The Holly chieftain., 1903-12-11

portion Of Central America vastly impor-
tant TO the commercial world and espc-
ciaIiy TO The United States, whose pos
sessions extend along the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts, and demand the speediest
and easiest modes Of communication.
While the rights of sovereignty OF the
states Occupying tins region should al
way be respected, we shall expect that
these rights be exercised in spirit he
hitting the occasion and the wants and
circumstances that have arisen. SoyeT-
eighty has its duties well as its rights
and none Of these local governments.
even If administered with more regard To
the just demands of other nations than
they have been. would be permitted in a
spirit OF eastern isolation. to close the
gates Of intercourse on the great high
ways OF the world. and justify the act by
the prctension that these avenues of
trade and travel belong TO them and that
they choose 10 shut them. or. what Is
almost equivalent. to cucumber them
with such unjust relations as would pre-
vent their general use"
Seven years iate in 1865. Mr.. Seward
IN dinsT'nt communications took the fol-
lowing position;
The United States have taken and
VIII take no interest in any question of
internal revolution IN the State of Pan
anna, or any State Of the United States OF
COLOMBIA, hut VIII maintain perfect
neutrality III connection with such do
iHeStIC ait'ichilonS. The United States
Will, nevertheless, hold themselves ready
to protect tn. transit trade across the
isthThns against invasion Of either do
meshc or foreign diSturbers OF the peace
of the State OF Panama. Neither
the text nor the spirit of the Stimulation
IN mat article by which the United States
engages tC preserve the neutrality of the
lsthmus Cf Panama imposes an oblipn
tion on THIS Government to comDIy with
the TeguIsIIou iof the President OF the
United States of Colombia for a force TO
protect the Isthmus of Panama from a
/ BODY OF insurgents Of that countryl The
purpose OF the stipulation was to guar
antee Tie isthmus against seizure or in
NaSIon by foreign power only
Last spring. under the act above rc-
itiFed TO- n treaty concluded between the
representatives. Of The Republic of Co
!oFIhIa and uf oar Government was yaff-
hcd ny tho Senate. This treaty was on
tcfcd into at the urgent solicitation nf
the people Of Colombia and after a body
oi experts appointed by our Government
especially 10 go INTO the matter OF tho
routes across the isihmus had pronounced
una ahimouSly IN iayor Of the Panama
route In drawing up this treaty every
concession was made 10 the DeopIe ANA
10 the G"Vcinnent of Colombia We were
more ih"h Jusl IN dealing with them our
generosity was such as to make 1t a SO
nous question whether we had not gone
our own Tor IN our Scrupulnus desire to
pay all possible heed not merely In IN.
i'14 htt fN'H I" the ianc,Cd rights of our
weaker nciGhbpr. who already owed so
much TO our protection and forhearauce.
we yielded in al possible ways to hon,
ueSifts IN drawing up the troaty Never
theless TIE Government of Colombia rot
merely Tepudiat'd the treaty but rcpu-
dated IT IN such manner as to make IL
evident by the time the Colombian Con
sFess adjourned that not the scanticst
nope remained of ever getting a satIs-
factory treaty from them The Govern-
rnent Of Colombia made the treaty. and
yet when the Colombian Congress was
called to ratiiy il the vote against rail
llea'loh was unanimous. Ii does not ap-
pear that the Government made any real
eHoT, 10 secure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
Immediately after The adjournment of
the Congress 4 revolution broke out in
fanaina. The people of Panama had
long been fiscrUisuted with the Republic
oil Colon nhia, ana they had been kept quiet
only by tn, prospect of the conclusion
of the treaty, which was to them a mat
ter OF vital concern. When it became
evident that the treaty was hopelessJv
lost, the people Of Panama rose literally
as one man. Not shot was fired nv a
single man on The isthmus in the interest
OF the. Colombian Government Not +,
life was lost In the accomplishment Of
the revolution The Colombian troons
stationed on the isthmus, who had long
been unpaid, made common cause with
the people OF Panama, and with aston
ishihg unan!mity the new republic was
started. The duty OF the United States
in the premises was clear. In strict ,c-
cordance with the principles laid down
by Secretaries cass and Seward in the of
ficial documents above quoted the United
States gave notice that ii would permit
the landing OF no expeditonary force.
the arrival of which would mean chaos
and destruction along the line of the rail
road and of the proposed canal and an
Interruption OF transit as an inevitable
consequence. The dc facto Goyernuept
of Panama was recognized in the follow
ing telegram to Mr.. Ehrman:
The people of Panama have nv an
parently unanimous movement dissolved
their political connection with the Re
public OF Colombia and resumed their in
dependence. When you are satisfied that
a de facto government. republican in
form and without substantial opposition
from its own people, has been established
in the State OF Panama you will enter
into relations with it ms the responsible
government OF the territory and look to
1t for all due action to protect the per
sons and property of citizens of the
United States and TO keep open the
isthmian transit, in accordance with the
obligations of existing treaties govern
ing the relations OF the United States to
that territory"
Treaty With Republic Of Panama
Every effort has been made by the Gov
ernment 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 to tho
interests of Colombia itself These eff
forts have failed: and Colombia, by her
persistence in rcpulslug the aly1pces that