Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-12-14

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 treaty with the
power in actual control of the isthmus
of Panama. This purpose has been
fulfilled.
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 continent and the trade
routes of the world. We have shown
by every treaty we have negotiated or
attempted to negotiate with the peo-
pies 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 peo-
plies of the isthmus and on the other
hand to the civilized world, whose COM
mercial 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
Reputation of Treaty by Colombia.
Last spring a treaty concluded be-
tween the representatives of the re-
public of Colombia and of our govern
ment was ratified by the senate. This
treaty was entered into at the urgent
,nIi ifoti 0f 1,o % 81
and after body of experts appointed
by our government especially to go into
the matter of the routes across the
isthmus had pronounced unanimously
in favor of the Panama route. In draw
ing up this treaty every concession was
made to the people and to the govern
ment of Colombia. We were more
generosity was such as to make it a
serious question whether we had not
gone too far in their interest at the ex-
pense of our own, for in our scrupulous
desire to pay all possible heed not
merely to the real but even to the
| fancied rights of our weaker neighbor,
| who already owed so much to our pro-
| all possible ways to her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless
| the government of Colombia not mere
| ly repudiated the treaty, but repudi-
| ated it in such manner as to make it
| evident by the time the Colombian con-
gress adjourned that not the scantiest
hope remained of ever getting a salts
| factory treaty from them
Revolution In Panama.
! The people of Panama had long been
discontinued with the republic of Co
lombia, and they had been kept quiet
only by the prospect Of the conclusion
of the canal 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
fired by a single man on the isthmus
in the interest of the Colombian gov.
eminent. Not life was lost in the
accomplishment of the revolution. The
Colombian troops stationed on the 18th
mus, who had long been unpaid, made
common cause with the people of Pan
|
the new republic was started The
duty of the United States in the prem
Uses was clear. In strict accordance
with the principles laid down by Sec
retaries Cass and Seward, the United
States gave notice that it would per
nit the landing of no eXpeditionary
force, the arrival of which would NEAR
| Dho doc al
the railroad and of the proposed cana
and an interruption of transit as al
inevitable consequence. The de factt
government of Panama was recog
nized
Under such circumstances the gov
eminent of the United States would
have been guilty of folly and weak
ness, amounting in their sum to a crime
against the nation, had it acted other
wise than it did when the revolution o
Nov. 3 last took place in Panama Thi
great enterprise of building the inter
oceanic canal cannot be held up t
crafty the whims or out of respect t
the governmental impotence or to tn
even more sinister and evil politica
peculiarities of people who, though
they dwell afar off, yet, against tn
wish of the actual jewellers on the 18th
mus, assert an unreal supremacy owe
the territory. The possession of a tel
ritory fraught with such peculiar ca
pacities as the isthmus in question Cal
ries with it obligations to mankind
The course of events has shown tina
this canal cannot be built by privat
enterprise or by any other nation tina
our own; therefore it must be built b
the United States.
New Treaty With Panama.
Every effort has been made by th
government of the United States to pei
, suade Colombia to follow a cours
, which was essentially not only to on
interests and to the interests of th
world. but to the interests of Colon
bia itself These efforts have failet