The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-12-05
THE PANAMA CANAL.
French Company Offers a Good Title
to Its Property.

The congress has wisely provided that
We shall build at once an isthmian canal,
if 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 one 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-
ton; and it should be begun under circum-
stances which will make it a matter of
pride for all administrations to continue
the policy.
lea, and Of Importance to all the world. 1t
will be Of advantage to us industria!ly and
also as improving our military position. 1t
earnesH 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
America need have the slightest fear of
aggression from the United States. It be-
hooves each one to maintain order within
obligations to foreigners. When this is
done, they can rest assured that, be they
strong or weak, they have nothing to dread
t IRON oIesisg More and more
plexity of international political and eco
nomic relations render it 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
was addressed to the secretary of state,
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
by way OF Hawaii. A statement of con-
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 legisla ton
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, ad-
journed without taking any action, leav-
ing the matter in exactly the same con-
dition in which it stood when the con-
gress convened.
mercial Pacific Gable company had
promptly proceeded with preparations for
laying it's cable. 1t also made applica-
use of soundings taken by the U. S. s.
Nero, for the purpose of discovering a
practicable route for trans-Pacific
cess to these soundings it could complete
it's cable much sooner than if it were
required to take soundings upon it's own
account. HonOlnS consideration OF this
subject, 1t appeared important and de-
sirable to attach certain conditions to
the permission to examine and use the
soundings, if 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
soundings and to consent to the landing
and laying of the cable, subject to any
alterations or additions thereto imposed
by the congress. This was deemed prop
er, especially as it was clear that a cable
connection Of some kind with China, a
foreign country. was part of the COM
panys plan. This course was moreover
in accordance with line of precedents,
including President Grants action in the
case of the first French cable, explained
to 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 a branch
to Cape Cod.
These conditions prescribed, among
other things, a maximum rate for COM
mercial messages and that the company
should construct a line from the Philip
pine islands to China, there being at
present, as Is well known, a British line
from Manila to Hong Kong.
The representatives of the cable COM
pany kept these conditions long under
consideration, continuing, in the mean
time, to prepare for laying the cable
They have, however, at length acceded
to them, and an all-American line be-
empire, by way of Honolulu and the
Philippine islands. is thus provided for
and Is expected within a few months to
be ready for business