HENRY C. TAYLOR. 185 
should be quite as urgent to hold a controlling interest 
in it, as a pillar of strength in peace and in war. 
Nicaragua has cordially offered to our government 
canal rights of inestimable importance. It is not for us 
to Know what wise reasons caused our government to 
decline this offer. Nicaragua has now and for years 
offered to certain of our citizens a liberal concession for 
the construction of a canal. These citizens are to-day 
unable to accept the offer, though anxious to do so, be- 
cause the fatal apathy of our capitalists and merchants 
denies to this project the assurance of financial support. 
So blind are they to the immense profits accruing from 
this project, both to themselves and to the country, and 
vet so keen to see smaller gains in smaller and less 
secure enterprises, that we are driven to believe at last 
the old story of the man who saw with ease the flies on 
the barn door, but could not discern the door itself. 
Fortunately, light is now dawning, and there is good 
reason to expect that the next few months will see 
American citizens of wealth and reputation entering 
upon this great project, and identifying themselves 
with this, the greatest of peaceful achievements known 
fo our century. 
Let us hope that it will come by peaceful means, that 
in this instance ‘‘grim-visaged war’’ will not enter into 
the problem, but that the great canal may draw nations 
closer together in the bonds of peaceful trade and of en- 
lightening commerce. Let us think of it as doing for 
us what we so sorely need, building up for us a vast 
coastwise traffic of sea-going ships between our At- 
lantic and Pacific coasts, leading surely to a new 
birth of that great American shipping which died in our 
civil war. Let us, looking hopefully into the future, 
see the canal bringing nearer to us the brave republic of 
Chili and its neighbors, see it binding Australia and 
New Zealand to England, Manilla and the Philippines 
69 
