The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-03

10 point out what has been done during
the lifetime Of the last congress to make
good our position in accordance with
this historic policy.
Ever since the time when we def
nitely extended our boundaries vest
ward to the Pacific and southwark To.
the gulf, since the time when the old
Spanish and Portuguese colonies TO the
south of US asserted their Independence
our nation has insisted that because OF
its primacy in strength among the ma
tons of the western hemisphere it has
certain duties and responsible which
obHge 1t to take a leading part thereon
We hold that cur interests in this hem
lsphere are greater than those of any
that our duty to ourselves and to the
weaker republics who are our neigh
bors requires US to see that none of the
great military powers from across the
of the American republics or acquire
control thereover.
THE ISTHMIAN CANAL
This policy. therefore. not only for
bids US to acquiesce in such territorial
acquisition, but also causes US to object
TO the requirement of a control which
would in its effect be equal to terri
torial ACKNOWLEDGMENT. This is why the
United States has steadily believed that
the construction of the great Isthmian
canal, the building of which is to stand
as the greatest material feat of the
twentieth century greater than any
should be done by no foreign nation
but by ourselves. The canal must of
necessity go through the territory of
one OF our smaller sister republics. We
have been serupulously careful to alb
stain from perpetrating any wrong upon
any of these republics in this matter
we do not wish to interfere with their
rights IN the least; but while carefully
safeguarding them, to build the canal
ourselves under provisions which will
enable us. if necessary. to police ana
protect 1t, and to guarantee its neutral.
ity, we being the sole guaralltor. Our
intention was steadfastt we desired ac-
ton taken so that the canal could al
ways be used by us in time of peace and
war alike, and in time of war could
never be used to our detriment by any
nation which was hostile to us Such
action, by the circumstanc surround
ing it, was necessarily for the benefit
and not the detriment of the adjacent
American republics
After cOnsidera bly, more than half
of century these objects have been
exactly fulfilled by the legislation and
treaties of the last two years Two
years ago we were no further advanced
toward the construction of the Isthmian
canal on our terms than we had been
during the preceding eighty years. BY
the Hay-PauncefOte treaty. ratified in
december, 1901. an old treaty with
Great Britain, which had been held to
stand IN the way. was abrogated and
It was agreed that the canal Should be
constructed under the auspices of the
government of the United States. and
that this government should have the
exclusive right to regulate and manage
1t, becoming the sole guarantor of its
neutrality.
GUARANTY OF NEUTRALITY.
1t was expressly stipulated. further.
more, that this guaranty of neutrality
should not prevent the United States
from taking any measures which ii
found necessary in order to secure bv
its own forces the defense Of the Uni
ted states, and the maintenance of pub
nc order Immediately following this
treaty congress passed q law under (
which the president was authorized to
endeaVor to secure treaty for acduir- I
ing the right to finish the construction /
o. and to operate. the Panama canal /
which had already been begun in ths +
territory of Colombia by a French COM /
pany The rights of this company were +
accordingly obtained and a treaty. ne /
gotiated with the republic of Colombia I
This treaty has just been ratified by F
the senate 1t reserves all OF Colon
Dla rights. While guaranteeing all OF I
our own and those of neutral nations T
and specifically permits us to take any +
and all measures for the defense of the /
canal, and for the preservation of our
interests. whenever in our judgment an F
exigency may arise which calls for ac-
ton on our part. In other words, these I
two treaties, and the legislation to car +
~ them out. have resulted in our OBJ {
tanning on exactly the terms we desir- /
ed the rights and privileges which we |
had so long sought in vain. These treu- [
ties are among the most important that /
we have ever negotiated in their eff T
fects upon the future welfare of this /
country, and mark memorable tri- +
umph of American diplomacy-on OF /
those fortunate triumphs, moreover, /
which rebounds to the benefit of the I
entire world.
About the same time trouble arose in I
connection with the Republic of Ven
ezuela because of certain wrongs al I
legged to have been committed. and /
debts overdue, by this republic to citi- /
zens of various foreign powers. nota- I
bly, England. Germany, and Italy. After
failure to reach an agreement these !
powers began a blockade of the Ven (
ezueian coast and a condition of quasi (
war ensued. The concern of our gov
eminent was of course not to interfere 4
needlessly in any quarrel so far as 1t
did not touch our interests or our hon /
or. and not to take the attitude of pro-
tecting from coercion any power I'M |
less we were willing to espouse the
quarrel of that power. but 10 keep an
attitude of watchful vigilance and see |
that there was no infringement of the I
Monroe dOctrine-nO requirement Of
territorial rights by a European power |
at the expense of a weak sister repub- !
lic-whether this acquisition might
take the shape of an outright and /