The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-12-07

ses~ad over the said territory. The
name of New Granada has passed
| away and it's territory has been divid-
ed It's successor, the government of
| colombia. has ceased to own any prop
| erty in the Isthmus. A new republic,
| hat of Panama which was at one
| Anne a sovereign state, and at another
| ime a mere department of the success
| siye considerations known as New
| Granada and Colombia has now sue
| ,eeded to the rights which first one
| md then the other formerly exercised
over the isth1nus. But as long as the
| isthmUs endures, the mere geographic
| cal fact of it's existence, and the pecu-
liar interest therein which is required
| by our position, perpetuate the solemn
contract which binds the holders of
the territory to respect our right to
| freedm of transit across it, and binds
us in return to safeguard for the 18TH
mus and the world the exercise of that
linestimable privilege. The true inter-
probation Of the obligations upon which
| the United States entered in this trea
| ty of 1916 has been given repeatedly
| in the utterances of presidents and
secretaries of state.
For four hundred years, ever since
shortly after the discovery of this
hemiphere, the canal across the 18TH
mus has been planned. For two score
years it has been worked at. When
made it is to last for the ages. 1t is
70 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 in
| reference thereto our consistent good
faith in observing Our obligations; on
| the one hand the people of the isthmus
| md on the other hand to the civilized
world whose commercial rights we
are safeguarding and guaranteeing by
| our action. We have done our duty
| to others in letter and in spirit, and
we have shown the utmost forbearance
| in eXacting our own rights.
Immediately after the adjournment
! Of the congress a 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 conclusion of the treaty. which
| was to them a matter of vital con-
| Germ. When it became evident that
| the treaty was hOpeleSsly lost the peO-
pie of Panama rose literally as one
man. Not a shot was fired by a single
| man on the isthmus in the in
| terest of the Colombian government.
| Not a life was lost in the accomplish
| ment of the revolution. The Colon
| bian troops stationed on the isthmus.
| who had long been unpaid, made COM
| mon cause with the people of Panama,
and with astonishing unanimity the
| new republic was started. The 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 docu-
| ments above quoted, the United States
| gave notice that it would permit the
| landing of no eXpeditiOnary 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 inevi-
| table consequence.
| Under such circumstances the gov
| eminent of the United States would
| have been guilty of folly and weakness.
| amounting in their sum to crime
| against the nation, had it acted other
wise than it did when the revolution
| mama. This great enterprise of build
| ing the interOceanic canal can not be
! held up to crafty the whims or out of
| respect to the governmental impO-
| ma eNel political peculiarities, of peo-
pie who, though they dwell afar off
yet against the wish of the actual
| dWellers on the isthmus, assert an un-
| real supremacy over the territory
The possession of a territory fraught
with such peculiar capacities as the
| lsthmus in question carries with it
! Obligations to mankind. The course
| ot events has shown. that this canal
| 1an not be built by private ENTERPRISE
| or by any other nation than our own:
| therefore it must be built bv the Unit
| ed States.
| Every effort has been made bv the
| government of the United States to
| persuade Colombia to follow a course
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