The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1900-05-17

Urom our own Cozxespondent.l
President Mckinley is now occu-
pied in selecting tho officers who will
serve under the new Hawaiian and
Porto Ricap governments. The
Hawaiian bill goes into effect on the
18th Of this month, by which time all
the new officers will be chosen, while
the civilian administration of Porto
Rico need not be chosen until Au.
gust l, good deal moro time thus
being at the Presidents disposal
there. OF course, heavy pressure has
been brought to bear on the Presi-
dent to appoint various individuals,
but he has resisted it successfully and
has chosen nearly all the Hawaiian
officers on principles Of home rule.
Sanford B. Dole, the present presi-
dent, has been nominated for gov
ernor. Strong influence was brought
to bear in behalf of Mr.. Harold
Sewall, Of Maine, but the President
insisted on naming officers who were
most strongly supported by the Ha-
waiians. Mr.. M. NJ. Estee, of Cali
fornia, will probably be selected for
United States district judge, aud with
this exception tn, rest have been Sc
lected from residents of the islands.
The adoption of the Hepburn bill
for the Nicaraugan canal may or may
not mean something. If, as Senator
Morgan believes, tho Senate passes
the bill within three weeks, q most
serious situation will be presented.
II. as seems more probable, Congress
adjourns without action, the action
Of the House will amount to nothing
more than the practically unanimous
declaration of the opinion Of the peo-
pie Of the country that tho canal
ought to be built. The truth il that
the situation 10 . most difficult one
for the United States. When the
Clsyton-Bulwer treaty was ratified
half a century ago, this country sur
rendered certain rights in return for
similar surrenders on the part of
Great Britain. AS Mr.. Hit pointed
out in the House the other day, this
country has repeatedly invoked the
treaty to curb British actions, and
Great Britain now undoubtedly has
the right to invoke it to curb our
action. In other words, we have ro-
ceived the article and it 10 . serious
question whether we have the right
20 decline to pay tho agreed price.
According to the bill, the United
States 10 to acquire control of" the
territory through which the canal is
60 pass. This would make tho caual
- much q United States waterway
- is the Mississippi river, and that
would not only authorize us, but
would practically compel US, to for
tify it aud maintain . considerable
garrison there to protect it. Circum-
stances are conceivable in which that
would have been the only true course
compatible with our security aud
welfare. Such, for example, would
have been the case . few years ago,
when we had no navy and no footing
in tho, West Indies. But with q
powerful navy, andswithsPorto Rico
ours aud Cuba under our tutelage,
the question may we'll be asked
whether We are not strong enough to
neutrslizs the canal, as Great Britain
has Deutraiized that 1T Suez, and
whether, Indeed, it IL not pestively to
our interest to do so.
Liberia has offered to lease one of
ito harbors to the United States as a
coaling station, and the offer will
probably he accepted. Liberia can
not cell . port without running the
risk Of having France insist upon the
execution of . treaty into which she
hoodwinked the little republic some
years ago, by which about half of the
|teesitesY OF the little republic will be-
|eouae EsaSh soil. The United States
and Gsest Britain Jointly took steps
|1t thst time to secure the indepen-