The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-18
TIE IstIinian Canal.

T<nE lSTHMIAN Canal COM
mission has reported in favor
Il of the Nicaragua route HS
the most pra,tiCablc and
feasible for AN inter-ocean highway
under the control, ownership ana man
ngcment Of the United states between
the Atlantic and the Pacific. TIL" osti-
mated cost for the construction OF the
Nicaragua route is two hundred mill
ion dollars, or iiity"cight millions moro
than it would cost to complete tue
Panama ditch should We BE- fatuous
enough to purchase The goodwill OF
that magnificent idea but ahortiNr
undertaking.
There are enormous difficulties to bc
sirmountcd in the construction OF the
Nicaragua canal, difficulties arising
from the coniiguration, geology and
climate OF the country through which
it is to pass, 10 say nothing OF I'M
fOreSeen difficulties that shall un-
doubtedlv arise IN course Of con-
struction, against which neither en-
gineering skill nor scientific foresight
can provide. But taking al these cir
ctlnstances into calculation and as far
us possible allowing for them, the COM
mission finally and ilrcvoCablv declares
in favor of the Nicaragua route, as
being the most practicable and unqueS-
tonably the most polite. The report
of the commissioners takes no notice.
OF course. OF the Clayton i;ulWer treaty
,,.l, ,;.,I, x,.;l1 l.s, II
tremendously abrug;ited through the
diplomatic intcrmediation of Secretary
Hay and Lord Pauncefote. acting re-
Spect:vcly oG behalf of Great Britain
and the United States. if the senate IS
only reasonable.
We are To build lhe Nicaragua canal
at our sole cost ana risk: we are to be
unhampered in our control OF il: we
may police il ana iortiiy it in any way
we think right or necessary. 1t would
he sheer arrogance to assume that no
othc' country has amy interest i'll the
canal. The civilized world is interested
in u colossal undertaking which shall
rovolutioniZe the commercial and pas
scnScr traffic of five continents and
three oceans: which shall interlinli
East with West and West with East in
Il navigablc circuit, through IL maritime
route parallel ana scarcely Il degree of
latitude north of the equator. civilized
and uncivlized nations alike are deeply
interested in this mighty project of our
design and execution. and we should
feel battered that they are so. We are
realizing the dream OF Columbus. open
ing the way to the Indies and Cathay
westward.
Too much stress, in our opinion. has
been laid upon the military and naval
stratesical Importance of the canal.
This must be ana admittedly has been
taken into consideration. We entertain
other nations by dwelling upon the
value and influence of an iSthmian
canal rs Il great moat to secure us
against the Vaccinations or actual hos
tilitics of our enemies. II it subserVcs
that purpose, us no one doubts, We'll
and good AS IL national institution il
is all the better for il. But if its his
torical development proceeds on the
same plane with that of the SueZ canal
it will be the most dominant factor for
the surety of the peace of the world
since the downfall of Napoleon. War is
the scourge of commerce and progress
Every avenue opened UP 10 commerce
is an eNorCism of the evil spirit Of war.
The Philadelphia Record charges our
$4,000 Lungstaff- Kelly election contest
against the Balicr ballot law and
makes il the text for an impassioned
appeal in behalf of ballot reform. The
only reform which would have OBJ
Waited the bulk of the defective votes
unealthed by that unWarranted con-
test is the millennium, ana we fear it
is distant