At Omaha on Friday week Mr. Roosevelt spoke of the
progress of the Panama Canal, and made an important declaration of opinion as to the responsibility of the United States for fortifying the canal. He said that in 1908 and 1909 the monthly average of rock and earth removed was three million cubic yards. The canal would certainly be finished considerably in advance of the time fixed for its opening,—viz., January 1st, 1915. The Times correspondent says that Mr. Roosevelt used the following words when speaking of fortification : " We are in honour bound to fortify it ourselves, and only by so doing can we effectively guarantee its neutrality, and, moreover, effectually guarantee that it will not be used against us." We believe Mr. Roosevelt's declara- tion expresses, or will be found ultimately to express, the opinion of the American people. Armed control of the canal by the United States is the simplest solution of the difficulty, not only for the United States, but for the whole world.
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