Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-12

|
day after day with such earnest
ness that 1t had the satisfaction
Of seeing every one Of its con-
;entions embodied in the treaty
By the Senate And now IL has
the further satisfaction Of seeing
the same propositions advocated
by Secretary Hay accepted by the
British Government and made a
part Of the contract that settles a
dispute more than so years old.
II appeafs that yellow jour
nalism' can sometimes exert an
influence for good In more than
merely local matters. II has been
accused OF bringing on a great
war; IL can also do good work
for peace. When the commerce
Of the world Is flowing through a
purely AMERICAN CANAL
ACROSS THE NICARAGUAN
ISTHMUS The Journal will have
an additional claim to lite title:
AN AMERICAN PAPER FOR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE" Its
slogan was DIG THE CANAL"
Under the Hay Pauncefote
treaty. as finally accepted, the
United states had the right. when
engaged in war. 10 protect the
canal from all damage and in
Jurieb at the hands Of the enemy,
10 exclude the snfpS of such enc
mics from the use OF the canal
while the war lasts, and to de-
fend itself In the water adjacent
to the canal the same as in any
other water.
Canal the Real Issus.
Throughout the controversy as to
whether a canal through Nicaragua
or over the Isthmus OF Panama would
be the better route. the Hearst papers
advocating the former. made II clear
that in reality the issue at stake was
a canal
Dig the canal" dig the canal"
vas the Hearst newspapers slogan.
and in their night they had arrsyed
against them all the great monopolies
which opposed any canal for fear Of
Injury to their own selfish interests.
In February, 1909, after President
Roosevelt had sent to Congress
message calling attention TO the
unanimity OF the engineers in favor
OF lock canal. and declaring that
those who advocated a sea level ca
nal are opposed 20 building any canal
at all The New York American said
editorislly:
The statement Of the President
that the Sea-level advocates OPP
posed any canal Is intolerant and
untrue.
The New York American was
an earnest and outspOken advo-
cate OF an Isthmian canal before
Mr.. Roosevelt had ever expressed
public opinion OF any kind upon
the subject. and before an opinion
OF Mr.. Roosevelt upon any ques-
ton was regarded as OF any pub
lie importance.
And long before The American
came 20 advocate the canAl, The
San Francisco Examiner, of its
own journalistic household, was
pleading with all its power for
the great world waterway.
And long after Mr.. Roosevelt's
opinions have faded into the in
teresting hut not important" The
American and The Examiner and
the other papers. of the house
hold will be giving their many
voices and their potential infiu-
ence 20 tile Isthm'ah Canal
Mr.. Hearst Unbiased.
The papers believe in a canal
30 strongly and sincerely that
they believe in good canal-the
best canal obtainable by money
and brainS--and one buiIded 10 do
reliable service through the CEN
turtles.
On February "a. 1904. Mr.. Hearst.
| under his signature. showed that he
was for a canal and was not biased
in favor OF particular route.
He said. m part:
No American who has respect
for right and regard for the ma
tional' honor can approve Of what
the Roosevelt admins ton has
0nnG Ia
law has been ignored, treaty OBJ
legations broken, the Senate of
the United States defed; secession
encouraged and every Latin
American country in the herni-
sphere made TO feel fear and ha-
tired of this republic.
This course is not to be de-
Tended by honest men. II shocks
conscience and national pride.
But 1T is HOPELESS TO
EXPECT THAT WHICH HAS
BEEN DONE CAN BE IN
DONE.
The Democratic party must
face accomplished facts and an
existing political condition
Democrats should not and The
| American believes when II comes
10 a vote they viii not. allow
themselves TO be considered mere
| Obsruction1sts of the lsthmian
Canal project for which they so
long have fought.
Let the Democrats place them
| selves on record as believers in
| the Nicaragua route, but let them
not obstruct the prompt building
OF a canal across the Isthmus of
Panama.
We repeat that President
| Roosevelt has not acted with jus
tice or warrant of law, but what
mistakes he has made he and his
party are responsible for. and be
! and his party will be held to ac-
count for as the difficulties and
dangers OF the Panama enterprise.
| disclose themselves.
| Any Canal Is Cry.
| The Nicarauga route should
have been chosen. but as The
American. fighting through the
the years for the joining Of the
Atlantic and Pacific. has always
commended
Amy canal rather than none"
In spite OF the Spooner act, in
spite of the treaty with Colom-
bia, in spite OF International law.
President Roosevelt and the in
terests behind him have insisted
upon the Panama route.
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