Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-12-11

Granada and Colombia. has now sue
ceeded to the rights which first one and
then the other formerly exercised over
the isthmus. But as long as the isthmus
endures, the mere geographical fact of Its
existence, and the peculiar interest there
In which Is required by our position.
perpetuate the solemn contract which
binds the holders of the territory to re-
spect our right to freedom of transit
across it, and binds us In return to safe
guard for the isthmus and the world the
exercise of that inestimable privilege.
The true Interpretation of the obliga-
tions upon which the United States en-
tered In this treaty of 1876 has been given
repeatedly In the utterances of Pres-
dents and Secretaries of State. Secretary
Cass in 1858 officially stated the position
of this Government as follows
"The progress of events has rendered
the interoceanic route across the narrow
portion of Central America vastly impor-
tant to the commercial world, and espe-
cially 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 this region should al
ways be respected, we shall expect that
| these rights be exercised in spirit be-
| fitting the occasion and the wants and
| circumstances that have arisen. Sover-
| eighty has its duties as 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 pretenson that these avenues OF
trade and travel belong to them and that
they choose to shut them, or. what is
| almost equivalent to cucumber them
| with such unjust relations as would pre-
| vent their general USE"
Seven years later In 1865, Mr.. Seward
| In different communications took the fol-
lowing positions:
"The United States have taken and
| will take no interest in any question OF
| internal revolution in the State of Pan
anna. or any State of the United States Of
| Colombia. but will maintain a perfect
neutrality in connection with such do
| nestle alterations. The United States
| will. nevertheless. hold themselves ready
to protect the transit trade across the
| isthmus against invasion of either do
nestle or foreign disturbers of the peace
| of the State Of Panama. Neither
the text nor the spirit Of the stipulation
in that article by which the United States
| engages to preserve the neutrality of the
Isthmus of Panama imposes an obliga-
| tion on this Government to comply with
the requisition [of the President of the
| United States of Colombia for force to
| protect the lsthmus OF Panama from a
body Of insurgents of that countryl. The
! purpose of the stipulation was to guar
| antee the isthmus against seizure or in
| vason by foreign power only"
| For four hundred years, ever since
l t.l,a rfl tan tl,. 81 hat.,
| isphere. the canal across the isthmus has
been planned. For two score years it
| has been worked at. When made II Is to
| last for the ages. 1t is to alter the
geography of a continent and the trade
routes of the world We have shown by
every treaty We have negotiated or at
| tempted to negotiate with the peoples in
| control of the isthmus and with foreign
| nations in reference thereto our consis-
tent good faith in observing OUR obliga-
| tions on the one hand to the peoples of
| the isthmus. and on the other hand to
the civilized world whose commercial
| rights.-we are safeguarding and guaran-
teeing by our action. We have done our
| duty to others in letter and in spirit. and
| we have shown the utmost forbearance in
! exacting our own rights.
Last spring, under the act above re-
| ferred to. treaty concluded between the
| representatives of the Republic of Co.
| lombia and of our Government was rati-
| fled by the Senate This treaty was en-
tered into at the urgent solicitation of
the people of Colombia and after body
| of experts appointed by our. Government
| especially to go into the matter of the
routes across the isthmus had pronounced
unanimously in favor of the 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 make it a Sc
| rious question whether we had not gone
| too far in their interest 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 neighbor. who already owed so
much to our protection and forbearance,
| we yielded in all possible ways to her
| desires in drawing up the treaty. Never
| theless the Government of Colombia not
merely repudiated the treaty. but 'repu-
| dated it in such manner as to make 1t
evident by the time the Colombian Con-
| gress adjourned that not the scantiest
hope remained of ever getting salts
| factory treaty from them. The Govern
| ment of Colombia made the treaty. and
yet when the Colombian Congress was
| called to ratify it the vote against rati-
fication was unanimous. 1t does not ap-
| pear that the Government made any real
| effort to secure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
| Immediately after the adjournment of
the Congress 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 conclusion
| of the treaty, which was to them a mat
ter of vital concern. When 1t became
| evident that the treaty was hopelessly
| lost. the people of Panama rose literally
| as one man.. Not a shot was fired by a
| single man on the isthmus in the interest
| of the Colombian Government. Not a
| life was lost in the accomplishment of
| the revolution. The Colombian troops
| stationed on the isthmus. who had long
been unpaid made common cause with
the people of Panama. and with aston
lshing uranimity the new republic was
| started. The duty of the United States
| in the premises was clear In strict ac-
cordance with the principles laid down
| by Secretaries Cass and Seward in the Of
| fetal documents above quoted. the United
| States gave notice that 1t would permit
| the landing of no expeditionary 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 de facto Government
of Panama was recognized in the follow
ing telegram to Mr.. Ehrman:
1.-The people of Panama have, by ap-