The San Francisco call., 1904-03-16
Great Throng Cheers
Name of President
Roosevelt.

But there are elements OF certainty attend
ing the construction of the Panama canal
rising by contemplation even to the dignity OF
1nfallibiHty. They may be called into view
by negative and affirmative generalizatons
First, of the negative generaizations: IT
cannot be possible that the emancipation OF
ocean commerce from the slavery Of seven
thousand miles of useless sea transportation
can be other than good to mankind
Every object of commerce is enhanced IN
value by reducing the cost Of its movement
If the construction of this waterway can, by
any possibility, work hardship to any por-
ton OF the world, 1t Will be because the por-
tlon injured seeks TO perpetuate the advan-
tages II enjoys at the expense of the highest
good of mankind.
struction of the Panama canal is in the in
terest of mankind at large And it is we'll
opinions of my mind. that whatever is best for
humanity as whole is best for every separ-
ate portion of the human family;
The affirmative concentrations have far
reaching significance. All nations will be in
terested in its completion because it viii
casion for war by augmenting the value and
blessing of peace.
All Industry of all countries will partake
OF its blessing because commerce is the hand
maiden of industry and lies at the very basis
Ol s Of b Pscd OCEAN % e1ab@ bS m ne touch
of magic by merging the tragic stage Of the the
isolation of the Pacific. 1t VIII contribute to
the awakening of the vast population OF the
Orient by causing the spirit of modern progress
velopment.
To our nation it will be a guarantee of
commercial prmacy in the commerce of the
Pacific Ocean When we acquired possessions
in the Orient and assumed sovereignty over
s, 000,0 GEO of people we became a factor in all
meaningfu movements among the nations Of
the Orient. With the acquisition of Oriental
territory assumed higher duties to ourselves
and broadened responsibilities to the world.
The acceptance of this relation with the
Orient made the construction of the Panama
canal national necessity.
GAINS TO CALIFORNIA.
Coming nearer home the Panama canal will
give to the States of the Pacific Coast a closer
commercial intimacy with Europe and to the
people of the Atlantic Coast a better
mercial relation with the Orient Whether car
ried by land or by sea the Panama canal will
and thus identity the common interests OF the
eastern and western portions of our country
and weld them into closer commercial relation
ship.
1t will turn the face of industry from the
interior of our country to the eastward and
westward oceans which wash its shores 1t
will increase the military and naval power
of our nation without increasing the mag
nitude of our military and naval establish
nents, and by thus augmenting our power
promote influence in the councils OF the
nations. In all these blessings to the world
and to the nation we Will be full and free
partakers.
To our own commonwealth it will confer
the blessing of reducing the cost to of all
our imports and increasing the value OF al
exports, by enforcing cheap rates of trans
DOrtdt10n
highways of the ocean controlling factors in
the commercial and industrial development Of
our State. 1t will make San Francisco port
of cheap tonnage and consequently a port Of
distribution. These two factors lie at the very
basis of all commercial greatness
In all history the material progress of man
kind has depended upon the science of en-
gineerng The engineer has been the pioneer
of civilization in all ages To his genius aud
knowledge we owe all the victories we have
achieved over time and space The iron ways
of overland commerce. which have conquered
across wide oceans without missing beat
of its iron heart from shore to shore" the
discovery and transmission of electrical power.
with all other mastery of physical forces.
due TO the civil engineer. The summit of
gineering triumph. will have been reached in
history with the completion of the Panama
canal. No other undertaking is comparable
with it In the magnitude OF the difficulties TO
be overcome. fraught with greater blessing
to mankind than the objects to be obtained by
its construction.
Such is the nobility Of the great office to
which our friend the honored guest of this
occasion has been called, and such the broad
philanthropy of the great work in whose con-
struction he is to bear honorable share. 1
felcitate him and ourselves that he has re-
ceiVed his appointment the hands of a
President to whose patriotism, continuity of
plIrpose and executive force the Panama canal
when completed. will be perpetual memorial
COMMERCE. OF THE PACIFIC.
William J. Dutton, chairman of the
cor77r1oittea Of tho re-,