New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-02
THE TST8MUS SETTLEMENT.

Owing to fortutous circumstances OF
peculiarly fortunate character the interVeh-
tion on the Isthmus of Panama has resulted III
the cessation of hOstilities between the Coion-
han Government and the insurrectlonary
forces and the Washington Administration Is
enabled TO congratulate itself on the success Oh
tho ernedtion. But the whole incident VIII
have been of little use if it does not convince
the American people that the treaty with the
limited States of Colombia entails Responsible
ties mon this country which are too considera-
BILE not to require compensatory advantages
such as the treaty does not afford. Inc oni'cu
States is under obligations to maintain the Tree
dom OF transit on the lsthmus; but IL Is given
no such privileges as would facilitate the per-
Torrance of this duty if any OF the great
European Powers should be concerned 10
nreyent or forestall American action III that
region.
In the case lust concluded we have been sue
cessful because all the conditions were favor
able to us. There was no local authority possess
ing either the inclination or the power to oppose
no and no European Power was in condition
to interpOse, even supposing that desire lo'
such interposition had existed. But we cannot
calcuiate on the same fortunate combination Oh
circumstances al ways, and therefore 1t Is neces-
sarv to ask what we should or could do IN
similar case, if there was disposition on the
part of any Power possessing strong navy 10
oppose our action on the lsthmus. Nhere
few hundred marines can master the situation
we are fully competent to act but II IL were
question of ironclads where should we ne
Clearly be as helpless and impotent, Tor any
service demanding promptness ana energy, as
Aizpuru was when our marines confronted hiIn'
The fact is that at present we can only NAM
tain our treaty stipulations by the courtesy OF
the rest of the world and that Is an essentially
unstable condition of things. Whenever the
question of Isthmus transit comes To be vital to
great maritime Power, our control there Is
liable IN be brushed aside summarily, and we
can only protest If, therefore, it is desirable or
even necessary that the United States should
exercise sovereignty at critical junctures over
Istbmus transit, for the purpose of keeping it
omen 10 all the world, it should be plain that
some firmer hold on the lsthmus must be ac-
ouired. This can be done in one of two ways
either by maintaining dominant naval force
ON both sides of the lsthmus, or by
controlling land Notifications. AS to the
first method, the prospect Tor It's adoption is
very poor, Congress being as yet unable to per-
ceive that the country has any need OF an
effective navy AS to the second method, the
limited States of Colombia might be subsidized
to construct defensive works, which will be the
more necessary when Tor i) the canal is com
Melted. But should neither of these precautions
be adopted, it can scarcely bs doubted that
time will come when our blind optimism will
cause US TO occupy position alike humiiating
and dangerous, and when we shall lose all the
normal advantages of our geographical situation,
simply because we have obstinately refused 10
believe that the future can have any menace OF
anv change for us.