The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-22
HAVE OUR WAY.

HAVE OUR WAY.
Although courtesyNto the senate for
bids that the text of it shall be made
public, enough apparently has leaked
out concerning it's provisions to justi-
fy the assumption that the new 18TH
milan canal treaty signed by Secretary
Hay and Lord Pauncefote is such that
no very serious objections can be urg-
ed against it by any members of the
senate when submitted to that body
for ratification. Seemingly aboutsev-
cry concession for which the senate
c%ontended when it rejected the former
treaty has been granted by Great Bri-
tain and that, too, without the United
States yielding in any way Of the
rightsfor which it has been holding out.
This nation is made the sole guar
antor of the neutrality of the canal,
while at the same time it also retains
the right to fortify and defend the
canal in case this is ever deemed nee
essary: in fact is given complete con
troll over it and Great Britain relin-
quishes every right it obtained under
the Clayton-BulWer treaty. With the
be advanced why the senate should
not promptly ratify it and the govern
ment take decisive steps to begin con-
struction of the canal.
Forestalling the report Of the canal
commission, il is said that the report
of that body will be favorable to the
Nicaraguan route, Notwithstanding it
has been believed in certain directions
that it might make favorable comment
route. The friends of the latter route
have made much out of what they
have been pleased to designate it's
advantages over the other because of
the smaller cost it would incur to take
up the unfinished work of the French
men and carry it to completion. The
commission, however, seems to think
differently, and is said to have found
that to construct the Nicaraguan
canal would cost only about rs per
cent of the sum it would require to
complete the Panama canal. If this
is proved by the report then all talk
of the Panama route must necessarily
cease. That the friends of the latter
will not remain idle or i%nterpose
no objections may be accepted as a
fact. One of their arguments has been
that because Of the vast amount of
work already accomplished by the
French company it would be a very
easy thing for some one to take hold
Of that project and carry it to COM
pletion long before the Nicaraguan
canal could be constructed. Even
though this should be the case. it is
not likely that any company could be
found that would incur the expense
and the risk that would inevitably at
tend the project. 1t is conceded by
all who have given the matter any
thought that for years and possibly for
all time the event which may be
expected from such a canal will be in
sufficient to pay even the most modest
interest upon the investment, after
deducting the operating expenses.
With no prospect of any returns on
the money invested it is not reason.
able to suppose that men may be
found who care enough for mere glory
or fame, for that would be about all
that investors in the company could
expect, to part with their capital un
der conditions no more promising.
Then aside from this is another
consideration which must be allowed
to enter into the proposition. Any
such company could not hope to have
the support or protection of any o.
the stronger powers of the world ant
would at all times be practically de
fenseless and powerless to protect it,
own. The n power to which i
u would naturally have to look for pro
: lection would be that governing tn,
| territory through which the cana
t runs, All know that that nation il
? not more powerful that the compan,
: itself would be, so far as giving an,
effective protection is concerned. o.
the other hand, with the United State
and all it's prestige and power benin,