The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-22
Friendship May Mark Trade Routes


Hearings now being held in a dozen
cities OF both countries by the United
States and Canadian joint commission
to consider connecting the st. Law
renee river and the Great Lakes by
canal system, awaken new inter-
est in the nearly 1000 miles of border
that separates this country from its
neighoor to the north" says a bull
letin issued by the National Geograph-
ic Society.
The boundary between the two
great English speaking countries OF
America" continues the bulletin, "giv-
ang them Joint ownership of some
tf the greatest lakes of the world as
well as river Of prime importance
holds possibilities for development
overlooked by many Of the citizen
stockholders on both sides Of the
jne. The single scheme now under
discussion for the construction Of
canals to handle ocean-going ships
fol>s-sLadows a work that would rival
in magnitude and Importance even
the epoch-making engineering feats
at Panama. With huge canals con-
nectiny the waters of the Great Lakes
and the st. Lawrence, ships capable
Of negotiating any weather could sail
with tie ore, coal, and gSain of the
western United States and Canada,
directly any port Of the Seven Seas,
Borde. Line Once Badly Tangled
Discussion by the two countries
of the feasibility of engaging jointly
in the development OF their border
waters is in contrast with some of
the stormy incidents in which the
boundary has figured. known in re-
cent years as the border without
forts and come at last TO be re-
garded as line of ainity and friend
ship, it is perhaps not generally real
ICED now that until the cumulative
efforts Of years resulted not long age
In the settlement Of some long-stand-
ing disputes, the United States-Cana-
dian boundary was the source Of all
most continual Misunderstanding. Many
times there were unpleasant Incl
dents, twice the countries were on
the verge Of war, and for well over
a hundred years after the close OF
the Revolutionary War diplomats
commissioners, and even neutral kings
and emperors' acting as arbitrators
were kept busy trying to suaighter
out of many snarls into which
border line can become tangled.
Much Of the trouble in regard tC
the boundary resulted from ignorance
of the geography Of the country or
the part Of the early negotiators. The
St. Croix Rivers, which the earliest
treaty stated should form the eastern
line of the Marne at the very start
ing point Of the international boun
dairy was not satisfactorily identified
at first, and this caused friction fol
some years,
a second geographical error--th'
assumption that the Lake Of tn
Woods drained into Lake Superior
IS responsible for the rather indefi
mite boundary Of small lakes ant
brooks between the two large lakes
The belief that the Mississippi rivel
had its source in Canada, and fielC
notes in accordance with that belief
has brought about the existence Of ;
tract Of land Of a hundred squar'
miles, cut off on a peninsula on tn
1rthern shore Of the Lake Of tn
'ocis, practically surrounded b,
{ madam territory, and many mile
t.rs the water from other land o
t United States.
,2us las Mistake Created Illogical
Boundary
Ia connection with still anothe