The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-02-17
BY JOHN F. WALLACE.
Former Engineer In Chief of the
Panama Canal, the first Amer
iran IL, cb,rn. &c Al. ,.,e.Lx
on the lsthmus.

SdldlJ AUG IlI6k HVlGI-
lean in charge Of the work
on the lsthmus.
Never in the history of the world
has such a monumental and important
enterprise been undertaken as the Pa
mama Canal, with less investigation
and information as to its operation
when completed or how it will effect
not only the United States but the
world from political and commercial
standpoint The transformation pos
sessed on this subject by politicians
of this country 1--WE seem to have no
statesmen and by the public at large
would fill the entire chain of Carnegie
Libraries to the roof tops.
A speaker on this subject at a recent
convention at New Orleans, in explain
ing the advantage of the construction
of the Panama Canal to the NIissis-
sippi Valley, laid great emphasis on
the fact that it would enable that sec
ton of the country to pour its manu-
mactures and produce into Brazil with
out being compelled to go around Cape
Horn, which statement received great
applause.
When it is considered that more
than 80 per cent. of the products of
South America reach the Atlantic sea-
board, and that there is only com
paratively small strip of territory tri-
butary to the ports on the west coast
it can readily be seen that only a
small amount of additional traffic can
possibly accrue to the Mississippi Val
ley and central portions of the United
States from this source.
The construction of the canal itself
does not change the comparative rela-
tionships now existent as to commerce
between these and other countries and
the United States, or the relationships
of foreign countries at present pos
sensing and controlling that trade.
This same general statement applies
to all classes of trade between ports
on the Atlantic seaboard and ports of
foreign countries, the traffic to and
from which will naturally follow this
route.
1t seems to be overlooked that the
construction of the canal itself cannot
increase the tonnage of the worlds
commerce. 1t can and will revolution
ize and radically change the present
routing of that commerce to such an
extent as low rates of freight may
operate in that direction. 1t will, of
course, stimulate certain localities in
the competition for commerce with
other quarters of the world. The bene-
fit to the United States will not neces-
sarily come from the construction of
the canal, as its commerce will still
occupy the same relative position in
regular competition as it does now.
The great benefit to the country will
be in the way of awakening and stimu-
lating our people with progressive
ideas in increasing the efficiency OF
| our merchant lldlllSS anu IhOASDJ wa
tivating our foreign trade relations in
order to properly compete with other
nations.
No truer words were ever uttered
than those by M. Claude Casimir-
Perier in an address at a recent meet
ing of the New York Chamber of Com
merce, who, as the official representa-
tive of the French Government, has
been making an inquiry into the Pa
mama Canal, and who, in summing VI
his forthcoming report to his Govern
ment said, Prepare for the Panama
Canal"
The United States so far has done
practically nothing toward preparing
the fundamental conditions to enable