The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-12-11

The best work ashore is indispensab;e.
but the highest duty of a naval officer is
1t Is eminently desirable however that
there should be provided a naval general
stan on Lines similar to those of the general
the navy department itself the needs of
the service have brought about a system
are partially performed; for the bureau OF
navigation has under its direction the war
college. the office of naval intelligence and
the board of inspection, and has been in
close touch with the general board of the
navy. But though under the excellent OFF,
do good work. they have not the authority
of general staff. and have not sufficient
scope to insure proper readiness for
by Jaw of a body of trained officers, who
shall exercise a systematic control of the
military affairs Of the navy. and be author
ICED advisers OF the secretary concerning it.
The Isthmian Canal.
BY the act of June g, 1902, the congress
authorized the president to enter into
treaty with Colombia for the building OF
it being that in the eyent al
failure to secure such treaty after the
lapse of g reasonable time. recourse
should be had to building canal through
Nicaragua It has not been necessary to
consider this alternative, as l am enabled
to lay before the senate a treaty provid-
the Isthmus of Panama This was the
route which commended itself to the de-
nb LIB judgment, OF the consr ,h ana
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
iy and irrevocably decided. The question
is simply whether or not We shall have
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 Hlake
a treaty with the power In actual con
purpose has been fulfilled.
Isthmian Treaty Obligations.
In the year 1916 this government en-
tered into treaty with New Granada
the predecessor upon the Isthmus of the
Republic of Colombia and of the present
Republic of Panama, by which treaty 1t
was provided that the government and
ways have free and open right of way
or transit across the Isthmus of Panama
by any modes of communication that
government guaranteed the perfect neu-
trality of the above-named isthmus with
the view that the free transit from the
rupted or embarrassed. The treaty vest
ed in the United States a substantial
property right carved out OF the rights of
Granada then had and possessed over the
said territory. The name of New Gran
ada has passed away and its territory
eminent of Colombia, has ceased to own
any property in the isthmus. 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
Cd 70 fha 1ohf y, iah RrSt md fhav,
the other formerly exercised over the
isthmus. But as long as the isthmus en-
dures, the mere geographical fact Of its
in which is required by our position,
perpetuate the solemn contract which
binds the holders OF the territory to re-
across 1t. and binds us in return to safe
guard for the isthmus and the world the
The true Interpretation of the obligations
upon which the United States entered in
this treaty of 1916 has been given repeat
eddy in the utterances Of presidents and
secretaries of state. ~
For 400 years, ever since shortly after the
discovery Of this hemisphere. the canal
twoscore years 1t has been worked at.
When made it is to last for the ages. 1t is
TO alter the geography OF a continent and
shown by every treaty we have negotiated
or 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 safe
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
Colombia's Reputation of Treaty.
Last spring, under the act above re-
ferred to, a treaty concluded between the
representa- ives of the Republic of Colom-
hia and of government ratified
by the senate. This treaty was entered
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo-
perts appointed by our government es-
pecially to go into the matter of the
routes across the isthmus had pro-
Panama route. In drawing UP this treaty
every concession was made to the people
and to the government of Colombia We
them. Our generosity was such as to
make 1t a serious question whether We
had not gone too far in their 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. we yielded
In all possible ways to her desires in
government of Colombia not merely
repudiated the treaty, but repudiated il
in such manner as to make 1t evident by
the time the Colombian congress ad-
manned of ever getting 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
cure ratification.
Revolution In Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment of
the congress a revolution broke out in
Panama. The people of Panama had
long been discontinued with the Republic
of Colombia, and they had been kept
quiet only by the prospect OF the CON
clusion Of the treaty. which was TO them
q matter of vital concern. When 1t be-
came evident that the treaty was hope
1essly lost. the people of Panama rose
literally as one man. Not shot was
fired by a single man on the isthmus in
the interest of the Colombian govern
meHt. Not life was lost in the accom-
plishment of the revolution. The Colon
bian troops stationed on the isthmus
who had long been unpaid. made com
mon cause with the people of Panama
writ ocfnn icl,f oy,fr