Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-12-10

the Congress-with new and friendly
Reimbursement May to approve the
treaty. IAN eminent Colombianl has the
perfect confidence of vice-president. he
says. and II 1t became necessary will go
to the isthmus or send representative
there to adjust matters along above lines
to the satisfaction of the people there"
This dispatch Is noteworthy from two
standpoints. Its 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
vorably such q treaty; II 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
TO restore order and secure Colombian
supremacy in the isthmus from which the
Colombian Government has just by Its
action decided to bar us by preventing
the construction Of the canal
Importance OF Peace In lsthmus.
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
become of transcendent Importance to
the United States We have repeatedly
exercised this control by intervening In
the course of domestic dissension, and
by protecting the territory from foreign
invasion. In 1858 MIR. Everett assured
the Peruvian minister that we should
not hesitate to maintain the neutrality
of the isthmus In the case of war be-
tween Peru and Colombia. In 1864 CO.
lombla which has always been vlgilant
to avail itself Of its privileges conferred
by the treaty. expressed its 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. II was
saio by Mr.. Fish I'm 1871 that the Depart
ment of State had reason to believe that
an attack upon Colombian sovereignty
on the isthmus had on several occa-
sions. been averted by warning from this
Government. In 1856, when Colombia was
under the menace of hostilities from
Italy in the Cerruti case. Mr.. Bayard ex-
pressed the serious concern that the
United States could not but feel, that a
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 giarantors under the solemn faith
Of treaty.
The above recital OF facts establishes
beyond question: First. that the United
States has for over half century pa
tiently and I'm good faith carried out Its
Obligations under the treaty Of 1876; Sec
ond. that when for the first time II be-
came possible for Colombia to do any,
thing in requital Of the services thus re-
peatedly rendered to II for fifty-seven
years by the United States. the Colombian
Government peremptorily and extensively
refused thus to do its part. even though
to do so would have been to its adyan-
of the State Of Panama. at that time
Under its jurisdiction: third that
throughout this period revolutions. riots.
and factional disturbances OF every kind
have 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
peace with the rebels: fourth. that these
disturbances instead of showing any sign
of ahating have tended to grow more nu-
merous and more serious In the imme-
diate past: fifth, that the control Of CO.
lombia over the Isthmus of Panama could
not be maintained without the armed in
PREVENTION and assistance OF the United
States. In other words. the Government
Of Colombia. though wholly unable to
maintain order on the isthmus, has new
ertheless declined to ratify treaty the
conclusion OF which opened the only
Cnduc6 TO SECURE It's OWN StdDtiIly anu 10
guarantee permanent peace on, and the
construction Of canal across. the 18TH
mus.
Under such circumstances the Govern
ment of the United States would have
been guilty Of folly and weakness.
amounting In their sum to a crime
against the nation. had II acted otherwise
than It did when the revolution Of Nov.
last took place in Panama. This great
enterprise OF building the interoceanlc
canal can not be held up to gratffy the
whims. or out Of respect to the govern
mental impotence. or to the even more
sinister and evil political peculiarities. Of
people who. though they dwell afar of.
| vet. against the wish OF the actual dwell
lers on the isthmus. assert an unreal
supremacy over the territory. The pos
session Of territory fraught with such
peculiar capacities as the isthmus In
question carries with 1t obligations to
mankind. The course OF events has
shown that this canal can not be built
by private enterprise or by any other ma
| ton than our own: therefore II must b-
built by the United States.
Treaty With Republic Of Panama.
Every effort has been made by The GOV.
| eminent Of the United States to persuade
| Colombia to follow q course which was
| essentially not only to our interests and
| to the interests Of the world. but 10 the
| interests OF Colombia ITSELF These eff
| forts have failed: and Colombia, by her
| persistence In repulsing the advances that
| have been made has forchd us. for the
| sake Of our own honor, and Of the inter-
| est and we'll being. not merely Of our own
| people, but Of the people OF lie 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
i AFFAIRS which had become intolerable.
| The new Republic of Panama Immediate
| ly offered to negotiate a treaty with us.
/ This treaty I herewith submit. BY II our
| interests are better safeguarded than In
| the treaty with Colombia which was rati-
| fed by the Senate at its last session. It Is
| better In its terms than the treaties Of
| fered to us by the Republics OF Nicara-
| qua and Costa Rica. At last the right
| to begin this great undertaking Is made
| available. Panama mas done her part
\ All that remains Is for the American Con-