The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-11-10
BORN !!
A New Nation Springs Into
Being.
The State OF Panama Declares
lis independence Of Colombia.

The Panama canal route nes dCloss
the Isthmus of Darien, and runs
through the State of Panama. once
An independent country, now a State
or province of Colombia.
The people of Panama were very
much incensed over the action of
Colombia, in rejecting the treaty
with the United States, for the build
ing of the canal to connect the two
oceans. They felt that the building
of the canal would greatly enhance
the value of their property, and in
crease the business of their country;
They felt that in rejecting the
treaty, Colombia had ignored the In
terests of Panama, and the popular
discomfort has ripened into revolt.
The country has declared its indie
pendence of Colombia, and has set
up an independent Government,
which the United States has already
recognized as the de facto Govern
ment of the country.
A Colombian gunboat opened fire
on the city of Colon, throwing a
number of shells into it; but it ceased,
when the U. S. Consul protested, on
account of no warning having been
given to the people The gunboat
then left the harbor for another Co.
lombian port.
The action of the United States, in
at once recognizing the de facto
Government of Panama. has aroused
some fear that it would throw
suspicion on our motives, and might
suggest: that the revolution was TO-
mented by Americans, on account of
the action of Colombia, in rejecting
the treaty made with us.
Whatever the results may be. the
Administration has acted wisely, and
has taken a safe and sensible course.
President Roosevelt called his Cabi-
net together and advocated the
course taken, recognizing that in do
ing so our Government is carrying
out its treaty obligations.
The officials of Colombia had fled,
leaving no government but that of
the new Republic of Panama, and
our Government having agreed to
maintain order and protect the route
of transit across the isthmus, its only
course was to recognize the de facto
Government of Panama.
Mr.. Hay, our Secretary of State,
made a public statement upon the
question. Friday, explaining the
cause of our Government as follows;
"fhe action of the President in the
Panama matter is not only in the
strictest accordance with the princi-
plies of Justice and equity and in line
with all the best precedents of our
public pol cy. but it was the only
course he could have taken in COM
pliance with our treaty rights and
obligations.
'By our treaty, entered into with
New Granada in the year 1915, New
Granada guarantees that The right
of way across the isthmus of Panama
By any mode of communication that
now exists OF that NAV be here
after constructed, shall be free and
open to the government and citizen:
of the United States
This 10 a right which We have ae
quired by the treaty, not gratuitous'
ly conferred, but in return for an i'm.
portant compensation, for in the
same article the government nf the
United States guarantees positively
and effica aciously to New Granada, by
the present stipulation, the perfect
neutrality of the before mentioned
isthmus, with the view that the free
transit from the one to the other
may not be interrupted or embar
rassed in any future time while this
treaty exists
sit is, therefore, too clear for dis
cussion that when, at the repeated
solicitation of the government o.
Colombia, a treaty was entered iatf
between that government and the
United States for carrying into effect
the long considered plan of cana
across the isthmus, it was no new
proposition that was being adopted
but rather the carrying out of long
cherished plan of both countries and