The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-19

BENEFITS OF THE CANAL
WHAT THE ISTHMIAN CHANNEL
WILL DO FOR AMERICANS.
Commercial, Industrial and Military
Advantages to Accrue
From II.

Reprinted from Parsons Magazine. for August,
by Permission.
The unitarian considerations of the 18TH
milan canal are threefold-commercial, in
dustrial and military The broad and lib
eral spirit with which the United States
government has entered upon the work
also involves the consideration of the value
OF the canal TO other nations.
The arguments put forth as to the value
OF the canal TO the people OF the United
States are many. 1t will promote the ma
terial progress of all sections of the coun-
try. The Southern States will find their
commerce enormously expanded by the in
crease Of exports of cotton goods, lumber
and farm products to the Pacific coast and
to the markets of Asia, Australia and the
American possessions in the Orient. The
Northern and Eastern States will have
reader access, through the reduction of
freight rates for their manufactured prod
ucts, to the same markets. The Pacific
coast States will experience the beneficent
results of cheaper freight rates. The mid
die West will ship wheat, corn. hogs and
cattle down the Mississippi. and enjoy
speedy transportation and low rates to the
western coast of South America.
1t is true that the canal will place Eng
land in closer touch with some of these
markets and increase the commercial rival
ry between the United States and Great
Britain. and Germany can take advantage
OF the canal TO bid for the trade of the
Pacific. England's advantage however,
will be mainly in nearer route to her
own possessions, the trade of which she
already controls. Her market In New Zea-
land will be 1,503 miles nearer Liverpool
by the isthmian canal than by the Suez
route. The South Pacific islands, in the
neighborhood of New Zealand will be
nearer Liverpool by Panama than by Suez.
The question of the amount of toll per ton
for the use of the short cut will determine
the waterway to Europe. The United
States will undoubtedly derive greater ben
EFT commercially than will Europe; and
while Europe's advantages will be COM
mercial entirely, the benefits of the United
States will be political and industrial
well.
WILL STIMULATE TRADE.
The use of the canal by the shipping of
Europe will stimulate the American coal
trade and the sale of supplies to vessels in
transit, Ships engaged in commerce be-
tween Europe and the Pacific will find it
economical to buy American coal, which
can be placed at Colon at low rates by
water navigation. 1t is expected that the
canal will enlarge the demand for steamers
| and will immensely stimulate the ship
| building industry in this country.
The military advantages the United States
| Will derive from the isthmian canal weighed
materially in the legislation which will
| bring about Its construction. One incident
| in recent years had a wonderful effect in
| holding public sentiment in favor of the
undertaking and in outweighing the opposi-
| uon In Congress. 1t was the record-break-
| ing voyage of the battleship Oregon around
| Cape Horn during the war with Spain. The
battleship was needed In the Caribbean sea.
| The uncertainties respecting the location OF
the Spanish feet exaggerated the national
| anxiety; but at the moment great deal
seemed to depend upon the presence of the
| Oregon. 1t was then keenly realizd what a
boon an isthmian canal would be- 1t is no
| exaggeration to say that the incident of the
| Oregon was the most impressive object-les-
| son which could have been presented to the
American people.
Elaborate reports have been written by
American naval officers upon the strategic
| value OF the canal to the United States
| which value would be especially demon
| strated in a war with Great Britain. The
| United States is hemmed in, on the Atlantic
| lions at Halifax, Bermuda and on Van
| couver island. The canal will enable this
| government to mobilize its fleets quickly
hPs be eean sSe sefd n every m
gress and on the floor Of the House and
Senate in favor of the construction Of an
istnmian canal the military feature has
| been given equal importance with the COM
| mercial and industrial features.
| SOMETHING MORE THAN FREIGHT.
The commercial interests of the country
| look upon the canal solely from the view
! point of freight rates between the Atlantic
| and Pacific seaboards. The tendency of
railway companies to combine and MAIN
tain rates on transcontinental traffic has
increased year by year. There has been
bitter complaint from the Pacific coast
| The charge has been made, time and again.
| that the influence of the great transconti-
mental railways In Congress has been suf-
| fcfent to defeat the fsthmian canal prof.
| ect. Anathema and invective were hurled at
| the corporations without avail until there
cent legislation was enacted. Even then
| Senator Morgan insisted that the adoption
| OF the Panama route, which he declares to
| be impracticable. was at the instance of the
| railway corporations, which expectt to see
the project fall through and another long
| period OF delay ensue This view was shared
neither by the majority in Congress nor by
| the mcials who conducted the investiga-
| ton OF the Panama route.
| Notwithstanding the fact that Senator
Morgan so bitterly opposed the Panama
| project, he will be known in history as
the grand old man Of the isthmian canal
| For years he has been the authority upon
| the subject, and his efforts did more to
keep the project alive i'm Congress than
the efforts of any other individual. No
| credit will be taken from him because Of
| his attitude toward Panama in the last
| Congress. His sincerity behalf of the
| isthmian canal was never doubted for a
| moment. He was bound up in the Mica
| ragua project because he believed il to oe
| the only practicable route for a canal TO
| connect the two oceans He looked there
| fore. with suspicion upon all other sugges-
| tions, and deemed them but part of the
| old and continually appearing scheme to
| prevent water transportation between the
two coasts.
Rear Admiral John G.. Walker and the
members of the Isthmian Canal Commits
| sion will share in the general credit for the
| contamination of the great project. Their
| competent and conscientious efforts result
| ed in placing before Congress practical
data upon which legislation could be based.
| The American Congress was willing TO
| appropriate money for the construction of
| canal If it could be proved feasible. but
| until that commission reported Congress
| was never In possession OF the requisite
| information.
THE PRELIMINARY STEPS.
After the Congress OF Colombia ratfies the
treaty, which ratified by the United
States Senate at the last session of Con-
gress. and the property of the Panama
Canal Company Is passed over to the United
States another canal commission will take
| charge OF the work. 1t is expected that
Rear Admiral Walker will be placed at the
head OF the new commission. which I'M
doubtedly will include some members of the
existing organization. This commission.
| acting under direction of the. President of