The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-02
IsTHMIAN CANAL.
He Gives Our Neighbors Assurance
That They Have Nothing to Fear.

The congress has wisely provided that
we shall build at once an isthmian canal.
II possible at Panama. The attorney
general reports that we can undoubtedly
acquire good title from the French PAN
anna canal company. Negotiations ar.
now pending with Colombia to secure
her assent to our building the canal
This canal will be one of the greatest en-
cheering feats of the twentieth cen
fury; greater engineering feat than
mas yet been accomplished during the
history of mankind The work should be
carried out as continuing policy with
out regard to change of administration
and it should be begun under circum
stances which will make it a matter os
pride for all administrations to continue
the policy
The canal will be of great benefit to
America, and of Importance to all the
world 1t will be of advantage to us in
dustrlally and also as improving our
military position. 1t will be of advan-
tage to the countries of tropical Amer
cia- 1t is earnestly to be hoped thar
all OF these countries will do as some
OF them have already done with signal
success, and will invite to their shores
commerce and improve their material
conditions by recognizing mat stability
ana order are the prerequisites of sue
cessful development. No independent
nation in America need have the slight
est fear of aggression from the United
States 1t behooves each one to main.
tain order within its own borders and to
eIsnerS. When this is done, they can
rest assured that. be they strong or
weak they have nothing to dread from
outside interference! More and more the
increasing lnterdependence and COM
plexity of international political and
economic relations render it incumbent
on all civilized and orderly powers TO
insist on the proper policing of the
PACIFIC CABLE.
During the fall of 1901 a comnunica-
ton was addressed to the secretary of
state. asking whether permission would
be granted by the president to a corpo-
ration to lay cable from a point on
the California coast to the Philippine is
lands by way of Hawaii. A statement
of conditions or terms upon which such
CORPORATION would undertake to lay and
operate a cable was volunteered
Inasmuch as the congress was shortly
to convene. and Pacific cable legislation
had been the subject of consideration by
the congress for several years, it seemed
to me wise to defer action upon the ap-
plication until the congress had first an
opportunity to act. The congress adj
journed without taking any action leav-
ing the matter in exactly the same con-
dit-on n which it stood when the con-
gresS convened.
Meanwhile it appears that the Com
mercial Pacific Gable company had
promptly proceeded with prepare lions
for laying its cable. It also made ap-
plication to the president for access to
and use of soundings taken by the u.
S. S. Nero. for the purpose of discover
ing a practical be route for trans
Pacific cable, the company urging that
with access to these soundings it could
complete its cable much sooner than If
it were required to take soundings upon
it's own account. Pending consideration
of this subject, it appeared important
and desirable to attach certain condi-
tons to the permission to examine and
use the soundings, if it should be grant
ed.
In consequence of this solicitation of
the cable company, certain conditions
were formulated, upon which the presi-
dent was willing to allow access to these
soundings and to consent to the landing
and laying of the cable. subject to any
alterations or additions thereto imDos-
ed by the CONGRESS. This was deemed
proper, especially as it was. clear that a
ca BILE connection of some kind with Chi
ma. foreign country, was part of the
company's plan. This course was, more
over, in accordance with a line of pre-
cedents. including Pre- ident Grants ac-
ton N the case Of the first French ca
bic, explained to the congress in his an
nual message of December, 1875, and the
instance occurring in 1879 of the second
French cable from Trest to St. Pierre,
with a branch to Cape Cod.