New-York tribune., 1902-07-08
PANAMA PROSPECTS.


Hope seems to be increasing that the Panama
route will be found practicable for an isthmian
canal, after all, and that thus the opponents Of
that great public work will be defeated through
their own game. 1t is notorious that many
such opponents strenuously advocated the choice
Of the Panama route solely because they felt
sure it would be found impossible for the United
States to construct canal there, at least with
out intolerable complications with the French
Government or with the old Panama company.
OF the engineering possibility of cutting the
canal there has not recently been doubt. The
only question has been whether the difficulties
were the greater at Panama or at Nicaragua.
Now the legal and diplomatic difficulties seem
to be capable Of solution. The French Govern
ment has manifested its willingness TO facilitate
the transfer OF the unfinished work to this coun-
try and a recent decision of a French court
appears to indicate that there will be no judi
cal obstruction Of the process IL thus a trans
fer can be effected at the stipulated price, and
a perfect title can be given, there will remain
only one more thing TO be accomplished before
the actual beginning of work on the canal
That is the negotiation of a suitable treaty
with Colombia, which may not prove a hard or
a tedious task. But two things are to be borne
in mind concerning it. One is that Colombia is
in a sadly disturbed state at the present time.
A formidable insurrection has long been at
tempting revolution, and the legitimacy OF the
existing government is challenged. The United
States does not want TO intervene as arbitrator
between two Colombian factions. nor does IL
want to make a treaty which might be repu-
dated by some incoming revolutionary govern
ment The other thing Is that the Colombian
people do not seem TO be at all anxious 10 have
the United States build the canal. In Nicara-
qua there has long been intense popular eager
ness for a canal, but in Colombia there Is
marked apathy on the subject. Nevertheless,
the government of Colombia is said to be de-
sirous of having this country construct the
canal, and it will probably nave its way. 1t
may take some time to get the treaty ratified
by the Colombian Congress, but 1t will probably
be done in the end.
Indeed, the negotiation OF such a treaty
should be facilitated and expedited by the fact
that comparable treaty between the two cOun-
tries has been in active existence for more than
half q century, TO the decided benefit Of Colon
bia. That is the treaty under which the Pan
ANA Railroad has been operated and has been
safeguarded by the United States. Under that
instrument Colombia has been protected against
foreign aggression and her title to the isthmus
has been maintained At the same time the
United States has more than once been charged
with the task Of keeping the railroad line clear
and open against domestic disturbances, and
has thus in a measure contributed to the stabil-
ity of the Colombia Government itself. Doubt
less a much more comprehensive measure will
be required for the purposes Of canal construc-
tiOn and operation. The United States will
scarcely be satisfied with less than such an
arrangement as was offered to it at Nicaragua
We shall see if Colombia will grant it. Beyond
doubt it would be to her interest to do so. The
prospective bonus would be welcome to her
treasury, and her experience with the United
States has been such should inspire her with
entire confidence in the good faith of this
country.