Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-12-10
NO. 8.

the payment for those ALREADY buiit py
governor of Hawaii be empowered to dis
charge officials appointed by him without
submitting the matter TO the legislature.
He reports steady progress being maze
in both Porto Rico and the Philippines. and
asks for the latter new tariff arrange
ments.
He believes that new laws are needed in
connection with the administration of the
public lands, and wants them held, so far
as possible, for the home builder. 1, lie ire re-
ports steady progress being made IN irrl-
CATION in the west under the irrigation law,
and does not believe new legislation along
this line is needed now. He urges the con-
tinuation of the work cf forest preserve
ton, and the reservation of the publlc
lands lying about the headwaters of the
western streams.
He notes the increase in the number of
government employees under the civil sery-
ice rules, and pronounces the results aG-
yantageous to the government, In con-
nection with the army he recommends the
procuring of suitable maneuver grounds IN
different sections of the country, ana some
provision that will enable the department
TO recognize merit in making promotions
where such are deserved. For the navy ne
wants a naval base established In the PHI,
ippines without unnecessary delay, ah9
recommends the establishment of naval
general stan along lines similar TO those
of the army. AAl
The lsthinian Canal.
More attention is given the isthmian
canal and the Panama revolution than to
any other subject. The legislation leading
up to the present condition is discussed
and reviewed. He sees no necessity for
reverting TO the Nicaraguan route, and
pronounces present conditions ripe Tor the
building of the Panama canal, and in this
when the congress directed that We
should take the Panama route under treaty
with Colombia, the essence or the condl-
tion, Of course, referred not to the govern
ment which controlled that route, but to
the route Itself; to the territory across
which the route lay. not to the name when
for fla, ha hnr m
map. The purpose of the law was TO au-
thorize the president to make treaty
with the power in actual control oil tne
isthmus of Panama. This purpose has
been fulfilled
He reviews the relations of this govern
ment with Colombia relative to the mat
ter of transit across the isthmus from the
time of the signing of the treaty guaran-
teeing right of way of transit across the
isthmus TO the citizens Of this country
1916. down to the present time For an IN
depreciation of the meaning OF the treaty
he quotes from the state papers OF previous
ofeias including say we ar.
under obligations to the world to build the
canal; notes the reputation OF the canal
treaty by Colombia and says;
Nevertheless the government OF Coiom-
bia not merely repudiated the treaty, Dut
repudiated it in such manner as to make
it evident by the time the Colombian con-
gress adjourned that not the seantiest hope
remained of ever getting satisfactory
treaty from them. The government OF
the Colombian congress was called to rat
fy 1t the vote against ratification was
unanimous. 1t does not appear that the
government made any real effort to secure
ratification"
The Panama Revolution.
He reviews the incidents of the. Panama
revolution, and says the action OF Inc
United States was in accordance with the
terms of the treaty guaranteeing peace
able transit across the isthmus, and could
not have been otherwise. He reviews at
considerable length the disturbances that
have occurred in Panama since lS47. ana
the efforts of the United States to preserve
the rights guaranteed its citizens by treaty
and says:
century has shown Colombia to be utterly
incapable of keeping order on the isthmus;
Only the active interference OF the onitea
States has enabled her to preserve SO much
as a semblance of sovereignty: HAD IL
not been for the exercise by the United
States of the police power IN her interest," s,1d
have been sundered long ago. In 1886. In
1860 in 1873. in 1885, in 1901, and again IN
States warships were forced to land in or
der to patrol the isthmus, to protect life
and property. and TO see that the transit
across the isthmus was Kept open. In lsgi.
in 1862. in 1885, and In 1900, the Colombian
government asked that the United states
government would land troops to protect
its interests and maintain order on the
isthmus."
CoIombia's Latest Proposition.
knowing that revolution has already
commenced in Panama Ian eminent CO.
lombianl says that II the government OF
the United States will land troops to pre-
serve Colombian sovereignty, ana the
transit, If requested by Colombian eharge
d'affaires, this government VIII declare
martial law; and by virtue of vested con-
stitutional authority, when public order
is disturbed, will approve by decree the
ratification of the canal treaty as signed;
or If the government Of the United states
prefers, will call extra session Of the con-
gress.with new and friendly memoersI
nent Colombian] has the perfect confidence
of vice president, he says. and II 1t became
necessary will go TO the isthmqs i,t or ;tard send
along above lines to the satisfaction OF
the people there.
This dispatch is noteworthy from two
standpoints Its offer of Immediately
guaranteeing the treaty to us is in sharp
contrast with the positive ana contempt
uous refusal of the congress Whlch mas just
closed its sessions to consider favorably
such a treaty; it shows that the govern
ment which made the treaty really had ab,
solute control over the situation, but did
not choose to exercise this control The
dispatch further calls on us to restore or
der and secure COLOMBIAN supremacy IN
the isthmus from which the Colombian gov
ernment has just by its action decided TO
bar us by preventing the construction Of
the canal.
phases, and the inability of Colombia to
maintain order on the isthmus, and its
have guaranteed permanent peace there.
the president says:
'Under such circumstances the govern
ment of the United States would have been
guilty of folly and weakness, amounting
In their sum to a crime against the nation,
had it acted otherwise than i did when
place in Panama. This great enterprise OF
building the interoceanic canal cannot be
held up to crafty the whims. or out OF
respect to the governmental impotence,
or 10 the even more sinister and evil polit-
ical peculiarities, of people who though
they dwell afar on, yet, against the WISH
of the actual dwellers on the isthmus, as
sert an unreal supremacy over the terri
tory The possession of a territory fraught
with such peculiar capacities, !. as the isth- is
to mankind. The course of events has
shown that this canal cannot be built by
private enterprise, or by any other nation
by the United States.
Every effort has been made by the gov
ernment of the United States to persuade
Colombia to follow a course which was
essentially not only to our interests ana
to the Interests of the world, but to the in
terests of Colombia itself. These efforts
have failed; and Colombia, by her persist
ence in repulsing the advances that nave
been made, has forced us, for the sake oi
our own honor, and of the interest ana
well being. not merely Of our own people,
| but OF the people of the isthmus OF ran
anna and the people Of the eiyliized eoun.
tries of the world, TO take decisive steps
to bring to an end condition OF AFFAIRS
| which had become intolerable.
The New Canal Treaty.
| He refers to the new canal treaty recent
| ly made with Panama. which he submits
| with the message and says OF 1t:
by the provisions Of the treaty ;1i the
| United States guarantees and Will NAM
| tain the Independence of the republic OF
| Panama There is granted to the United
| States in perpetuity the use, oeeupa tlon
| and control of a strip Ten miles wide ana
| extending three nautical miles into tne
/ sea at either terminal, with all lands lying
/ outside of the zone necessary for the con-
| strucfinn of the canal or for its auxiliary
works, and with the islands in the bay Sl Of
| Panama The cities of Panama and Colon
/ are NOT embraced in the canal zone, but
/ The Tinted States assumes their sanitation
and in case of need, the msintenanee ain OF
| u.ithin the granted limits all the rights,
power and authority which 1t would pos
1 sess were it the sovereign of the territory
/ fo the exclusion Of the exercise of soyer-
eign rights by the republic. All railway
| and canal property rights belonging to
Il. .Cf 90 IN.