything, and allows us to fortify the
territory about the canal as we please
Any other arrangement would be absurd
President Hayes announced the correct
doctrine when he said that the canal would
be merely prolongation of our coast line
We must have it as thoroughly under oul
control as any part of on" coast line Tall
| of naturalization is preposterous. To at
| tempt TO neutralize it would merely throw
it. in the case of war, into the hands OF
the power having the strongest navy
which would proceed to use it against its
| enemy. 1t can only be made completely
| neutral by having it part of the United
| States.
The treaty will be voted en- Thursday
Dec. 20.
nr,ncnNAU