The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-13
Brooklyn Eagle

American Unrest.
Brooklyn Eagle. =.
\ treaty between this country and CO.
lombia imposes upon this Nation the duty
Of efficaciousiy and positively preserving
the perfect neutrality OF the Isthmus OF
Panama, 10 the end that free transit from
the one to the other sea may not be inter-
rupted or embarrassed" A few days ago
this transi: was interrupted for about an
hour. This was long enough TO serve a
purpose. II enabled the Panama Railroad
authorities to raise a cry of alarm. Ii also
furnished the State Department with q
case. Accordingly. the gunboat Machias is
on her way 10 Colon and a big battleship
is TO sail from Puget sound 10 San Fran
cisco, there TO be in readiness TO start for
the isthmus. Colon is on the northern
coast Of Panama. and owes its origin TO the
Panama Railroad Company. 40 for Pan
anna itself. II is one OF nine states known
as Colombia, 8 republic whose governments
al forms bear some resemblance 10 those
of the United States-on paper, whatever
may be said OF their operation IN practice.
IL is not the first time that traffic across
the isthmush has been interfered with. There
was a revolutionary outbreak there about
sixteen years ago, when Panama was cap
tured and Colon reduced 10 ashes. Then
an American admiral made his appearances
on the scene. He garrisoned Colon and
Matachin, opened the line and notified the
combatants that they would have 10 agree
TO disagree elsewhere. This disconnected
the opposition, precipitated a owwow in
which the American admiral participated,
and resulted in a capitulation. 1t viii thus
be seen that the show of force made by the
United States cleared the atmosphere. liz
Will also thus be seen that, Irrespective OF
the merits of the revolutionary ease, il
turned the tide against the insurgents, a
tide which up to that time seemed TO be
running in their favor.
1 If.tAr = rAAnneH.& f4aATE - g.
men have just held up a Panama Railroad
train. They captured some government Of
icials and are said 10 have shot a respec-
table woman of advanced years. IL has
been explained. however. that the shooting
was not incidental TO the stoppage OF the
train. 1t should also be explained, as al
| ready minated. that the treaty with this
country is no small part OF the stock in
trade of whichever party happens 10 be in
ders sent TO the commander of the Machias
distinctly s~tipulate hat he shall do nothing
whatever calculated 10 create OF 10 spread
the impression that this country looks up
on revolutionists as belligerents. Not that
Lieutenant Commander Nathan Sargent Is
to take sides. On the contrary. he IS TO be
quite impartial. but the government OF the
South American republic faVors free COM
munication across the isthmus. the insur-
gents palpably do nothing OF the kind and
the commander must 20 this extent make a
choice between the two, which Is eQuiNa-
lent TO saying that within certain well-de-
fined limits he is TO frown on insurrection.
The treaty. therefore. h a handy thing for
the IN government 10 have among
its archives. In the event or "A crisis It's
policy should be TO coax the insurgents 10
the isthmus. after which "A gunboat and
possibly a battleship can easily be coaNcd
from the State Department, the rest being
comparatively easy. Before the Machias
steams into the Caribbean, however, the
war may be over. A force OF more than a
hundred government men is on its way TO
the seat OF trouble and there are possible
ties that still another hundred may be or
dered out. The government means busi-
ness.
Colombia divides Venezuela and Ecua-
dor. Castro is President OF Venezuela.
but his popularity is not what IL was.
In Ecuador there are men who entertain
the notion that three republics could be
tage TO all concerned, providing, OF course.
that Ecuador kept I'm its own pocket
the key to the combination. This Is one
of the side issues and Is significant
only as a slight contribution Co the gen.
eral confusion. the arch-Mephistopheles
being the Venezuelan President. Long
BILE about a boundary line. IL is a
dead and gone controversy, but II lives
I'm memory and rankles there. The net
effect is that Nenezuelans and Colom-
bians believe each other to be a most
unworthy lot. When a South American
Presidents foothold is becoming slippery
the orthodox thing TO do is 10 look for
a chip on the shoulder OF "a neighboring
country: OF course. IL. is usually there.
And, OF course, there is no difficulty I'm
IS said to be playing now with the in
of placing sand on his slippery footholo.
1t is intimated that he has gone so far
as TO foment the Colombian revolution.
with the object of so incensing the CO.
lOmbians that they will thirst for Ven
ezuelan blood. This is rather intricate
and roundabout, but South American
methods always successfully challenge
northern comprehension. and Castro IL
described as a master in the art OF In
trigue. All this is stated I'm the faint
hope that the readers OF the Eagle will
be able TO form some conception OF the
mission of the Machias. Meanwhile. lest
exaggerated notions of the difficulty
should create anything in the nature Of
alarm, IL is proper TO venture the opinion
that not a United States lanyard will be
pulled. Another old woman may lose her
life, but the Kilkenny cats will probably
cease splitting at each other as soon az
Commander Sargent's smokestack Il seen
in the offing. The partially OF these cats
is for long-distance lighting, megaphones
preferred.