The Washington herald., 1911-12-04

bring to the ports of the United States
| and Latin America vessels Of every faz
providing them with abundant shipping
| facilities and adding greatly to their pros
| perity. 1t will inaugurate a new COM
/ merce between the Atlantic and Gulf
! coasts of the United States and the ports
of Asia and Australia, which otherwise
would use Suez Canal or not exist at ALL
1t will encourage our sister republics to
| develop their merchant marine and make
them feel that the canal is for their good
as we'll as that of the United States. II
will be the only effective influence to take
away a considerable proportion Of the
| traffic of the Suez Canal which ought
| to come to Panama and OF that trade
which otherwise never will tax the Pan
anna route in preference to SLez. 1t will
settle Immediately the treaty issues with
foreign countries as to determinations in
tolls against them in trade between tbs
United States and foreign lands and still
allow every advantage to American YES
sells in the coastweise trade between the
Atlantic and Pacific ports of the United
States. 1t will. In short, mean the differ
ence at the very start between a busy
canal doing a great business. with con-
sequent profit to the industries OF the
United States, and a dull canal doing
small business. with disappointment
everywhere in the United States that so
| little good is being derived from a water
way costing 1000.
AS to the railways. the argument that
free canal will seriously injure their
business Is not we'll founded. 1t is as
| Illogical as the contention OF bygone days
that they could not stand the competition
of the rivers, the lakes. and seas-as
ridiculous as to say that railways be-
and New Orleans, Seattle and San Fran
| cisco, Pittsburg and st. Louis, Buffalo
and Detroit could not operate success
fully between these points because of
water competition. Added to this is also
the inevitable and rapid growth and de-
velopment and additional prosperity OF
the Pacific Coast and Central West re-
sulting from the canal which will reflect
on the railroads and more than make
up in a few years for any previous loss
of business through the canal. The trans
continental railways, according to the
preCedents of economic evolution and the
history and tendency OF transportation
conditions and influences, should favor a
free canal instead OF opposing it. In
ten years they will wonder why they
were so unwise as to antagOnize the ca
nal. and will rejoice at the new prosperity
and filling up of the country which will
result from the canal.
The fact that the two oceans have not
been connected at Panama sooner is an
accident of creation, and Col. Goethals,
backed by the United States government.
is now doing what the Creator seemingly
forgot to do in that busy formative time.
Had He done it. the route would be as
free forever to the ships OF the world as
States government, in executing His de-
layed will, afford to remove the physical
barrier of the isthmus and then raise an
artificial barrier of tolls in an apparent
defiance of His purpose in providing the
earth with free ship-carrying waters?
Let Congress make the canal free. and
the celebration of its opening will be
the greatest event in the history of this
commerce not only OF the United States
but of all nations.