The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-26

Nv HEN the ohltea States sosein
M ment decided to adopt the Pan
w anna route for an isthmian canal
the United States bought out the French
interests for s40,0O0,OO0, and bought strip
of land 10 miles wide for which she PAID
$40 600 600 to Panama. What between the
purchases made and the payment for con-
struction the canal will most likely rep
resent $50oOo0,000 before a ship passes
through 1t. But 1t is worth the money
If for no other purpose than to show what
American brains and Drawn can do.
In 1850 the United States and Great
Britain entered into treaty in contem-
plation of the building of an interoceanic
canal by way of Lake Nicaragua, THIS be-
ing known as the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
In this treaty no mention is made as to
how or by whom the canal was to be
constructed but the impression is given
that 1t might be constructed by private
enterprise and both the contracting pow
ers bound themselves to protect 1t and
preserve its neutrality. and "that the
parties constructing or owning the Same
(the canal shall impose no other charges
or conditions of traffic thereupon tnan
the aforesaid governments shall approve
of as lust and equitable; and that the
same canal, being open to the citizens
and subjects of the United states and
Great Britain on equal terms, shall also
he omen on like terms to the citizens and
subjects of every other state which is
willing to grant thereto such protection
as the United states and Great Britain
rt-t. Il -1In ttnt1 tG a
from article of the treaty and relates
solely to the protection of the canal, the
preservation of its neutrality and the
admission of all other nations to its BEN
efits on equal terms subject to similar
conditions.
In 1901 the Hay-Pauncefote treaty was
signed. This treaty, after setting forth
in it's preamble the purpose for which 1t
is made, adopts the general principle"
of neutrality expressed in article of
the Clayton Bulwer treaty and proceeds
along new and different lines, as may be
seen.
Article l. The high contracting parties
agree that the present treaty (Hay-
Pauncefote) shall supersede the aforemen-
toned convention Clayton Bulwer treaty.
of April 49, 1850.
Article 2. 1t is agreed that the canal
may be constructed under the auspices of
the government of the United States,
either directly at its own cost or by gift
or loan of money to individuals or cor
porations or through subscription to or
purchase of stock or shares, and that, SUB
iect to the provisions of the present treaty,
the said government the United States)
shall have and enjoy all the rights Incl
dent TO such construction, as well as the
exclusive right of providing for the reg
ulation and management of the canal.
According to article 2, nothing could be
more plainly expressed than that the
United states, under 1.-The rights incident
to such construction has the right to
pass her own shipping through the canal
free of tolls. If this be not so, what
l',.rights'' are incident to the enormous
labor and expenditure of s500,0oo,ooO? II an
earthquake occurred tomorrow or 10 years
hence and the Gatum dam were demol-
ished, and the mountains sNd into the
Calubra cut, could or would the United
States make demand upon Great Britain
or any other nation for one dollar as
compensation for her loss? The United
States has been called some very bad
names by Great Britain and other nations,
but none of them ever thought of calling
the United States a fool. and who, other
than a fool would agree to such propo-
sition as Great Britain attempts to make
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty express?
There are two rights guaranteed to the
United States in the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty. the right incident to construction
of the canal, and the right of regulation
and management of the canal. What the
rights incident to construction at ones
own cost are may be ascertained asking
| "a man who builds hotel what he would
think of the other guests insisting that he
charge his own family the same rates as
they pay He would say, II spent 81, &c.,
COO of my own money on the construction
| of this hotel, l took the risk whether it
would pay or not If guests come l ac-
| con1nodate them ~ rates fair and equal
| to all, but it is my right, as the owner
and builder, to give my family board and
lodging free" There's the answer to
Great Britain, and there need be no quib-