The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-12-10

marxsnanship Il being steadily raised
The best work ashore II Indispensable
but tile highest duty Of a naval officer i,
to exercise command ct sea,
; Il Is eminently desirable, however tina.
J there should be provided q naval general
| stan on lines similar to those OF the general
. stAH lately created for the army Withir
the navy department. itself the needs 81
| the. service have brought about system
under which the duties Of a general sfasi
are partially performed; for the bureau of
navigation has under its direction the " n
college, tho Office Of naval intelligence and
the board OF Inspection, and has been In
close tough with the general board OF the
GERS Al their head these n boards Ana bnIe ol
do good work, they have not the authority
of general stan, and have not sufficient
scope to insure proper readiness FOR
emergencies. We need the establishment
i by law OF a body OF trained officers who
shall exercise systematicl control Of. the
lied advisers of the secretary concerning It.
The Isthmian Canal.
BY the act OF June 2S 1902, the congress
| authorized the president to enter into
treaty with Colombia for the building OF
the canal across the Isthmus Of Panama. .
it being provided that in the event OF
| failure to secure such treaty after the
| lapse OF q reasonable time. recourse
should be had to building a canal through
Nicaragua. 1t has not been necessary To
consider this alternative, as am enabled
| to lay before the senate a treaty provfd-
/
| the Isthmus OF Panama This was the
| route which commended itself to the de-
| liberate Judgment of the congress, and
we cam nS% acquire By treaty the right
| The question now, therefore, is not by
| which route the isthmian canal shall be
Gr sSas has been Sn definite
is simply whether or not we shall have
an isthmian canal (.
.s When the congress directed that We
treaty with Colombia, the essence of the
condttion, OF course, referred not to the
government which controlled that route
across which the route lay, not to the
name which for the moment the territory.
bore on the map, The purpose OF the law
treaty with the power in actual con-
troll Of the Isthmus Of Panama. This
purpose has been fulfilled.
Isthmian Treaty. Obligations.
In the year 1886 th@ government en-
teredNinto a treaty with New Granada
Republic of Colombia and Of the present
Republic of Panama, by which treaty 1t
was provided that the government and
citizens of the United States should al
ways have, free and open right of way
or transit across the Isthmus of Panama
by any modes Of communication that
might be constructed, while in return our
government guaranteed the perfect neu-
trality of the above-named isthmus with
the view that the free transit from the
one to the other sea might not be inter-
rupted or embarrassed. The treaty vest
ed in the United States a substantial
property right carved out of the rights of
sovereignty and property which New
Granada then had and possessed over the
said territory. The name of New Gran
ada has passed away and its territory
has been divided. Its successor, the gov
any property in the isthmus. A new
republic. that of Panama, which was at
one time sovereign state, and at an
other time mere department of the sue
cessive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia, has now succeed
ed to the rights which first one and then
isthmus. But as long as the isthmus en-
dures, the mere geographical fact of its
existence, and the peculiar interest there
IN which is 81 required by our position
binds the holders of the territory to re-
spect our right to freedom of transit
across It. and binds us in return to safe
gnard for the fbs and the world the
The true Interpretation OF the obligations
upon which the United States entered in
this treaty OF 1876 has been given repeat
eddy in the utterances Of presidents ana
secretaries OF state.
For 400 years, ever since shortly after the |
discovery Of this hemisphere, the canal
across the fsthmus has been planned. For |
twoscore years it has been worked at. |
When made 1t Is to last for the ages 1t Is |
to alter the geography Of continent and
the trade routes OF the world. We have
shown by every treaty we have negotiated |
or attempted to negotiate with the peoples |
in control OF the isthmuS and with foreign |
nations In reference thereto our consistent |
good faith in observing our obligations; on |
the one hand to the peoples of the isthmus, |
and on the other hand TO the civilized world |
whose commercial rights we are safe |
guarding and guaranteeing by our action. |
We have done our duty'to others in letter |
and spirit, and we have shown the utmost |
hnn iran In ri inc nNIp nNuV Tier
Colombia's Reputation of Treaty.
Last spring, under the act above re-
ferred to, a treaty concluded between the |
representatives of the Republic OF Colom- |
by the senate. This treaty was entered |
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo-
pie of Colombia and after body Of ex- |
p to 20 into the mater Of the
routes across the isthmus had pro-
nounced unanimously in favor Of /
Panama route In drawing up this treaty !
every concession was made to the people |
and to the government of Colombia We |
were more than just in dealing with |
them. Our generosity was such as to |
had not gone too far in their in |
terest at the expense of our own; for in /
our .scrupulous desire. to pay all possible |
heed. not merely to the real but even to /
the fancied rights of our weaker neigh |
Dor, who already owed so much to our /
protection and forbearance, we yielded /
III iii pOSSlDlc ways 10 HeT desires IN II
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the /
government of Colombia not merely 4
repudiated the treaty, but repudiated II /
in such manner as to make 1t evident by /
the time the Colombian congress adj |
journed that not the scantiest hope re- /
manned of ever getting satisfactory /
treaty from them. The government Of |
Colombia made the treaty, and yet when |
the Colombian congress was called to
ratify 1t the vote against ratification was /
unanimous. 1t does not appear that the |
government made any real effort to Sc |
cure ratification.
Revolution I'm Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment OF /
the congress a revolution broke out in /
Panama. The people of Panama had |
long been disconnected with the Republic |
OF Colombia, and they had been kept |
quiet only by the prospect Of the con-
clusion of the treaty, which was to them /
a matter Of vital concern. When It be- |
came evident that the treaty was hope. /
lessly lost, the people of Panama rose \
literally as one man. Not a shot was /
fired by single man on the isthmus in /
the interest of the Colombian govern |
ment. Not a life was lost in the accom- /
plishment of the revolution. The Colom- |
bian troops stationed ON the isthmus, /
who had long been unpaid. made COM |
mon cause with the people of Panama, /
and with astonishing unanimity the new /
republic was started. The duty Of the /
United States in the premises was clear. |