The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-31
Why NOT ANNEx PANAMA.

The Isthmian canal commission has
completed its final report, which will be
submitted to congress at the next ses-
sion. 1t is reported that the Nicaraguan
route has been abandoned in favor of
the Panama ditch. The reasons are
many. and need not be named 1t might
be well, however. to remark that one
of the chief advantages of the Panama
proposition is the superiority of its har-
bors over those of the other route. The
controlling consideration, without doubt,
is the fact that the Panama ditch is two
thirds completed and will be finished by
some one even if the Nicaraguan route
be adopted by the United States thus
creating competition in a business which
does not promise a fair profit for one.
The adoption Of the Panama route would
evade in a measure, the difficulty over
the ClaytonBulwer treaty, as Panama
is a portion Of South America, but on
the other hand complications of a serious
nature surround the franchise of the
present canal company. 1t contains con-
ditions which the United States ought not
and will not accept A way out of all
our difficulties is suggested in the idea of
annexation. Let US see. We offered arm
ed Intervention to secure Porto Rico and
the Independence ~ of Cuba, because
our safety depended on the stability of
the government of the islands so close
to our shores. We demanded the cession
of the Philippines on the ground 1--WE
suppose as no other has ever been offer
ed that we needed an empire in the far
East to protect a coaling station on the
Asiatic coast. Would it not be eminently
logical to demand the cession of Panama
with the canal. on the ground that the
possession of this highway of the world
is necessary to our safety? Can we en-
dure as a republic while revolution after
revolution sweeps over that narrow neck
of land which joins US to the range of
mountains. known as South America?
Are We not put to great expense and
anxiety of mind in keeping gunboats and
other evidences of our power in these
waters for the sake of peace? Must we
not patrol our shores to prevent fill
clustering parties from going to the help
of the legitimate presidents of these re.
publics when they have a revolution or
two on their hands? Have not these
countries. or at least one of them, de-
fled our asphalt companies within THEN
Borders? 1t is high time that the ad-
ministratlon interviewed in this matter.
These revolutions must cease or the
countries in which they originate be an
rexed. This excitement about a greater
republic with Panama as it's most i'm
portant asset is a menace to our mill
r tary situation in Luzon. An army should
be sent down there at once, under either
Otis or Macarthur, to take possession of
the whole isthmus and begin on the be-
nevOlent assimilation racket We need
ed naval stations in Cuba and all the
other islands in the West Indian group,
to protect that Nicaraguan canal which
we have not yet got. Much more, then,
Go we need the entire isthmus to protect
the canal which we may buy. For is not
the entire Republican party welded to
canal under the control Of Uncle Sam
all by his lonesome? Let us cut the
GOrdian knot with one fell stroke of the
Intervention ak. The precedents are
ample. If not, we can call up the mighty
shade of the Monroe doctrine and get
behind it. Does not the Monroe doctrine
mean America for Americans with a
wall around it? And is not Panama
American soil and are we not the only
Americans worth mentioning? The pub
lie man or the journal who or which
hesitates to adopt and forward this nee,
essary defense of our flag and it's pre-
negatives. is a traitor and an enemy OF
his or it's country. More than that, he
or it, is a menace to the military situa,
ton in China.