New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-08
ISTHUI4N CANAL.

By the act OF June IS 1902 the Congress
authorized the President enter into treaty
with Colombia for the building Of the canal
across the Isthmus of Panama; it being pro-
vided that in the event of failure TO secure such
treaty after the lapse of a reasonable time re
course should be had TO building a canal
through Nicaragua. 1t has not been necessary
TO consider this alternative | am abled TO
lay before the Senate a treaty providing for the
building OF the canal across the Isthmus Of
Panama This the route which commended
itself 10 the deliberate judgment of the Con-
gress and We can now acquire by treaty the
right TO construct the canal over this route.
The question now, therefore, is not by which
route the isthman canal shall be built, for that
question has been dehnltely ana irrevocabIy de-
Cided. The question is simply whether or not
We shall have an isthmian canal.
When the Congress directed that We should
take the Panama route under treaty with Co
loInbia the essence Of the condition. of course,
referred not to the government which controlled
that route, but TO the route itself TO the terri
tory 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 st to
the power in actual control OF the Isthmus OF
Panama This purpose has been fulfilled.
TREATY OBLIGATIONS
In the year 1876 this government entered into
treaty with New-Gran da. the predecessor
and of the present Republic of Panama. by
which treaty il was provided that the govern
ment and citizens Of the United States should
always have free and open right Of way tran
sit across the Isthmus of Panama by any modes
Of communication that might be constructed,
while in return our government guaranteed the
perfect neutrality of the above mentioned 18TH
mus with the view that the free transit from
the one t. the other might not be interrupt
ed embarrassed. The treaty vested in the
United States a substantial property right
carved out OF the rights of sovereignty and
property which New-Granada then had and pos
sessed over the said territory The name or
New-Granada has passed away. and its terri
tory has been divided Its successor the gov
eminent OF Colombia, has ceased 10 own any
property in the sthmus. A new republic. that
of Panama, which was at one time a sovereign
State and at another time a mere department
OF the successive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia. has now succeeded 10
the rights which first one and then the other
long as the isthmus endures, the mere geoSraph-
ical fact of its existence, and the peculiar in
terest therein which is required by our posi-
tion. perpetuate the solemn contract whlch
binds the holders Of the territory to respect our
right to freedom OF transit across il, and binds
in return 10 safeguard for the lsthrnus ana
the world the exercise of that inestma bic pTlvi-
Iege The true Interpretation Of the obligations
uDon which the United States entered in this
treaty Of 1876 has been given repeatedly in the
utterances of Presidents and Secretaries or
State. Secretary Cass in 1913 ofnclally stat
ed the position OF this government as follows;
The progress Of events has rendered the inter
oceanic route the narrow portion Of Central
America vastly important 10 the commercial world.
SONS egtend along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
and demand the speediest and easiest modes Of
rornnaunicat ton. While the rights of sovereignty
Of the States occupying this region should always
he respected. shall expect that these rights be
exercised n 4 spirit betting the occasion and the
wants and circumstances that have arisen Sow
ereiEnty its duties. well rs its rights, ana
none of these local governments. even II admin
Istered with more regard 70 the Just demands or
other nations than they have been, would be pei
ruitted I'm a spirit OF Eastern isolation. 10 close the
oates Of intercourse on the great highways OF the
world and Justify the act by the pretension that
these avenues OF trade and travel belong TO them.
and that they choose TO shut them. or what Is
almost equivalent. 10 cucumber them with such un-