THE CANAL AND THE TREATY. [To TEE Evrros or Tax
..arzczaros."l you kindly allow me the privilege of assuring your readers that the recent action of the Senate in passing, and of the President in signing, the Panama Canal Bill is deplored and indignantly resented by a large portion of the American people ? Their feeling of disgrace would be even deeper than it is if this act of perfidy should be considered representative of the whole nation. Many of the leading newspapers give expression to this widespread spirit of protest. Says the New York Times :— " The occasion of England's speaking is that the United States, in violation of its plighted faith, assumes to convert an enterprise of world proportions and world benefit into one of selfish advan- tage and discriminating interest. There are those who will profit by this, and there are others whose consciences are outraged by it. . . . We have pledged ourselves against discrimination, and we are enacting it, and the victims ask to be heard before they are plucked. . . . No man or interest who does not expect to profit by the plan has been heard to raise a defence of it."
And the Evening Post of New York declares that the passage of the Bill
"Is a greater disgrace to this country than would have been a naval defeat in the waters off Colon. We say this because it is our firm belief, and we think it was conclusively shown in the Senate by the speeches of Mr. Root and Mr. Burton, that this action is in clear violation of our treaty with Great Britain. It certainly is in flat disregard of the letter of that treaty, and it runs counter to its whole spirit. We induced England to surrender her right to joint control of the inter-oceanic canal by making to her certain promises, and one of these promises we now propose coolly to disregard."
These are but typical of the many voices raised in con-
demnation of those who have sold America's birthright for a mess of pottage.—I am, Sir, Ste., S. R. TABER Boston, Mum
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