The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-23
1.-The Canal Affair NOW...
BY p. H. 5ELKNAP.

i, ested for the channel they began have in- sisted that Nicaragua is volcanic The statement suggests a region smoking with eruptive mountains and swaying underfoot with earthquake. It is true that lovely Nicaragua is a country sub jeet to seismic visitation, and also that it Is slightly and negligibly so. Fine old churches of Spanish centuries stand in Nicaragua without a crack in their walls and do not know what American engin- eer has excepted himself from the gen eral professional conclusion that a ship waterway could be led from Greytown to Brito readily.
 A return, if we return, to the Nicara- guan position, however, should be made without much reference to the commer- cial advantage so much urged in this canals being nearer our ports. Some thirty-sx hours longer steaming to Col on or Panama would hurt no cargo, if passage between those terminals would be better on the whole otherwise. It is of more serious account to commerce that the penetration at Nicaragua would at last open up her wonderful abundance to a world ignorant how richly this exists. But the Intercontinental railway will do that-which may we'll be in operation from Seattle to Valparaiso before which, ever selected canal Is finished and trans passing shipping. On the whole, and largely speaking. the one location for the waterway Is about as good as the other, this at least in availability for the engineers and for the interests of ocean trade And 1t seems then that , the political aspects should decide the choice whether to place our canal at the sickly isthmus or nearer home.
 Before the second administration of MT. Mckinley the United States had, it is hardly to be doubted, the most fortunate territory of all the great powers She was all together and she was aloof. The Over-Cuban war and foolish outward pol icy have thrown her safe compactness away and dissipated her strength into scatter of remote possessions. Islands many be good things during prosperous peace. but in time of war you have to de- lend them. Spain, having islands, could not defend one. Of course we shall de- fendr our distant dependencies-let Ger many, for instance, or Great Britain try and find out; but we shall have to main- tain magnificent fleet to do it, and an enlarged army. And it Is not always easy to get the tremendous appropria- tions necessary for those services from
 
 pines, our Samoan foothold already had, and the Hawaiian archipelago which ac- crued of its own accord, these are not worth while in exchange for the safe disengaged solidity of territory which this nation enjoyed in it's exclusive po- sition on the continent. l am one of those who are for the governments re- linquishment of detached possessions, and for the resumption of our natural collected position between the Atlantic and Pacific alone. Coaling stations re- quire protection as much as any other coasts or islands that may be held Coal ing stations are not necessary. They are not necessary both because fighting ships can fill their bunkers from coiliers and because their construction more and more includes capacity for long steaming without resupply of coal.
 Alaska is the one wise possession that we have that lies away, as it was also the first. The next that we should have and hold-is the Nicaraguan canal.
 There is no publicist or statesman else- where, who observes North America, who does not see as we do the inevitability
 at this nation will become continen- tai United States We read in the pa- pers that American farmers of the north west are crossing the boundary and set tling to grow their grain in Canada, and what does 1t mean? It is not Americans becoming Canadians, 1t is the United States growing into Canada. Conquest is thought not engaged in the matter, the process is simply one of certain ac- cretion. To the southward the aspect of the thing Is different; Mexico is an im- portant republic, dstincter individual ity from Canada, in fact nation and with a spirit; but the same under-p power Ie, as towards the Arctic zone. Mexico and Central America will ultimately be part of the American Union as surely as will British America.
 With this in mind-a continental United States-there is no better provision for that time. and could be no better secur- ing agent for it when 1t arrives than the Nicaragua canal, constructed and forti- fled. The Nicaraguans want it. The Co., lombians have shown that they do not want the Panama construction. The farther you go south from the the re- public with the lake, you meet wll.. more | and more jealous fear of the United States, and you also find more of Euro pean infuo~ -os mingled and at variance | with our own To put our canal at the | isthmus would to to lodge it where there i is both native and transatlantic hate. | It Is the stronger and solider the ! shrewder thing to do to lay it at Nj caragua. That is nearer to our shores. And President Zelaya and his people are ! not only willing but desirous to give us l the right ofway.
 Long ago Admiral H. c. Tayor, while | an officer of smaller rank, pointed out | the great service that Lake Nicaragua | would afford in war for harboring yes sells of supply and fighting ships need ing repair, and as a generally protected i rendezvous.
 It Is said that the short Panama water