The Washington times., 1903-11-07
Recognition of Republic
of Panama Explained.
OFFICIAL RECORDS QUOTED
Action Taken Declared to Be in Strict
Accordance With Justice
and Equity.

Secretary Hay has prepared the fol-
lowing statement which sets forth the
Administration attitude toward the
new republic of Panama;
'--he action of the President in the
Panama matter is not only In the
strictest accordance with the principles
Of justice and equity. and in line with
all the best precedents Of our public
policy, but it was the only course he
could have taken in compliance with
out treaty rights and obligations. BY
our treaty. entered into with New Gra-
NADIA in the year 1876. New Granada
guarantees that the right of way or
transit across the lsthmus OF Panama
upon any modes of communication that
now exist or that may be hereafter
constructed shall be free and open to
the Government and citizens of the
United States
This is a right which we acquired by
the treaty. not gratuitously conferred,
but IN return for an important com
pensation, for in the same article the
Government OF the United States
guarantees positively and efficaciously
TO New Granada by the present stipu-
Iation the perfect neutrality of the be-
aforementioned isthmus with the view
that the free transit from the one to
or embarrassed in any future time
while this treaty exists, and in conse-
Quence the United States guarantees in
the same manner the rights of sover-
eighty and property which New Gra-
nada has and possesses over the said
territory
Quotes President Polk.
TIE close connection thus created be-
tween the two governments was well set
forth by President Polk in his message
transmitting the treaty to the Senate.
He said:
The importance of the concession to
the commercial and political interests OF
che United States cannot be Overrated
The route BY the isthmus of Panama is
the shortest between the two oceans,
and from the information herewith com
municated. il would seem TO be the
most practicable for railroad or canal
The vast advantage to our commerce
which would result from such q com
munication. not only with the west
coast Of America, but with Asia and the
islands Of the Pacific, are too obvious l.
require any detail. Such a passage
would save US from long and danger
Gus navigation of more than nine thou
sand miles around the Horn, and rendez
our communication with our own pos
sessions on the northwest coast OF Amer
lea comparatively easy and speedy. The
treaty does not propose TO guarantee a
treaty 70 foreign nation IN which the
.In1ted states viii have no common in
terest with that nation. On the contra
rys we are more deeply and directly in
terested In the subject OF the guarantee
than New Granada herself, or any other
country.
Right to Control Isthmus.
These considerations, the controlling
nature Of which were at once recog.
nised so long ago. have become more
anS laore important IN every year that
has elapsed since the treaty was writ
ten. Our acquisition Of Hawaii and the
Philippines has given them a greatly en-
-hanced validity. The control ia the in
terest of the commerce and traffic of the
whole civilizad world. Of the means OF
unolsturoed transit across the Isthmus
of Panama. has become Of transcendent
importance to the United States.
The right to this control we have