The Lamar register., 1903-12-09

Is rs,iecation of the canal treaty as signed:
or. II the Government OF the oni'ed
states prefers, will call extra session or
the Congress-with new and friendiy
,nerbers0next May to approve the
treaty. IAN eminent Colombian! mas the
perfect confidence OF Vice-pres'oeh,; no
says, and IL it became necessary VIII go
to the tsthmus 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 oner OF immeoey
puaranteeing the treaty to US Is In sharp
contrast with the positive and contemp-
tuous refusal of the Congress which has
inst closed its sessions to consider Ia
vorabiy such treaty; II SHOWS .hat tne
Government which made the treaty really
mad absolute control over the situation.
but did not choose to exercise TINS con-
troll. The dispatch further calls on us
snnremacy 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
,,arce and traffic of the whole civilized
world. of the means of undisturbed tran
sit across the Isthmus of Panama mas
become of transcendent Importance to
the United States. We have repeatedly
exercised .his control by intervening in
the course of domestic dissension. and
by protecting the territory from toreign
Invasion. In 1853 Mr.. Everett assured
the Peruvian minister that we shoulo
not hesitate to maintain the neutrality
of the isthmus in the case OF war be
tween Peru and Colombia. In 1864 Co
lombia. which has always been vigiiant
to avail itself of its privileges conferred
by the treaty, expressed its expectation
that in the event of war between feru
and Spain the United States would carry
into effect the guaranty OF neutranty:
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 "A basis OF
more or less important demands. IT was
said by Mr.. Fish in 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 1886. 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 n
European power should resort to force
against a sister republic of this hemis-
phere. as to the sovereign and uninter-
rupted use of part of whose territory
we are guarantors under the solemn faith
of a treaty.
The above recital of facts establishes
beyond question: First. that the United
States has for over half century pa
tiently and in good faith carried out its
obligations under the treaty of 1916; sec
ond that when for the first time 1t be-
came possible for Colombia to do any
thing in requital OF the services thus re-
peatedly rendered to it for ffty-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 advan-
tage and imm suraby to the advantage
OF the State of Panama. at that time
under its jurisdiction: third. that
throughout this period revolutions. riots.
and factional disturbances of every kind
hav other l.
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 abating have tended to grow more nu-
merous and more serious in the imme-
diate past: NTH 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 on the isthmus. has new
ertheless declined to ratify n treaty the
conclusion of which opened the only
chance to secure its own stability and to
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 crime
against the nation. had it acted otherwise
than 1t did when the revolution OF Nov.
last took place in Panama. This great
enterprise of building the interoceanc
canal can not be held up to crafty 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 afnr on.
yet. against the wish of the actual dwell
lers on the isthmus,. assert unreal
supremacy over the territory. The pos
nf tor ifnr fire. ,p,t xytt tIeft
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
tion than our own; therefore it must be
built by the United States.
Treaty With Republic of Panama.
Every effort has been made by the Gov
ernment 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 ef-
forts have failed; and Colombia, by her
persistence in repulsng the advances that
have been made. has forced us. for the
sake of our own honor. and of the inter-
est and well-being. 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 condition of
affairs which had become intolerable-
ly offered to negotiate treaty with us.
This treaty 1 herewith submit. By It our
interests are better safeguarded than in
the treaty with Colombia which was rati-
fed by the Senate at its last session. 1t 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 - made
available. Panama has done Ssr part.
All that remains Is for the American Con-
gress to do its part and fortG with this
Republic Will enter upon the execution
of project colossal In its size and of
well-nig.. 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 n strip ten miles wide and
extending three nautical miles into the
sea at either terminal. with all lands ly-
Ing outside of the zone necessary for the
construction of the canal or for its nux-