The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-12-05
THE PANAMA CANAL.
French Company Offers a Good Title
to It's Property.

to It's 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 &C
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; a greater engineer
ing feat, than has yet been accomplished ON
should be carried out as a continuing policy
without regard to change OF administra-
ton; and it should be begun under circum-
stances which will make it 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. 1t
will be OF advantage to US industrially and
also as improving our military position. 1t
will be OF advantage to the countries of
hoped that all of these countries will do as
some of them have alreaGy done with sig
nal success, and will invite to their shores
commerce and improve their material con-
ditions by recognizing that stability ana
order are the prerequisites. of successful
development No Independent nation in
America need have the slightest 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
Gone, they can rest assured that, be they
strong or weak, they have nothing TO dread
from outside interference More and more
the increasing interdepen6ence and com
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 a 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 a 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 he 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 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.
Meanwhile it appears that the Com
mercial Pacific Cable company had
promptly proceeded with preparations for
laying its cable. 1t also made applica-
ton to the president for access to and
use of soundings taken by the u. s. g.
Nero, for the purpose of discovering a
racticable route for a trans-Pacific
cable. the company urging that with ac-
cess to these sOundings it could complete
its cable much sooner than If it were
required to take soundings upon its own
account. Pending consideration Of this
subject, it 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
soundngs and to consent to the landing
and laying of the cable, subject to any
by the congress. This was deemed prop
er, especially as it was clear that a cable
connection of some kind with China e.
foreign country. was q part of the COM
pany'S plan. This course was moreover
IN accordance with a line of precedents,
including President Grants actor in tile
case of the first French cable, explained
to the congress in his annual message of
December. 1873, 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-Amer.can limo be-
tween our Pacific coast and the Chinese
empire. by way of Honolulu and the
and is expected within a few mouths to
be ready for business