Arizona republican., 1903-12-08

PdnaTna mas become OF tranSCeTdent
} imooit lance to the United States. We
have repeatedly exercised this control
, by intervening in the course of domestic
dissention, and by protecting the terri
tory from foreign invasion. In 1853
MIR. Everett assured the Peruvian Min
lister that we should not hesitate TO
maintain the neutrality OF the Isthmus
in the case of war between Peru and
Colombia. In 1864 Colombia, which has
always been vigilant to avail itself Of
It's privileges confewed by the treaty.
expressed its expectation that in the
event of war between Peru and Spain
the United States would carry into eff
feet 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 basis of more or
| less important demands. In was said
by Mr.. Fish in 1871 that the depart
ment of state had reason to believe
that an attack on Colombian soyer-
eighty on the Isthmus had, on several
occasions. been averted by warning
from this government. In 1886, whel
| Colombia was under the menace of hos
| tilities from Italy in the Cerruti case.
/ Mr.. Bayard expressed the serious con-
| Germ that the United States could not
! but feel, that European power should
resort to force against a sister republic
of this hemisphere. as to the sovereign
| and uninterrupted use of a part OF
whose territory we are guarantors un-
der the solemn faith of treaty.
The above recital of facts establishes
beyond question: First, that the United
States has for over half a century pa
| tiently and in good faith carried out its
obligations under the treaty of 1876;
second, that when for the first time II
became possible for Colombia to do any
| thing in requital of the services thus
repeated rendered to it for fifty-seven
years by the United States the Col
ombian government peremtorily and
extensively refused thus TO do its part.
even though to do 50 would have been
| to it's advantage and immeasu rably TO
the advantage of the state Of Panamn.
at that time under its jurisdiction;
third that throughout this period revolt
| lutons. riots, and factional disturb
ances of every kind have occurred ono
after the other in almost uninterrupted
succession, some Of them lasting for
months and even years, while the cen
trail government was unable to pug
them down or to make peace with the
rebels; fourth, that these disturbances
instead OF showing any sign of abating
have tended to grow more numerous
and more serious in the immediate past:
fifth that the control of Colombia over
the Isthmus of Panama could not be
maintained without the armed inter
vention and assistance of the United
States. In other words the government
of Colombia. though wholly unable to
maintain order on the Isthmus, has
nevertheless declined to ratify a treaty
the conclusion of which opened the on
ly chance to secure its own stability
and to guarantee permanent peace on.
and the construction of a canal across.
the Isthmus.
Under such circumstances the gov
eminent of the United States would
have been guilty of folly and weakness.
amounting in their sum to a crime
against ,ha nation. had it acted other
wise than it did when the revolution OF
November 3 last took place in Panama.
This great enterprise of building the
interocean nc canal can not be held up
to crafty the whins, or out of resoect
to the governmental impotence. or to
the even more sinsister and evil politi-
cal peculiarities, of people who. though
they dwell afar off, yet. against the
wish of the actual dwellelrs on the
Isthmus assert an unreal supremacy
over the territory. The possession OF a
territory fraught with such peculiar
capacities as the Isthmus in question
carries with it obligations to mankind.
The course of events has shown that
this canal can not be built by private
enterprise. or by any other nation than
our own: therefore il must be built b.
the United States.
Submission of Treaty With New Re-
public of Panama.
Every effort has been made by the
government of the United States TO
persuade Colombia TO follow course
which was essentially not only to our
interests and to the interests of the
world. but TO the interests OF Colombia
itself These efforts have failed: ami
Colombia. by her persistence in repuls-
ing the advances that have been made.
has forced us, for the sake of our own
honor. and of the interest AMI weil-be-
ing. not merely of our own people. but
of the people of the Isthmus of Panama
and the people of the civilized countries
of the world, to take decisive steps to
bring TO an end a condition OF affairs
which has become intolern5le. The
new republic OF Panama Immediately
offered to negotiate a treaty with us
This treaty l herewith submit. By il
our inter ,sts ere better safeguar'led
Than in the treaty with Colombia which
was ratified by the senate by its last
session. 1t J. hotter in is terms than
its treaties offered to us by the repub-
lies of Nicaragua and Costa Riea.
At last the right to begin this great
undertaking is made available. Pan
anna has done her part. All that re-
mains is for the American congress to
do its part and forthwith this republic
will enter upon the execution of pro-
ject colossal in its size and of well-nigh
incalculable possibilities for the good
of this country and the nations o.
mankind.