The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1903-12-11

open. In 1861. In 1852, In 1856, and In 1900.
the Colombian Government asked that the
United States Government would land
! troops to protect it's interests and main
tain order on the isthmus. Perhaps the
most extraordinary request Is that which
has just been received and which runs
as follows:
"knowing that revolution has already
commenced In Panama Ian eminent CO.
ombianl says that If the Government OF
the United States will land troops to pre-
serve Colombian sovereignty and the
transit, If requested by Colombian charge
daffaires. this Government will declare
martial law; and. by virtue OF vested con-
stitutional authority. when public order
Is restored will approve by decree the
ratification of the canal treaty as signed.
or. II the Government of the United
States prefers. Will call extra session OF
the Congress-with new and friendly
Reimbursement May to approve the
treaty, IAN eminent Colombianl has tho
perfect confidence of vice-president he
says, and II 1t became necessary will go
to the isthmus or send representative
there to adjust matters along above lines
to the satisfaction of the people there"
This dispatch is noteworthy from two
standpoints. Its offer OF Immediately
guaranteeing the treaty to us Is In sharp
contrast with the positive and contempt
tuous refusal of the Congress which has
just closed its sessions to consider IA
vorably such treaty: 1t shows that the
Government which made the treaty really
had absolute control over the situation.
but did not choose to exercise this con-
troll. The dispatch further calls on us
to restore order and secure Colombia n
supremacy in the isthmus from which the
Colombian Government has just by its
action decided to bar us by preventing
the construction of the canal.
Importance OF Peace In lsthmus.
The control. in the interest of the COM
merce and traffic of the whole civilized
world, of the means of undisturbed tran
sit across the lsthmus of Panama has
become of transcendent Importance to
the United States. We have repeatedly
exercised This control by intervening In
the course of domestic disrenslon. and
by protecting the territory from foreign
Invasion. In 1853 Mr.. Everett assured
the Peruvian minister that we should
not hesitate to maintain the neutrality
of the isthmus In the case OF war be-
tween Peru and Colombia. In 1864 Co
lombia, which has always been vsilant
to avail itself of its privileges conferred
by the treaty, expressed its expectation
that In the event of war between Peru
and Spain the United States would carry
into effect the guaranty of neutrality.
There have been few administrations of
the State Department in which this
treaty has not, either by the one side
or the other. been used as a basis Of
more or less important demands 1t was
said by Mr.. Fish In 1871 that the Depart
ment Of State had reason to believe that
an attack upon Colombian sovereignty
on the isthmus had. on several occa-
sions. been averted by warming from this
Government In 1856. when Colombia was
under the menace of hostiities from
Italy in tho f'prr,,ti Mr rl
pressed the serious concern that the
United States could not but feel, that "A
European power should resort to force
against sister republic of this homis-
phere, as to the sovereign and unlntcr-
ruptcd use OF part of whose territory
We are snarantors under the solemn faith
OF n treaty.
The above recital OF facts establishes
beyond question:: First. that the United
States has for over half q century pa
ticnuy and in good faith carried out its
obligations under the treaty of 1876: sec
ond. that when for the first time 1t be-
came possible for Colombia to do any
thing In requital of the services thus re-
peatedly rendered to II for hfty-seven
years by the United States. the Colombian
Government peremptorily and extensively
refused thus to do Its part. even though
to do so would have been to its udvan-
tage and UNNECESSARILY TO the advantage
OF the State Of Panama. at that time
under rs jurisdictions: third. that
throughout this period revolutions, riots.
and factioual disturbances OF every kind
have occurred one after the other In al
most uninterrupted succession. some OF
them lasting for months and even for
years, while the central government was
unable to put them down or TO make
peace with the rebels. fourth. that these
disturbances instead OF showing any sign
-
mcrous and more serious Ian the imme-
diate past: fifth. that the control Of CO.
lombia over the Isthmus OF Panama could
not he maintained without the armed In
tcrvcn'io ion and assistance OF the United
States In other words. the Government
Of Colombia. though wholly unable to
maintain order on the isthmus has new
oftheless declined To ratify a treaty tn.
conclusion Of which opened the only
chance To secure Its own stability and To
guarantee permanent peace on. and the
construction Of n canal across, the 18TH
mus
Under such circums tnnccs the Govern
mont Of the United States would have
been guilty of folly and weakness.
amounting In their sum TO crime
against the nation. had II acted otherwise
than II did when the revolution Of Nov, 3
last took place In Panama. This great
enterprise of building the interoceanlc
canal can not be held up TO gtatify the
whims, or out of respect to the govern
mental impotence. or To the even more
sinister and evil political peculiarities. OF
people who. though they dwell afar on.
yet, against the wish Of tho actual dwell
lcr On the isthmur, assert an unreal
supremacy over tho territory. Tho pos
session Of n territory fraught with such
peculiar capacities as the isthmus In
question carries with II obligations to
mankind. The course Of events has
shown that this canal can not b. built
by private enterprise, or by any other ma o
tlon than our own; therefore II must be
built by the United States.
Treaty With Republic OF Panama.
Every effort has been made by the Gov
-rnmrnt OF the United States to persuade
Colombia to follow n cours. which was
essentially not only To our interests and
Ia the Interests Of the world but TO tho
interests OF Colombia itself, These cf-
forts have failed; and Colombia. by her
persistence In repuising the advances that
have been made. has forced us. for the
sake Of our own honor and Of the inter.
est and we'll being. not merely Of our own
people but Of tn. people Of the lsihmus
Of Panama and tn. people OF the civilized
countries Of the world. TO take decisive
steps to bring 10 nm end n condition OF
affairs which had become intolofable.
Ih0 new k"pubHc OF ihhhmh immaculate
~ offered 10 negotiate a treaty with US,
'Ihia treaty herewith submit ny II our
Interests are better HnfoHunrdcd than In
the treaty with Colombia which was mti-
fed hy the Senate at itH last session, II II
better In ita toimH than the treaties Of.
ictcd Ia Us by tho Republics Of Aioaa.
qua and Costa Rica. A, last the right
to begin this great undertaking Ia made
available. Panama has done her part
All that romans In for the American Com
gross TO do It's part and forthwith this
Republic will enter upon tho execution
of project colossal In It's size and OF
wrl.nig.. inrnlculnbl. possibilities for thu
good NJ this country and tho nations Of
mankind
Provisions OF Treaty.
tiy tho provisions of The treaty the
United States guarantees and Will main
tain the iulep"ndunrn NJ the nepuhlc Of