The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-11-19
RIGHT TO KEEP THE PEACE.

The right Of Uncle Sam TO recognize
the new republic of Panama is now
being extensively discussed. The New
York Tribune. one of the great news
papers of the day, states plainly our
country's position. 1t says that the
paramount responsibility of the United
Astates in Panama is for the peaceful
and uninterrupted use OF the railway
by the commerce Of the world.
That is a responsibility which, as
Secretary Hay phrased 1t. runs with
the land" We have held that respon-
sibility, with the consent of all parties
in interest, ever since the railroad was
built and opened by our citizens. We
held II when New-Granada claimed the
sovereignty OF the isthmus, when
Colombia had it, when the State OF
Panama seeded, when it returned to
the Colombian confederation. We hold
il now. when the State of Panama
again seeded.
There is not the least mystery or
doubt about this latest secession. The
people Of Panama, long discontented,
gave repeated warnings of their in
tention to cut loose again from the Boz
gotta government If it jeopardized their
interest in the canal. The Bogota
government thre wthat interest away
in a crazy effort to hold up and
blackmail at the French company ana
the United STATES. Then the people OF
Panama simply rose asserted their In
dependence and threw the Colombian
army into jail. That was Aal there
was Of it. There does not seem to
have been a single citizen of all the
isthmus, so far as yet heard from, op-
posed to the secession inaugrated at
Panama. But the United States had
to do business with somebody in the
isthmus,-had 20 deal with some
authority. So it did what every civil
ized nation in the world does. under
such circumstances, recognized the de |
facto government.
So far there is no dispute; and there
is no critic. friend or Zoe, whose OPP
inion is worth rush, that will ques-
tion the absolute correctness of our
attitude. But now come the men who
always seek to find their own govern
ment in the wrong, protesting that at
least we have no right to interfere with
colombias belated efforts to recon-
quer the isthmus. Let us see. If our
relation to the territory were that of
any other nation we might perhaps
stand still and watch the disorder, pro-
nuneiamentos and counter pronuncia-
enentos, spasmodic fighting, long range
riot and general paralysis of business
that mark the usual Spanish-American
civil war. But we alone have an OBJ
legation to perform-to keep the rail- ,
road open to peaceful transit. We are
not at fault that Colombia has lost her
sovereignty; and we cannot abandon
our duty in order to let her interrupt +,
peaceful transit and fight all over then 6
route in trying to regain the sovereignty 1 q
she recklessly imperilled and yet fall
ed to protect. f
The time for Colombia to protect her b
sovereignty in a region where we were v
bound to keep the peace was when she |,
had it. But at that eime, on the con- o
Irary, she merely goaded the isthmus II
iRto revolt, without taking a single II
preraution against the inevitable out el
break. When it came. the insurgents b.
merely marched her army" gene e,
ais and all, to the calaboose, and SO "a
IN end. Now the United States simply v,
ays: You shall not send in troops here W
40 q peaceful community to precipitate de
isorder in an effort to reconquer what W
'ou did not protect yhen you had It. sc
ettle your dispute somewhere else.
'ou shall not fight 1t out over this
abroad, where we have guaranteed
'eaceful transit. You shall not even HI
ONE anywhere near it with troops for N
hat purpose. Is there a civilized So
overnment in the world that, under in