The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-09
SOUTH FAVORS
PANAMA CANAL
CAUSE AND EFFECT OF SENATOR
GORNfANss OPPOSITION.
A Commercial and Not Political
Question-Gulf Ports vitality Inter-
ested-Nearer Shanghai via Panama
Than Liverpool Is via suez-Prom-
ises a New Era OF Prosperity.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building.

:. .H $50
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,
| Washington.
| Washington, Jan. 9.-The secret.of
Senator Gormans opposition to the
Panama treaty is. Just becoming
known. 1t was supposed for a time
that he was moved by a desire I'd
make politics., and was casting about
to see If the democratic party could
not score a point somewhere-in the adj
nlhlstratlon,s Panama program. Poll
tiles did to some extent control him,
but 1t is now pretty we'll understood
that Germans principal reason for
opposing the treaty lay in his desire
to serve the interests of the transcon-
tinental lines, which have opposed a
canal from the beginning.
THESE railways delayed action in
the American congress for years, and
| during the last. few sessions they
played Panama against Nicaragua
with zeal and skill worthy of a bet
ter cause. They had something to do
with the miscarriage of events at
Bogota, and having failed there, made
final stand, thru Senator German, for
the defeat Of the treaty in the Ameri-
can senate.
German, of course. was willing to
hide his real motives under the claim
| that he was trying to play politics, y
but his opposition to the canal treaty
has ruined his chances for being the
| democratic presidential candidate.
Before his Panama policy became un-
derstood he stood we'll with the south
ern states, on account of his vicious
anti-negro campaign in Maryland last
fall. But now his nomination would
create a, bolt il@ the: democratic party
similar to the republican bolt which
would follow. the. defeat of Roosevelt
and the nomination of some one else.
The trade opportunities to be opened
thru an isthmian= canal appeal strong
ly to southern business men, especial
ly in the states bordering on the Gulf
of Mexico. The Carolinas are also
deeply interested, and business men
from those. sections are at q loss to
understand Germans position. which
has caused a loss Of confidence in him
as a leader. s!
Will Vote for Ratification.
1t has been estimated that of the
fourteen democratic senator's repre-
senting the gulf states-Florida, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas and the two Carolinas, two
thirds, and perhaps three-fourths will
vote for ratification. The reason for
this is easily learned. The distance
from New Orleans and all gulf ports
| as well as from ports of the Carolinas,
is shorter to Shanghai, by way of the
by way of the 'Suez canal from Bremen
Hamburg, Liverpool or Southampton.
1t is even said that this estimate in
cludes New York, with several hun
dred miles toss spare.
Southern states will expect to carry
on a thriving business thru the canal
and cut heavily into the rich trade
now carried on with the orient by
western Europe. The Importance of
New Orleans as a shipping point, with
the whole Mississippi valley to draw
upon, will be greatly increased. Other
gulf ports, as well as the coast cities
Of the Carolinas,. will increase in i'm
portance, and northern railway sys-
TENS will be extended to the gulf, at
half a dozen different points, and to
southern Atlantic ports as we'll. All
of which may mean the beginning of
an era of commercial and manufacture
ing prosperity. such as the south never
has known. D -, !.
Public sentiment in the south re-
garding Panama is said to be as ia
vorable to the administration as it. is
in the north Indeed, the south has
had mo such direct and personal in
terest in any national question for
many years as. it now has in the ques-
ton of building an isthmian canal,
and building it by that route which
will mean quickest completion, name
ly. Panama. In going against this
sentiment, Senator German got hold
of a gun which was loaded at both
ends.
w. w. Jermane