The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-12-10

to construct the canal over this route.
The question now. therefore, Is not by
which route the isthmian canal shall be
built, for that question has been definite
ly and irrevocaby decided. The question
is simply whether or not we shall have
an isthman canal.
When the congress directed that we
should take the Panama route under
treaty with Colombia, the essence of the
condition. of course, referred not to the
government which controlled that route
but to the route itself; to the 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 con
troll of the Isthmus of Panama. This
purpose has been fulfilled.
Isthminn Treaty obligations.
In the year 1916 this government en-
tered into treaty with New Granada.
the predece ssor upon the Isthmus of the
Republic of Colombia and of the present
Republic of Panama, by which treaty II
was provided that the government and
citizens of the United States should al
ways have free and open right of way
or transit across the Isthmus of Panama
by any modes of communication that
might be constructed, while in return our
government guaranteed the perfect neu-
trality of the above-named sthmus with
the view that the free transit from the
one to the other sea might not be inter
rupted or embarrassed. The treaty vest
ed in the United States substantial
property right carved out of the rights of
sovereignty and property which New
Granada then had and possessed over the
said territory. The name of New Gran
ada has passed away and its territory
has been divided. It's successor the gov
eminent of Colombia, has ceased to own
any property in the isthmus A new
republic that of Panama. which was AT
other time mere department of the sue
cessive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia, has now succeed
ed to the rights which first one and then
the other formerly exercised over the
isthmus. But as long as the isthmus en-
dureS, the mere geographical fact Of its
existence and the peculiar interest there
in which Is required by our position,
pefpetuate the solemn contract which
binds the holders of the territory to re-
spect our right to freedom Of transit
across it. and binds us in return to safe
guard Tor the isthmus and the world the
exercise OF that ineStmable privilege
me true Interpretation of the obliga tons
upon which the United States entered in
TINS treaty of 1916 has been given repeat
eddy in the utterances of presidents and
1SoS chcially stated the position of this
government as follows
The progress of events has rende. ed the
interoceanic route across the narrow nor
ton 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 communication. While the rights Of
sovereignty of the states occupying this
region should always be respected we shall
sxpect mat these rights be exercised in a
spirit behtting the occasion and the wants
ana circumstances that have arisen Sow
ereignty has its duties as well as its rights
ana none OF these ocal governments, even
II administered with more regard to the
Just demands of other nations than thew
have been, would be permitted, in spirit
OF eastern isolation, to close the gates of
intercourse on the great highways of the
world. ana Justify the act by the preten-
SION that these avenues of trade and travel
belong to them and that they choose to
shut them, or, what is almost equivalent.
to cucumber them with such unjust rela-
tions as would prevent their general use"
Seven years later, in 1865, Mr.. Seward in
different communications took the follow
ing position:
"Tha United States have taken and will
take no interest in any question of internal
revolution in the state of Panama or any
state of the United States of Colombia but
Will ma ntain a perfect neutrality in con
nection with such domestic alterations
The United States will, nevertheless hold
themselves ready to protect the transit
trade across the iSthmus against invasion
of either domestic or foreign disturbers of
the peace of the state of Panama
Neither the text nor the spirit of the stip-
ulation in that article by which the United
states engages to preserve the neutrality
obligation on this government to comply
with the requisition of the president of
the United States of Colombia for force to
protect the iSthmus of Panama from a
body of insurgents of that country The
purpose of the stipulation was to guarantee
the isthmuS against seizure or invasion by
for ign power only
Attorney General Speed. under date of
November Z, 1865, advised Secretary Seward
as follows:
From this treaty it cannot be supposed
that New Granada invited the United
States to become a-party to the intestine
troubles of that government nor did the
United States become bound to take sides
il the domestic broils of New Granada.
Granada in the sovereignty and property
over the territory. This was as against
other and foreign governments;
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 word We have
shown by every treaty We have negotiated
IT attempted to negotiate with the peoples
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 peoples of the isthmus.
and on the other hand to the civilized world
whose commercial rights we are sale
guarding and guaranteeing by our action.
We have done our duty to others in letter
and spirit and we have shown the utmost
forbearance in exacting our own rights.
CoIombin's Reputation of Treaty.
Last spring, under the act above re-
ierred to- treaty concluded between the
representatives of the Republic of Colon
bia and of our government was ratified
by the senate. This treaty was entered
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo-
pie of Colombia and after body of ex-
perts appointed by our government es
pecially to go into the matter of the
routes across the isthmus had pro-
nounced unanimously in favor Of
Panama route. In drawing up this treaty
every concession was made to the people
and to the government of Colombia. We
were more than just in dealing with
them. Our generosity was such to
make it a serious question whether We
had not gone too far in their in
tereSt at the expense 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 neigh
Dor, who already owed so much to our
protection and forbearance yielded
in all possible ways to her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the
government of Colombia not merely
in such manner as to make ii evident by
the time the Colombian congress ad-
journed that not the scantest hope re-
manned of ever getting IA satisfactory
treaty from them The government OF
Colombia made the treaty, and yet when
the Colombian congress was called to
ratify it the vote against ratification was
unanimous. 1t does not appear that the
government made any real effort to Sc