River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-12-10

GERS and enlisted men are learning to han
die the battleships, cruisers and torpedo
boats with high efficiency in fleet and
squadron formations. and the standard of
rksmanship is being steadily raised
The best work ashore is Indispensable,
but the highest duty of a naval officer is
to exercise command at sea.
1t is eminently desirable, however, that
there should be provided a naval general
staff on lines similar to those of the general
staff lately created for the army. Within
the navy department itself the needs of
the service have brought about a system
under which the duties of general staff
are partially performed; for the bureau of
navigation has under its direction the war
college, the office of naval intelligence and
the board of inspection, and has been in
close touch with the general board of the
navy But though under the excellent off,
GERS at their head. these boards and bureaus
do good work, they have not the authority
of general staff and have not sufficient
scope to insure proper readiness for
emergencies. We need the establishment
by law of a body of trained officers, who
shall exercise a systematic control of the
military affairs of the navy, and be author
lied advisers of the secretary concerning it.
The Isthmian Canal.
BY the act of June %. 1902, the congress
authorized the president to enter into
treaty with Colombia for the building of
the canal across the Isthmus of Panama;
failure to secure such treaty after the
lapse of reasonable time, recourse
should be had to building a canal through
Nicaragua. 1t has not been necessary to
consider this alternative, as am enabled
to lay before the senate treaty provid-
ing for the building of the canal across
the Isthmus of Panama. This was the
route which commended itself to the de-
liberate judgment of the congress. and
we can now acquire by treaty the right
to construct the canal over this route.
The question now, therefore. is not by
which route the isthmian canal shall be
built, for that question has been definite
ly and sirrevocably decided. The question
is simply whether or not we shall have
an isthmian canal.
When the congress directed that we
should take the Panama route under
treaty with Colombia, the essence of the
condition, of course, referred not to the
government which controlled that route
but to the route itself; to the territory
across which the route lay, not to the
name which for the moment the territory
bore on the map. The purpose of the law
was to authorize the president to make
a treaty with the power in actual con
troll of the Isthmus of Panama This
purpose has been fulfilled
Isthmian Treaty Obligations.
In the year 1876 this government en-
tered into treaty with New GRANADA,
the predecessor upon the IsthmuS of the
Republic of Colombia and of the present
Republic of Panama, by which treaty IT
was provided that the government and
citizens of the United States should al
ways have free and open right of way
or transit across the Isthmus of Panama
by any modes of communication that
might be constructed, while in return our
government guaranteed the perfect nett
trality of the above named isthmus with
the view that the free transit from the
one to the other sea might not be inter-
rupted or embarrassed. The treaty vest
property right carved~out of the rights OF
sovereignty and property which New
said territory. The name of New Gran
ada has passed away and its territory
has been divided Its successor, the gov
errment of Colombia, has ceased to own
republic, that of Panama. which was at
one time a sovereign state. and at an
other time a mere department OF the sue
cessive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia, has now succeed
ed to the rights which first ole and then
the other formerly exercised over the
isthmus. But as long as the iSthmus en-
dures, the mere geographical fact of its
existence, and the peculiar interest there
in which is required by our position
perpetuate the solemn contract l;a which len
spect our right to freedom of transit
across it. and binds us in return to safe
exercise of that inestimable privilege.
The true Interpretation of the obligations
upon which the United States entered in
this treaty of 1876 has been given repeat
edly in the utteranceS of presidents and
secretaries of state.
For 400 years ever since shortly after the
discovery Of this hemisphere, the canal
across the isthmuS has been planned. For
tWoscore years it has been worked at
When made it is to last for the ages 1t is
to alter the geography OF a continent and
the trade routes of the world. We have
shown by every treaty we have negotiated
or attempted to negotiate with the peoples
in control of the isthmus and with foreign
nations in reference thereto our consistent
good faith in observing our obligations; on
the one hand to the peoples of the isthmus
and on the other hand to the civilized world
tel IT. =, 60
guarding and guaranteeing by our action.
We have done our duty to others in letter
and spirit, and we have shown the utmost
forbearance in exacting our own rights.
COIOmbia's Reputation of Treaty.
Last spring, under the act above re-
ferred to, a treaty concluded between the
representatives of the Republic of Colom-
bia and of our. government was ratified
by the senate. This treaty was entered
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo-
pie of Colombia and after a body of ex-
perts appointed by our government es-
pecially to go into the matter of the
routes across the isthmus had pro-
nounced unanimously in favor of
Panama route. In drawing up this treaty
every concession was made to the people
and to the government of Colombia. We
were more than just in dealing with
them. Our generosity was such as to
make it a serious question whether we
had not gone too far in their in
terest at the expense of our own: for in
our scrupulouS desire to pay all possible
need, not merely TO the real OUT even TO
the fancied rights of our weaker neigh
Dor, who already owed SO much to our
protection and forbearance, we yielded
in all possible ways to her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the
government of Colombia not merely
repudiated the treaty, but repudiated it
in such manner as to make it evident by
the time the Colombian congress adj
journed that not the scantiest hope re-
NAMED of ever getting satisfactory
treaty. from them. The government of
Colombia made the treaty. and yet when
the Colombian congress was called to
ratify it the vote against ratification was
unanimous. 1t does not appear that the
government made any real effort to Sc
cure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment of
the congress revolution broke out in
Panama. The people of Panama had
long been disconnected with the Republic
of Colombia, and they had been kept
quiet only by the prospect of the con-
clusion of the treaty, which was to them
a matter of vital concern. When it be-
came evident that the treaty was hope
lessly lost, the people of Panama rose
literally as one man. Not a shot was
the interest Of the Colombian govern
ment. Not a life was lost in the accom-
plishment of the revolution. The Colom-
bian troops stationed on the isthmus,
VINO had long been unpaid, made com
mon cause with the people of Panama,
and with astonishing unanimity the new
republic was started. Inc duty OF the
United States in the premises was clear.
In strict accordance with the principles
laid down by Secretaries Cass and Seward
in the official documents above quoted,
the United States gave notice that 1t
would permit the landing of no expedi-
tionary force, the arrival of which would
mean chaos and destruction along the
line of the railroad and of the proposed
canal, and an interruption of transit as
an inevitable consequence. The de facto
government of Panama was recognized
in the following telegram to Mr.. Ehr-