Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-02
TIE ISTHMIAN CANAL.
Progress That Has Been Made So Far With
Recomme ndatlons

The congress has wisely proved that
we shall build ut once an isthmiin canal
if possible at Panama. The attorney gen
eral reports that can undoubtedly &C
quire good title from the French Panama
canal company. Negotiations are now
pending with Colombia to secure her as
sent TO our building the canal Thes canal
feats Of the twentieth century. a greater
engineering feat than has yet been &C
.sompliShcd during the history of mankind
The work should be carried out as :! con
tiuuing policy without regard to change
IF administration. and it should be begun
Under circumstances which VIII make II
a matter OF 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
iustrially and also rs improving our mil
the countries of tropical America. X Is
earnestly to be hoped that all of these
countries will do some of them have
already done with signal success and will
invite to their shores commerce ana I'm
prove their material conditions by recog-
3,tGinC that stability and order are the
prerequisites Of successful development.
save the siit.ntest lear OF aasSressIon IRON
The United states. 1t behooves each one
and to discharge its just obligations TO
foreigners. When this is done, they can
rest assured that. be they strong or weak,
they have nothing TO dread from oulSlue
Interference. More and more the increas-
.aS interdependence and comPleXity OF
sions render ii incumbent on all civilized
and orderly powers to insist on the proper
policing of the world.
The Pacific Cable.
during the fan OF 1919 COMMUNICATION
was addressed to the secretary of state
asking WHISTLER permission would be
granted by the president TO II corporation
20 lay cable from Il point on the Cali
Fornia coast to the Philippine Islands by
way of IIIw2ii. y statement of condi-
TORS terms upon which such corpora
ton would undertake to lay and operate
a cable was volunteered.
lnnEnLnh
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 applica-
ton until the congress had first an oppor-
without taking any action. leaving the
matter in exactly the same condition in
which it stood when the congress con-
vened.
Meanwhile IT appears that the CONNER
Cial Pacific Cable company had promptly
proceeded with preparations for laying its
cable. 1t also made application to the
president for access to and use of sound
ings taken h. the United States steamship
Nero for the purpose of discovering a
practicable route for \ transpacific cable.
The COMPANY urging mat with access TO
much sooner than IL 1t were required TO
take soundinGs upon its own account.
appeared important and desirable to at
tach certain conditions to the permission
to examine and use the soundingS II IL
should be granted.
In consequence of this solicitation of the
~
formulated. upon which the president was
willing to allow access to these sound
ings and to consent to the landing and
laying of the cable. subject to any altera-
tions or additions thereto imposed by the
congress. This was deemed proper espe-
cially as it was clear that cable con-
nection of some kind with China, for
eif;n country. was part of the coInpany's
plan This course was. moreover. In ac-
cordance with n line of precedents. includ-
ing President Grants action In the case
of the first French cable explained 10 the
congress in his annual message OF De
in 1873 of the second French cable from
Brest to St Pierre. with a branch TO
Cape Cod.
er things, a maximum rate for CONNER
ciai messages and that the company
should construct line from the Phlllp-
pine Islands to China. there being at pres
emit as is we'll known. a British line from
Manila to EOnEkonS-
The representatives of the cable compa-
ny kept these conditions long under con-
sideration. continuing in the meantime to
prepare for. laying the cable They have.
however. at length aceeded to them: ana ana
coast and the Chinese empire by way of
Honolulu and the Philippine Islands is
a few months to be ready for business.
Among the conditions is one reserving
the power of the congress to modify or re-
peal any or all of them A copy OF the
Conditions is herewith transmitted.
Porto Rico and the Philippines.
or Porto Rico it is only necessary to say
that the PrSsPe5iif cb Of the the island and the
have been such as to make il serve as an
example of all that is best in insular ad-
ministratlon.
On July last. on the one hundred and
twenty sixth anniversary of the declara-
ton OF our independence peace and am
nesty were promulgated in the Philippine