The Washington times., 1903-12-07

the iSthmuS and the world the exercise
Of that inestimable privilege"
Opinions of Predecessors.
The opinions of Secretary Cass, stated
in 1855; Of Secretary Seward given seven
years later; Of Attorney General Speed,
endyr date of November :. 1855. inter
preting the obligations upon which the
United States entered in the treaty OF
lssf, arc quoted in the message.
Taking up the question Of the OBJ
servance by the United States of obliga-
ions imposed by the treaty OF 1876, the
President continues:
For 400 years. ever since shortly after
the discovery Of this hemisphere. the ca
mai across the isthmus has been planned.
Tor two score years il has beer worked
at When made IL IS TO last for the
ages Il is to alter the geography Of a
continent and the trade routes Of the
world.
I'VE have shown by every treaty We
have negotiated or attempted TO nego-
/ tiate with The peoples in control of the
/ isthmus and with foreign nations in ref
! erence thereto our consistent good faith
IN observing our obligations; on the one
! hand IT, the peoples Of the isthmus, and
/ On the other hand 70 the civilized world.
! Nhose Commercial rights we are safe
! guarding and guaranteeing BY or ac-
Our Conscience Clear.
we have done our duty 10 others Ia
letter and in spirit and We have shown
the utmost forbearance in exacting oul
/ own riEhts.
! The message next discusses the nego-
tiations with the republic OF Colombia,
undertaken last spring, which resulted
in the conclusion Of the treaty which
J was ratified by the United States Sen
ate.
This treaty. says the President,
/ was entered INFO at The urgent solicita-
ton of the people Of Colombia. and after
a body Of experts appointed By orr Gov
P! cr1meut especially TO go into The matter
OF ,outes across the isthmus had pro-
nounced unanimously in favor of the
Panama route IN drawing up this
treaty every concession was made 70
the people and to the government OF Co
lonbIa. We were more than Just in
dealing with them.
"Our generosity was such as 20 make
il = serious question whether we has
not gone too far IN their interest al
g. 20, ..5,ns, OF cur own. for IN our scru-
= puIcus desire 20 pay all possible heed
not merely 20 the real, but even TO th'
fancied, rights of our weaker neighbOr
who already owed so much 10 our pro.
e etion and forbearSuce, we yielded il
!. ali possible ways TO her desires in draw
. ing up the treaty
p Colombia Unstable.
Nevertheless the government Of Co
lombia not merely repudiated the treaty
but regulated it in such manner as Il
make IL evident by the time the Colon
: bian congress adjourned that not III
: scantiest hope remained of ever gettinl
a eatisfactor. treaty from them Tn
government of Colombia made IN
: treaty. and yet when the COLOMBIAN
O. congress was called 10 ratify IL the vot
z against ratification was unanimous
= 1T does not appear that the govern
e nnent made any real effort 10 secur
n re- tifcation-"
The message then relates the incident
i. OF the revolt of Panama which occurre
:, + Immediately after the adjournment q
u Congress- The people of Panama. IN
l. message recites. had long been discor
and had been kept quiet only Dy IN
prospect OF the conclusion OF the treat!
: to them a matter Of vital concern.
= Panama's Revolt.
It when it became evident that III
It treaty was hOpeIessly lost, the peoDl
e Of Panama rose literally as one MAJ
II Not q shot was fred by a single ma
Re O. The isthmus in the interest OF IL
- Colombian government. Not "A life wa
l. lost in the accomplishment OF the rev
r. luton. The Colombian troops Gtatione
y ON the isthmus. who had long been III
j. paid. made common cause with the Pc
pie OF Panama, and with astonishtn
unanimity the new republic was starts
- The duty OF the United States in Il
, premises was clear. In strict accOr'
- ance with the principles laid down
Secretaries Cass and Seward IN the OF
cial documents above quoted, the Unit,
!, States e. that II would perm
M the land expeditionary fore
the arriV n would mean chaI
and dest onP r;ie line OF u
4 railroad proposed canal. AZ
D. an intern transit s an iney
ts Ia BILE cor
-, The rec Z the de facto govern
: ment OF and the notification
=. the repu )lOmbia of the actiS
re Of the IT, Is Government, is ne
q. recited ! 'esident.
n Distur' the isthmus sin,
~ Ika6. whs ATTY with New GrenaS
waq euf are enumcra ted IN
le cbroupff o During that DeTio