The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-02-16
THE OWOSSO TIMES.
Americas Canal.

BY the terms of the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty now before the senate for confrma-
ton, the United States Is given free hand
to 60 ahead with the construction of the
Nicaragua canal without any unnecessary
delay, and that 1t should be built. operated.
owned, and controlled by the United States
seems evident to all who are awake to the
possibilities of the future and who believe
in the destiny of the United State to use the
splendid virlity of American manhood to
Our own interstate commerce has long de.
handed the accomplishment of this project;
hundreds of thousands OF dollars might
have been saved in ocean tonnage every
year had the construction of this canal been
completed as 1t should have been years ago,
while the world encrcling trip of the Ore
gon alone should show everyone how peces-
sary such canal is to the United States to
the securing of the proper effectiveness of
our navy which would be thus increased more
than by the addition of all the battleships
and cruisers that could be turned out of
American ship yards for years. The pro-
gress of the world-the saving of now
wasted energy which would better be put to
use 10 some effective way Of promoting the
civilization of the world-and the needs of
America for short route between the At
lantic seaboard and the Pacific ocean, with
Its marvellous possibilities and Its great re-
sp0nsibilities, all demand the construction
Of the canal and Its control by America.
Whatever force was left In the old Clay
ton -Bulwer treaty, Its force has certainly
been recognized by our state department ip
the new Hay. Pauncefote treaty. But now
In spite of the fact that some people-as
there are always some ready to run down
America and the United States Insist as
usual that In this treaty the United States
got the worst of the bargain, they have
failed, as yet, to tell just how England got
the best of the United States after all or
even to show that Great Britain got any.
thing out Of 1t, while In England the treaty
is regarded as q skilful and successful piece
of diplomacy on the part of our state de-
partment, and especially on the part of
Secretary of State Hay and President Nc.
Kinley. As to the feature that has caused
30 much controversy, the neutrality Of the
cana! at all times and the guarantee that 1t
shall not be fortified by the United States,
1t is enough to say that the stipulation as to
its neutrality to. be agreed to by all the
powers, dissipates the necessity for any
Notifications, and on this point, as in fact
on every point In the treaty, VI reads just as
our own state department drew 1t up. 1t
might be suggested, however, that the
reputation gained by our navy In the late
war would-even II other nations did not
join In the recognition of Its neutrality, as
they surely will-be ample assurance to
America that the canal will never be used
against the interests OF the United States
In times OF war. The treaty is most i'm.
pGrtant one and its effects will be far reach
ing. 1t is to be hoped that one of its first
effects will be the early agreement In con-
gress on measure for the construction of
the canal and the resulting early beginning
of its construction. 1t Is another of the
duties that America owes to herself and to
the progress of the world.
Let US make our plans, and make them
we'll. Then, let's DIG!