The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-06
IAfPORTANTEV EVENT SIGHTED
IN EXCITEMENT.

In the general excitement Of the last
few days an important event, perhaps
IN its effects, has been al
most overlooked. It was chrOnicled in
a few lines in the daily press and then
apparently forgotten The event was
the sailing OF James Bryce, ambassador
TO the United States from Great
Britain. TO Chile and Panama
While in Panama Ambassador Bryce
VIII inspect the big American ditch.
The day after he sailed former Presi-
dent Roosevelt, at Omaha, declared
that to refuse to fortify the Panama
canal would be TO incur the contempt
Of the world, and, moreover. 1t would
be, IN its essence, treason ID the Re
public England Is the only nation
that could raise its hand against the
thing which Colonel Roosevelt stamps
as imperative TO American indie
Pendence and prestige, and as the for
mer President urges the people TO do
that thing, the Official representative
OF England IN America Is sailing to the
Isthmus to have look 81 the place
where It Is proposed the thing shall
be done.
Is 1t not patent that the Importance
Of Ambassador Bryoe's trip has been
under estimated?
While nations have a habit Of acting
first and telling the public about 1t
afterward, 1t IS probably not assum-
ing too much 10 state that one Of the
principal reasons for Mr.. Bryce's Jour
ney Is to get for his government specific
information on this question OF forti-
fication, upon which It can decide
whether 1t viii interpose the objection
10 which 1t may be technically entitled
II has been apparent to the civilized
world for several years that the United
States proposes TO fortify the Panama
canal As vet England has made no
objection. OF course, she has received
no official notice from this Govern
ment that the canal would he fortified,
and she probably viii receive none The
belief of those who have recommended
fertilization - among them, Colonel
Roosevelt-is that we have complete
authority for the undertaking The
Clayton BuIwer treaty of 1850 specific
ally prohibited fertilization OF the then
proposed canal The -Pauncefote
treaty of 1901, by which the Clayton
BuIwer treaty was sbrogated, and IN
der which this Government Is building
the canal, contains no such inhibition.
1t provides that the canal shall be
neutral, but by no stretch Of construc-
ton can It be held TO bind the United
States to keep it open 10 an enemy in
time OF war. Hence 1t Is quite reason
ably argued, the United States Is at
liberty to fortify It, for the purpose OF
closing it to an enemy and protecting
It from attack.
4 significant feature OF the situation
is the fact that our treaty with
Panama gives US specific authority to
fortify the canal, and that Great
Britain has never raised any objection
to that convention
England viii probably never question
our right to fortify the canal Eng
land, ike the rest of the civilized
world, realizes that our brains, our
energy, and our money are digging the
ditch; that while we intend It TO bene-
fit the civilized world commercially
that while we VIII keep it open to all
ships of commerce and war, even 10
those OF powers that may be al war
with each other, yet we VIII certainly
not run the risk of having 1t destroyed
OF used against US by power which
may be at war with us.
Colonel Roosevelt's declarations re-
garding the canal spring from common
sense and national patriotism. They
VIII receive the hearty Endorsement OF
the country