The San Francisco call., 1903-12-24
PANAMA AT THE HAGUE.

ereignty and the right of revolution involved IN the
l. Panama matter. could not be submitted to the
Hague tribunal. This view is approved by the for
eign diplomats and is expressed by one of them at
Washington, who says Nations can hardly be ex-
pected to settle questions of sovereignty and national
honor at the Hague Moreover, in my opinion, it would
not be within province of the Washington govern
ment to grant such request from Colombia 1t is to Pa
mama and not toe Washington that Colombia should taae
such a proposition"
The Cali also said that the assumption of her due
share OF the Colombian debt by Panama could properly
go to the Hague, if otherwise adjusted The same
diplomatic authority ndoses this by saying: There is,
however, a question between Colombia and Panama
which with all proprety might be referred to the Hague
and which reference the United States will scarcely
offer objection 1t is the question of the assumption by
Panama of part of the Colombian debt If General
Reyes should ask the United States to its good
Offices have this brought before the Hague,
Panama might safely acquiesce in such proposition
Our views being so far entirely indorsed venture
further say that the United States will effectively
good Offices to prevail upon Panama to voluntarily
just share of the debt and we have doubt
that the republic will readily to that
It has merit that found the alternative propo
sition, that Panama pay directly Colombia part OF
the $Iooooooo she will receive from for the canal
equal her share the debt She will be far safer
the share of the debt directly because, with her
future prospects Of prosperity and stability, she
and enjoy the of what will her, in the estab
lishment of her nationality and institutions.
The diplomats also agree that when the European
recognized Panama, they sealed with approval
the of the United States This done re-
cogniton of right realize the commercial needs
and expectations Of the world in the building of the
canal
Coombias crude ideas disclosed the dispatch to
Reyes in the that under the treaty of I846
lack the right of initiative in protecting isthman transit
The language of the treaty this The United States
guaranty positively and efcacously New Granada,
by the present stipulation the perfect neutrality of the
before mentioned sthmus, with the view that the free
transit from the other may be interrupted
embarrassedn any future time while this treaty
lists" How make that guaranty good if the ni-
tiave be left Colombia? In transmitting the treaty
the Senate for ratification President Polk said: The
political interests of the United States easily be
overrated"
In 1885 the United States Senate by resolution called
the President consider the expediency of opening
negotiations with New Granada for the purpose of "ef
fectually protecting, by treaty spuations such
panes or individuals may undertake to build ship
canal the isthmus, and of securing forever by
such tipulatons and equal right of navigating
such canal to all nations" The treaty made that
luton effective Mr. Polk said of it: 1--WE are more
deeply interested in this guaranty than New Granada
herself any other country Such guaranty almost
indispensable to the construction railroad ship
canal the territory. Neither sovereign states
individuals would expend their capital in the
strucon of these expensive works, without such
security for their investments"
will be by all this that if we had no right to
protect the sthmus except when requested by New Ora
nada her sovereign SUCCESSOR Colombia guaranty
worth the ink in which it was written. In fact
the concession to absolute. Our guaranty was
subordinate Colombia a ALL for if it were it
Id have been vain thing and the treaty idle trick
If did acquire the right of initiative acquired
nothing AS Polk made the treaty. and it ratified by
Senate in which members who voted for the reso-
luton of 1856 there be doubt about the meaning
OF the guaranty clause
We particular in developing this history in which
tie purpose of the treaty be sought and the inter
probation or found because of the interest
of nis city and in the the canal
taken by the administration only essential to the
of the canal but have been taken clearly within
rights to that end While regret that par
tsan spirit has appeared block the way Senate
persuaded that such spirit has no sympathy in
the country The administration needs to know that its
efforts indorsed by the commercial interests of this
coast, and again suggest that commercial bodies
assert themselves now when their influence upon the
Senate may be necessary and useful.
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The judicial authorities of Sacramento have exoner-
ated from all blame the brutal prize-fghte who killed
9th m the rim MO