Bismarck daily tribune., 1903-12-07

ter OF the routes 0CrOSS Tue lStuAuuS
had. pronounced unanimously In favor
of the 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 as to make it serious ques-
ton whether we had not gone too far
In their interest 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 neighbor, who already
owed so much to our protection and
forbearance. we yielded in all possible
ways to her desires In drawing up the
treaty Nevertheless the government
Of Colombia not merely repudiated the
treaty. but repudiated 1t in such man
ner as to make 1t evident by the time
the Colombian congress adjourned that
not the scantiest hope remained Of ever
getting satisfactory treaty from
them The government Of Colombia
made the treaty. and yet when the Co
lombian congress was called to ratify
II the vote against ratification was
unanimous. 1t does not appear that
the government made any real effort to
secure ratification.
Revolution In Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment
Of the congress revolution broke out
in Panama. The people OF Panama
had long been discontented with the
republic of Colombia, and they had
been kept quiet only by the prospect
Of the conclusion Of the treaty, which
was to them matter Of vital concern
! When it became evident that the treaty
was hopelessly lost the people of Pan.
anna rose literally as one man. Not
shot was fired by single man on the
iSthmus in the interest of the Colon
| bian government Not life was lost
In the accomplishment Of the revolu.
ton. The Colombian troops stationed
on the isthmus, who had long been un-
paid. made common cause with the
people Of Panama, and with astoEish-
ing unanimity the new republic was
started. The duty of the United States
In the premises was clear In strict
accordance with the principles laid
| down by Secretaries Cass and Seward
in the official documents above quoted
the United States gave notice that it
would permit the landing of no expedi-
| tionary force, the arrival of which
would mean chaos and destruction
along the line of the railroad and of the
proposed canal and an interruption of
transit as an inevitable consequence.
The de facto government of Panama
was recognized in the following tele-
gram to Mr.. Ehrman
"The people Of Panama have. by ap-
parently unanimous movement. dis
solved their political connection with
the republic of Colombia and resumed
their independence. When you are sat
isfied that de factO government, re-
publican in form and without substan-
tial opposition from its own people.
has been established in the state of
Panama, you will enter into relations
with 1t as the responsible government
of the territory and look to it for all
due action to protect the persons and
property Of citizens of the United States
and to keep open the isthmian transit
In accordance with the obligations OF
existing treaties governing the relations
Of the United States to that territory"
The government of Colombia was
notified of our action by the following
telegram to Mr.. Beaupre:
"The people of Panama having by
an apparently unanimous movement
dissolved their political connection with
the republic of Colombia and resumed
their Independence and having adopted
a government of their own, republican
IN form. with which the government of
the United States Of America has en-
tered into relations. the president of
the United States, in accordance with
the ties of friendship which have SO
long and so happily existed between
the respective nations, most earnestly
commends to the governments of Co
lombia and of Panama the peaceful
and equitable settlement of all ques.
tons at issue between them. He holds
that he is bound not merely by treaty
|
lizatiOn, to see that the peaceful traffic
OF the world across the isthmus of
Panama shall not longer be disturbed
by constant succession of unneces
sary and wasteful wars"
Disturbances on lsthmus Since 1846
When these events happened. fifty.
seven years had elapsed since the Unit
ed States had entered into it's treaty
with New Granada. During that time
the governments of New Granada and
OF its successor, Colombia, have beer
In constant state of fiux. The follow
ing is a partial list of the disturbances
on the isthmus of Panama during tn,
period in question as reported to us by
our consuls. 1t is not possible to give
complete list, and some of the report.
that speak of revolutions" must mear
unsuccessful revolutions.
May %. lS50.-Outbreak; two Americana
killed War vessel demanded to quell out
. break.
October. 1S50.-Revolutionary plot I,
bring about independence of the isthmus