Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1903-12-10

or cn. In 1901, IN 1co-, III 1-oos anu Az @SSst
the Colombian Government asked that the /
United States Government would land |
troops TO protect its interests and main |
tain order on the isthmus. perhaps the |
most extraordinary request is that which |
has Just been received and which runs |
rs follows: |
knowing that revolution has already |
commenced IN Panama Ian eminent Co
lonbian1 gays that IL the Government of
the United States will land troops to pre-
serve Colombian sovereignty. and the
transit. II requested by Colombian charge
d'affaires. this Government Will declare
martial law: and. by virtue of vested con-
S.itutional authority. when public order
-, restored. will approve by decree the
ratification of the canal treaty as signed:
or; II the Government of the United
Stafas prefers. win call extra session of
the Coneress=with new and friendly
memhcrs-nexts Nay to approve the
treaty. IAN eminent CoionbiaDl has the
perfect confidence of vice-pres!dent. he
says. and If 1t became necessary will go
20 the isthinus or send Representative
there to adjust matters along above lines
to the satisfaction of the people there"
THIS dispatch Is noteworthy from two
standp6ihts. It's offer of Immediately
guaranteeing the treaty to us is in sharp
contrast with the positive and contemp-
tuous refusal of the Congress which has
just closed its sessions to consider IA
vorahly such treaty; it 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
10 restore order and secure Colombian
supremacy in the iBthmus from which the
Colombian Government has just by it's
action decided to bar is by preventing
the construction of the canal
Importance OF Peace in Isthmus.
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 Isthmus of Panama has
becofne OF transcendent Importance to
the tinted States. We have repeatedly
exercised This control by intervening In
the course of domestic dissension. and
by protecting the territory from foreign
.nvasisT. In 1853 Mr.. Everett assured
he Peruvian minister that we should
not hesitate to maintain the neutrality
of the isthmus in the cafe OF war be-
tween Peru and Colombia. In 1854 CO.
lombia which has always been vigilant
20 avail itself of It's privileges conferred
by the treaty, expressed It's 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 basis OF
more or less important demands. 1t was
It
nent of State had reason to believe that
an attack upon Colombian sovereignty
on the issiirnus had, on several 0cca-
sions, been avefted By warning from this
Government. In 1856, When Colombia was
under the menace of hostiIities from
Italy in the Cerruti case, Mr.. Bayard ex-
pressed the serious concern that the
United States could not but feel that
European power should resort to force
against a sister republic of this hemis-
phere, as to the sovereign and uninter-
rupted use of a part of whose territory
we are gnarantors under the solemn faith
of a treaty.
The above recital of facts establishes
beyond question: First. that the United
States has for over half q century pa
tiently and III 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 afS@
thing in requital of the services thus re-
peatedly rendered to 1t for fifty-seven
years by the United States. the Colombian
Government peremptorily and extensively
efused thus TO do its part, even though
% do 50 would have been TO Its ndvan-
tage and imnieSshrSbly to the advantage
TIE State of Pa'1arla. at that time
nder its jurisdiction: third. that
throughout this period revolutions riots.
md factional disturbances of every kind
nave 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
0eacs with the rebels; fourth. that these
disturbances instead of showing any sign
If abating have tended to grow more nu-
nervous and more serious in the imme-
date past; fifth. that the control of Co.
lombia over the Isthmus OF Panama could
not be maintained without the armed In
tervention and assistance of the United
States. In other words. the Government
Of Colombia. though wholly unable to
maintain order the isthmus. has new
artheless declined to ratify a treaty the
conclusion of which opened the only
chance to secure its own stability and to
guarantee permanent peace on, and the
construction of a canal across. the 18TH
nus.
Under such circumstances the Govern
nent OF the United States would have
,een guilty of folly and weakness.
amounting in their sum to crime
against the nation. had it acted otherwise
han it did when the revolution OF Nov
asst took place in Panama. This great
enterprise of building the interoceanic
anal can not be held up to crafty the
vhims. or out of respect to the govern
mental impotence, or to the even more
mister and evil political peculiarities, OF
,eople who. though they dwell afar off,
-et. against the wish of the actual dwell
ers on the isthmus, assert an unreal
supremacy over the territory. The pos
;cssion of territory fraught with such
peculiar capacities as the isthmus In
question carries with 1t obligations to
mankind. The course of events has
ihown that this canal can not be built
by private enterprise. or by any other ma
ion than our own; therefore 1t must be
ouilt by the United States.
Treaty With Republic of Panama.
Every effort has been made by the Gov
arnment of the United States to persuade
Ill to which
ssentially not only to our interests and
o the interests of the world. but to the
interests of Colombia itself. These eff
orts have failed; and Colombia. by her
,ersistence in repulsing the advances that
ave been made. has forced US. for the
AXE of our own honor, and of the inter-
st and well-being. not merely of our own
;eople. but of the people Of the Isthmus
If Panama and the people of the civilized
Countries of the world. TO take decisive
teps to bring to an end condition OF
fairs which had become intolerable.
The new Republic of Panama Immediate
offered to negotiate treaty with US.
This treaty / herewith submit. By 1t our
interests are better safeguarded than In
he treaty with Colombia which was rati-
led by the Senate at its last session. 1t Is
letter in its terms than the treaties Of
cred to US by the Republics OF Ntcara-
qua and Costa Rica. At last the right
20 begin this great undertaking Is made
AVAILABLE. Panama mas done her part
All that remains is for the American Con-
gress to do its part and forthwith this
Republic will enter upon the execution
Of a project colossal in Its size and OF
well-nis-- incalculable possibilities for the
good of this country and the nations Of
mankind.
Provisions of Treaty.
By the provisions of the treaty the
| United States guarantees and will main
| tain the independence Of the Republic OF
| Panama There is granted to the United
States in perpetuity the use. occupation.
and control of strip ten miles wide and
( extending three nautical miles into the
sea at either terminal. with all lands ~
| ing OUTSIDE of the zone necessary for the
| construction of the canal or for its aux
iliary works, and with the Islands In the
Bay of Panama. The cities OF Panama
| II ced In the canal