New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-30
LETTERS TO THE EDITOp
BUILDING THE PANAMA cAyar
Height of the Argument" for the Upit.S
States Doing the Work.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In discussing the action OF the rover,us,s
with reference 10 the Panama question tn. --sS
une has taken high ground. and. believe. N. co--
position. yet II has not risen 70 the sh.v,,
the argument" The treaty OF 1876 give. - 49,
United States certain rights and privileges ana An.
ties with reference to a canal which belong 20 :.
other nation. The great object Of that treaty ma.
the building OF the canal This should be car..s
out az all hazards. Changed relations NAV eba,v-
other obligations. but not this the main thing
The consent OF Colombia or Panama Is not n.c..-
sary for the building OF this canal that Is OF NOR,
Importance than the existence OF these gov.rn-
ments. Government does not rest on tie con..r,
OF the governed. That Is falIacy that should \.
exploded. That consent Is important for the sta
bily OF the government. but not for It's exist,n..
Life is made up of relations. and there are grade.
OF high and higher and highest The highest Ar,
supreme. and all below must give way. Individual
ism must yield to collectvism President Roossv.I.
takes high ground when he appeals to The author.
ity of a collective civilization" CommerclaIsr,
the spirit of gain, Is not high enough ground nor
imperialism. the spirit OF empire II may becou.
necessary to extend empire for higher ends and
there need be no fear OF the result II may 30 IN,
highest duty, and at any cost
The general principle is that the lower nav 4.
brought up 70 the point where It Is necessary N
the higher. and there IL must yield to the higher
When the Laekawanna Railroad was building 4,
the Cohocton Valley, II swept out Of its way horass
Am
nent domain" This same principle IN a larger
sense applies to the building Of the Panama Canal
The President called ii collective Civilization.
others call it international domain" There 4,
larger principle yet OF pre-eminent domain Pr.,,-
dent Mckinley brought out this position in ons =.
his messages concerning Cuba. when he asse-t..
Providence. The great OF the Senate war.
afraid 70 use this word. and argued on the low
plane OF commercIalism. and ODposers cried I'm
periaHsm' The same is true in the Panama d.
bate. They are either afraid 70 say God or Ignors
Him. Secretary Seward appealed to a higher law"
and this Is the last and highest appeal Providence
shows manifest destiny and when He manfests
destiny IL is the duty OF those in whose hands tas
work Is &C 80 forward
There Is. believe, a Christian civilization
through which Providence Is working out HIS
great ends: and the AngloSaxOn race Is being used
10 promote these eEds. We are peculiarly prov.-
Dental nation. and never more so than now. Prov
tdence has rights supreme. greater than those Of
individuals or even nations. Through the ares
one Increasing purpose runs" Canaan had lors
possessed the land. but God gave II to His chosen
people and babe Joshua possess it. Canaan had
forfeited her rights. and her land was needed ,or
higher purposes. The Indians had superior
rights 10 America SaVaseTy ana heaIhendom may
not stand IN the way OF clVliizauon order, sdnca-
JiOn. commerce and religion must have the right
Left 40 themselves the people Of Colombia would
have made no OF the almost inpasSable iua-
giles and swampS Of Panama. BY right OF pre-smi-
nent domain the United States should build the
canal and the hand OF Providence points plainly
TO the present as the time. We believe that thu
treaty of 1916 gives US the right to build l. and the
this duty upon us. The height OF the argument
il ''to assert eternal Providence" world domain
demands the canal and the progress Of elyiizaIIoa
Campbell y. y. Jan. Is. 1904