Arizona republican., 1911-01-22

2 canal is shown again in the passage of the Spooner act in 1902. directing the president to build the canal and make proper defenses. The treaty with Pa mama re-affirms the treaty with Eng land made in 1900 and expressly gives the United States the power of forti fication.
 The right of the United States to fortify the canal and close it against use by an enemy in time of war be- ing established. what should be its policy? We build the canal to help defend the country not to help the enemy attack. Even if practical neu- tralization of the canal agreements by all nations could be secured to us when we are engaged in war the en- emy could then use the canal for transit to attack in both oceans. We propose to use it to defend ourselves.
 After expending $5O0000.000 thus to make our national defense easier. are we to surrender half the military value of the canal by giving the ben eft of it to a nation seeking to de- stroy us? It seems to me that the very statement of the proposition car rieS its refutation.
 But, it is said, that we ought to defend the canal by our navy. l am not d strategist; l am not a military or a naval expert; but it seems tO me that a navy is for the purpose of defense through offensive. for the purpose of protection by attack. and that if we have to retain a part of our navy in order to defend the canal on both sides the canal be- comes d burden and not an instru ment of defense at all
 The canal ought to defend itself, and We ought to have Qualifications there which would be powerful enough to keep off the navies of any nation that might possibly attack us
 Again. under our treaty with Eng land and other countries. it is we who guarantee the neutrality of the canal Not other countries that guar antee it to us and We are bound. if we conform to the treaty with Eng land, to put ourselves in such con dition that we can perform our guar anty.
 But, it is said, that We would in duce all the powers to come in and consent to the neutrality of the canal as a treaty obligation. We should be glad to do this, if possible, but even if we do this can we feel entirely safe by reason of that agreement from possible injury of the canal by some irresponsible belligerent?
 Then. it is said that the fortifi cations are going to cost S50,00O.000. This is an error. The entire cost of the canal Qualifications is $12,000,000. That. I submit, constitutes hardly more than two per cent of the cost of the canal-a first premium for in surfing its safety that is not exces- sive"
 Tt is said that it will cost S5. .00O. 900 to maintain Qualifications yearly. The war department advises that the ad ditional government cost of maintain ing the Qualifications and military es- tablishments in time of peace, due to the Qualifications of the canal would not exceed half d million dollars an annual insurance rate after the first cost, of d tenth of one per cent.
 T yield to no one in my love If peace. my hatred war. and my earn est desire to avoid war. I believe we have made great strides toward peace within the last decade. No one that I know of goes further in favor of settling international controversies by arbitration than I do and if l have my way, and am able to secure the assent of the other powers. shall sub init to the senate arbitration treaties broader in their terms than any which that body heretofore has rati- fled and broader than any that now exist between nations.
 Tn laying down my office, l can leave no greater claim to the grati- tude of my country than having se- cured such treaties, but I cannot per init myself in an enthusiastic desire to secure universal peace to blind myself to the possibilities of war. We have not reached a time when we can count upon settlement of all inter- national controversies by the arbtra ton of a tribunal"
 The Pennsylvania society dinner was also notable for the presentation to Andrew Carnegie of the society's gold medal. awarded annually for dis tinguished achievements. Mir Carne- gie spoke his acknowledgement. other speakers were Jos. Choate. former ambassador to Great Britain, and Governor Dix. Among those at the presidents table were Captain Rob ert F.. Peary. Attorney General Wick ersham and Secretary Knox.