Bismarck daily tribune., 1903-12-07
mus Of Panama. This purpose has
been fulfilled.

| Oeen IuIuIIeU.
Transit Across lsthmus Of Panama.
In the year 1916 this government en-
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 govern
ment and citizens Of the United States
should always have free and open right
Of way or transit across the isthmus OF
Panama by any modes of communica
ton that might be constructed. while
in return our government guaranteed
the perfect neutrality Of the above
mentioned isthmus with the view that
he free transit from the one to the
other sea might not be interrupted or
embarrassed. The treaty vested in the
United States substantial property
right carved out of the rights Of SOW
ereignty and property which New
Granada then had and possessed over
the said territory. The name of New
Granada has passed away. and its ter
ritory has been divided. Its successor.
ed to own any property in the isthmus.
A new republic. that Of Panama. which
was at one time a sovereign state and
at another time mere department OF
the successive considerations known as
New Granada and Colombia, has now
succeeded to the rights which first one
and then the other formerly exercised
over the isthmus. But as long as the
isthmus endures the mere geographical
fact Of its existence and the peculiar
interest therein which Is required by
our position perpetuate the solemn con-
tract which binds the holders of the
territory to respect our right to freedom
of transit across it and binds us in re-
turn to safeguard for the isthnus and
the world the exercise of that ines
timable privilege. The true interpreta-
ton of the obligations upon which the
| United States entered in this treaty Of
1916 has been given repeatedly in the
utterances of presidents and secretaries
Of state. Secretary Cass in lS5S ott-
cially stated the position of this gov
ernment as follows:
The progress of events has rendered
the interoceanic route across the mar
row portion of Central America vastly
important to the commercial world. and
especially to the United States, whose
possessions extend along the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts and demand the
speediest and easiest modes Of commu-
nication. While the rights Of sovereign
ty Of the states occupying this region
should always be respected, we shall
expect that these rights be exercised
| in a spirit befitting the occasion and
the wants and circumstances that have
arisen Sovereignty has its duties as
well as it's rights, and none Of these To-
cal governments, even IL administered
with more regard to the just demands
Of other nations than they have been.
would be permitted, in spirit Of east
ern isolation, to close the gates Of in
tercourse on the great highways of the
world and justify the act by the pre-
tension that these avenues Of trade and
travel belong to them and that they
choose to shut them or. what is almost
equivalent, to incumber them with such
unjust relations as would prevent their
general use"
Seven years later, in 1865. Mr.. Seward
in different communications took the
following position
"The United States have taken and
will take ne interest in any question OF
internal revolution in the state of Pana
ma or any state Of the United States
~f Colombia, but will maintain a per
feet neutrality in connection with sue!
domestic alterations. The United
States will nevertheless hold them
selves ready to protect the transit trade
across the isthmus against invasion Of
either domestic or foreign disturbers o
the peace of the state of Panama
-" Neither the text nor the spirit OF
the stipulation in that article by whicl
the United States engages to preserv,
the neutrality of the isthmus of Pana
ma imposes an obligation on this gov
ernment to comply with the requisitioi
[of the president Of the United States
of Colombia for force to protect tn,
isthmus of Panama from body of in
surgents of that countryl. The pur
pose of the stipulation was to guaran
tee the isthmus against seizure or in
vasion by a foreign power only"
Attorney General Speed. under dat
" Nov. Z. 1865. advised Secretar,
Seward as follows:
"From this treaty it cannot be sup
posed that New Granada invited tn
United States to become Il party to tn
Intestine troubles of that government
nor did the United States becOm
bound to take sides in the domesti
broils of New Granada. The Unite
States did guarantee New Granada i
the sovereignty and property over til
territory. This was as against othe
and foreign governments"
Fer 400 years, ever since shortly af
er the discovery Of this hemisphere
the canal across the isthmus has bee
planned. For twoscore years it ha
been worked at. When made it
to last for the ages. 1t Is to alter til
geography Of continent and the trad
routes of the world. We have show
bv every treaty we have negotiated r