The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-07

forfeited
either in the assertion of our rights or
in the performance of our duty under
the treaty. In 1858 Mr.. 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 Col
ombia which has always been vigilant
to avail itself of it's privilege 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 guarantee OF neutrality
There have been few administrations of
the state department in which this
treaty has not either by one side or the
other been used as basis of more or
less important demands 1t was said by
Mr. Fish in 1871 that the department of
state had reason to believe that an at
tack on Colombia's sovereignty on the
iSthmuS had on several occasions been
avoided by warning from this govern
ment. In 1886, when Colombia was un-
der the menace of hOStflitieS from Italy
in the Cerruti case, Mr.. Bayard express
ed the serious concern that the United
States could not but feel that a Eur
opean 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 guarantors under the solemn
faith of a treaty. The United States
has not only constantly protected Col
ombia from foreign invasion on the
strength of the rights and the duties
created by the treaty of 1886 but has
time and again intervened to preserve
the freedom of traffic from disturbance
in the course of disSenSiOns. In these
cases we have intervened some times at
the suggestion of Colombia, some times
on our own impression of the necessity
of the case, but always to the profit of
Colombia as well as universal COM
merce.
There has never been any doubt of
the validity of the treaty of 1S46 to
guarantee free and open transit either
for American citizens or for the gov
eInment of the United States. We have
used the Isthmus for the transit of
troops and of fugitiVeS from justice and
22d of February, 1879, acknowledging
this right of transit for troops and ex-
tradition of fugitives belonging to the
United States, a right as is declared in
the protocol, which is established in
compensation for the guarantee of the
sovereignty and property of the 18TH
mus, to which the same government is
bound
treaty is not dependent for it's efficacy
on the personnel of the signers or the
name of the territory it affects. 1t is
a covenant, as lawyers say, that runs
with the land. The name of New
Granada has passed away; it's territory
has been divided. But as long as the
Isthmus endures, the great geograph-
icaI fact keeps alive the solemn compact
which binds the holders of the territory
to grant US freedom of transit, and
binds US in return to safeguard for the
Isthmus and world the exercise of that
inestimable privilege.
''It is therefore too clear for discus
sion that when at the repeated solici-
tatioa of the government of Colombia.
a treaty was entered into between that
government and the United States for
carrying into effect the long cons1d-
cred plan of a canal across the 18TH
mus. to be owned and controlled by
the government of the United States,
it was no new proposition that was be-
ing adopted. but rather the carrying
out of a long cherished plan of both
countries and the assertion of a right
which had been long since conceded in
principle by the government of Colom-
bia. 1t was the universal conviction
that the time had come for this gigan-
tic project to be carried out. 1t was
too great for individual or corporate
enterprise. 1t could only be initiated
and carried to a conclusion by a gov
ernment of great power and vast re-
sources, and the only government to
which it was a possibility was that of
the United States. By authorization
of congress the president entered into
treaty with the government of Bogo-
ia for the construction of a canal by
way of the isthmus of Panama Wish
ing to show every considerat ton to the
government of Colonlb the treaty
contained provisions of extraordinary
| liberality. A large bonus was given
Tor the privilege of constructing the
canal, liberal annual lease was add
ed. and all this was in addition to the
NUM- berless benefits which would
accrue to the Colombian government
and people from the construction in
lhelr territory of the colossal work
The treaty was promptly ratified by
the senate of the United States and re-
Jected unanimously and without con-
slderation by that of Colombia. The
suggestions which have been made to
this government since the failure of
the treaty in Bogota of a renewal of
negotiations have been too vague and
TOO extraVagant to merit the serious
consideration of the United States: and
they were such as to create tbe i'm
preston in the minds of the neonla of
Panama that there was no reasona bIe
proSpect8 OF the ACCOMPLISHMENT of the
oDJecI upon Which their hopes and de-
slres had been set for many years.
rms brings US to the sudden and
startling events which have so recently
attracted the attention of this country
ana OF the world. Although there has
neen no lack for many years past of the
numerous causes of discomfort and
anxiety among the people of Panama
| it appears that the failure of the canal
treaty convinced them that there was
nothing more to be hoped for in their
connection with the Colombian govern
ment which had never proved entirely
satisfactory. They went to work with
that talent for prompt and secret or
ganization to which there is no paral-
lei among people of northern blood
they prepared the machinery of revolu-
ton in advance and suddenly in a
single day without the firing of a shot
with the exception of a few shells
that were thrown into the city from a
Colombian steamer in the harbor of
Panama-they accomplished their in
dependence. A government consisting
of the leading citizens of the state was
at once organized and proclaimed to the
world, a part of the Colombian forces
4 joined the revolution; the rest return
ed to Colombia and, so far as we are
able to judge the new republic begins
its career with no organized opposition
throughout the entire extent of the
ISthmus