Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1902-12-05
THE PANAMA CANAL.
French Company Offers u Good Title
to Its Property.

to Its Property.
The congress has wisely provided that
we shall build at once an isthmian canal,
II possible at Panama. The attorney gen.
eral reports that We can undoubtedly ac-
quire good title from the French Panama
Canal company. Negotiations are now
pending with Colombia to secure her assent
to our building the canal. This canal Will
be ore of the greatest engineering feats of
the twentieth century; greater engineer.
ing feat than has yet been accomplished
during the history of mankind. The work
should be carried out as continuing policy
without regard to change of administra-
tion: and II should be begun under circum-
stances which will make II a matter Of
pride for all administrations to continue
The canal will be Of great benefit to Amer
lea, and Of Importance to all the world. II
will be Of advantage to us industrially and
also as improving our military position. II
will be of advantage to the countries of
tropical America 1t is earnestly. to. be
hoped that all OF these countries will do as
some of them have already done with sig
commerce and improve their material con-
ditions by recognizing that stability and
order are the prerequisites. of successful
HmerIea need have 'n The sirhtesf a fear OF
aggression from the United States. 1t be-
hooves each one to maintain order within
Its. own borders and to discharge Its just
obligations to foreigners. When this is
strong or weak, they have nothing to dread
from outside interference. More and more
plexity Of International political and eco.
nomic relations render 1t incumbent on all
civilized and orderly powers to insist on
the proper policing OF the world.
The Pacific Cable.
During the fall OF 1901 communication
asking whether permission would be
granted by the president to a corpora
ton to lay cable from point on the
California coast to the Philippine islands
ditions or terms upon which such cor
poration 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, 1t seemed
to me wise to defer action upon the APP
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-
dition in which 1t stood when the con-
gress convened.
mercial Pacific Gable company had
promptly proceeded with preparations for
laying its cable. 1t also made applica-
tion to the president for access to and
use of soundings taken by the Y. S. s.
Nero. for the purpose of discovering a
route for trans-Paciflc
cess to these soundings II could complete
its cable much sooner than IL il were
required to take soundings upon it's own
account. Pending consideration of this
subject, II appeared important and de-
sirable to attach certain conditions to
the permission to examine and use the
soundings. II it should be granted.
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
and to consent to the landing
alterations or additions thereto imposed
by the congress. This was deemed prop
er. especially as 1t was clear that a cable
of some. kind with China.
foreign country. was a part of the COM
panys plan. This course was moreover,
including President Grants action in the
case Of the first French cable. explained
10 the congress In his annual message of
December. 1875, and the instance occur
ring In 1879 of the second French cable
from Brest to st. Pierre, with branch
20 Cape Cod
These conditions prescribed among
nercial messages and that the company
should construct a line from the Philip |
pine islands to China, there being at
present as is well known, British line |
rom Manila to Hong Kong.
,an w kept these conditions long tapF under ""
continuing, in the mean
line, to prepare for laying the cable. |
They have however. at length acceded |
o them, and an all-Amer.can line be-
ween our Pacific coast and the Chinese
empire. by way Of Honolulu and the
md IL expected within n few months to |
)e ready for business.