The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-10-05

Precautions will also be taken II
time of war between any natlons &c
prevent the sinking of a ship in tn,
canal to obstruct the passage of @
| fleet.
There is little doubt of the ability
of the United States to fortify the
| canal effectively. Whether or not II
has the right to do so according to
the agreement with Great Britain
is more involved question.
Apart from the treaty considera-
tiOns the right of the United States
cannot be questioned. nhe United
States controls the ten-mlle strip
through which the canal runs as
much as 1t controls the Philippine
Islands. This country spent hund-
reds of millions of dollars to dig
the waterway. The right of the
United States to erect what fortifi-
cations it pleases within its own ter
rltory and to defend its own poss-
essions cannot be questioned.
Those who object to the fortifi-
cations are either Militant advo-
Gates" or the universal peace, notable
Gen. j. Warren Refer of Ohio, whose
reasons were based on anti-war
sentiment, or persons who hold that
ii is contrary 10 the spirit if the
Hay -Pauncofctc treaty with Great
Britain
Against the peace advocates there
Is only one argument, whether It is
wise or foolish to promote the cause
of universal peace by exposing to the
H.
the Vaccinations of an individual
with stick of dynamite, the water
way which has cost hundreds of mill
lions and which viii be of meal
culable value to the commerce of
the world.
As to the treaty itself-there Is NJ
clause which stands In the way of the
fertilization of the canal. The treaty
cmbodies some Of the international
treaties regarding ths Suez canal but
not all of them and as the circum-
stances under which It will have beeh
| built and administered are quite diff
| rerent from those affecting the Suez
route, it Is not contended that all the
regulations adopted in the case OF
the latter canal apply to the Panama
canal.
The treaty itself, therefore, does
not specify whether or not the canal
shall be fortified. II does, however,
stipulatc that It shall be neutral This
| was the purpose of the framing of the
treaty. The object of Great Britain
was to obtain from the United States
assurance that the control of the canal
would not be exercised by the United
| States for the benefit of any country
as against another country in time
OF war. As an example If Germany
were to fight Japan the United States
was not to open the canal TO Ger
many and close 1t to Japan or vice
versa nor was II 10 allow either coun-
try to secure an advantage over the
other by bOttling up the canal.
This being the case, army and navy
experts point out 1t Is not only the
privilege but the obligation of the
United states to fortify the canal IN
order that its provisions may be guar,
anteed and that the provisions of the
Hay -Pauncefote treaty may be strict
Fly observed.
The plans of the board of fortified
uons are now before President Taft
Congress will take them up at it's next
session and the question will be de-
cided once for all.
Banks that adopt any sort of de-
vice to conceal a part of their liabil-
tiles may look for trouble hereafter
at the hands of Lawrence o. Murray,
comptroller Of the currency. This
practice" he says, which is growing
fast, Is usually about as follows;
"A certain amount of paper of a
national bank desiring a loan is sold
to the directors Of the bank, who give
their note in payment. The directors
then obtain a loan from correspond
ent bank In their own name, deposit
Ing the purchased paper as collateral
The proceeds Of the loan, however
are deposited to the credit OF the
|