Bismarck daily tribune., 1903-12-07
,un. n ,ss,-Mosouera.s troops refused

M0rCn, 1S6b.-HeVOiutIOn anu Ouiteu
States troops landed.
August, 1S65.-Riots; unsuccessful at
tempt to invade Panama.
March, S66-Unsuccessful revolution.
April. 1857. Attempt to overthrow gov
ernment.
August. ls67.-Attempt at revolution.
July s. 1S6S.-Revolution: provisional gov
ernment inaugurated.
Aug %. lS6S.-Revolution: provisional
government overthrown.
April. lS71.-Revolution: followed appar-
emily by counter revolution.
April, 1S73.-Revolution and civil war
which lasted to October. 1875
August. ls76.-Civil war which lasted un-
til April. 1877.
July. 1S7S-Rebellion.
December. 1S7S-Revolt
April. 1S79.-Revolution.
June. lS19.-Revolution.
March, 1SS3.-Riot.
May, 1SS3.--Riot
June. SSA-Revolutionary attempt
December. 1SS4.-Revolutionary attempt.
January. lSs5.-Revoutionary disturb
ances.
March. h.1SSS.-Revoution.
April. lSS7.-Disturbance on Panama
railroad.
November. 1884, Disturbance on line Of
canal.
January 1SS9.-Riot.
January S95.-RevolutiOn which lasted
until April
March. lSS5.-Incendiary attempt
October lS99.-Revolution
February 1900. to July. l9OO-Revolution
January. l90l.-Revolution.
July. 90l.-Revolutionary disturbances.
September. 190l.-City Of Colon taken by
rebels
March. 9O2.-Revolutionary disturbances
July. .l902.-Revolution.
The above is only partial list of the
revolutions. rebelliOns, instructions,
riots and other outbreaks that have oc
CURED during the period in question,
yet they number fif.y-three for the
fifty seven years. 1t will be noted that
one Of them lasted for nearly three
years before it was quelled; another
Tor nearly a year. In short, the ex-
perience of over half century has
shown Colombia to be utterly incapa-
BILE Of keeping order on the isthmus.
Only the active interference Of the
United States has enabled her to pre-
serve so much as a semblance Of sover-
eighty. Had it not been for the exer-
else by the United States of the police
power in her interest her connection
with the isthmus would have been sun
dered long ago. In 1856, in 1860, in
1873. in 1885. in 1901 and again in 1902
sailors and marines from United States
warships were forced to land in order
to patrol the isthmus, to protect life
and property and to see that the tran
sit across the isthmus was kept open.
In 1861. in 1869, in 1885 and in 1900
the Colombian government asked that
the United States government would
land troops to protect its interests and
maintain order on the isthmus.
Latest Proposition Of Colombia.
Perhaps the most extraordinary re-
quest is that which has just been re-
celved and which runs as follows:
Knowing that revolution has al
ready commenced in Panama Ian emf
nent Colombianl says that if the gov
ernment of the United States will land
troops to preserve Colombian sover-
eighty and the transit. if requested by
Colombian charge d'affaires, this gov
ernment will declare martial law and
thority. when public order is disturbed.
will approve by decree the ratification
OF the canal treaty as signed. or if the
government of the United States pre-
fers will call extra session of the con
gress-with new and friendly members
next May to approve the treaty. IAN
eminent ColOmbianl has the perfect
confidence of vice president he says.
and If it became necessary will 90 to
the isthmuS or send representative
there to adjust matters along above
lines to the satisfaction of the people
there"
This dispatch is noteworthy from two
standpoints. Its offer of Immediately
guaranteeing the treaty to us is in
sharp contrast with the positive and
contemptuOus refusal of the congress
which has just closed its sessions to
consider favorably such treaty. 1t
shows that the government which made
the treaty really had absolute control
over the situation, but did not choose
to exercise this control. The dispatch
further calls on us to restore order and
secure Colombian supremacy in the
1sthmus from which the Colombian
government has just by its action de
cided to bar us by preventing the con
struction Of the canal.
Importance Of Undisturbed Transit.
The control, in the interest of the
commerce and traffic of the whole ciyi.
lized world, of the means of undisturb.
ed transit across the isthmus of Pan.
anna has become Of transcendent i'm
portance to the United States. We
have repeatedly exercised this control
by intervening in the course of domes
tic dissension and by protecting the
territory from foreign invasion. In
1853 Mr. Everett assured the Peruvian,
minister that we should not hesitate
to maintain the neutrality of the 18th
mus in the case of war between Per,
and Colombia. In 1864 Colombia. whicl
has always been vigilant to avail itself
of its privileges conferred by the treaty
expressed its expectation that i'm the
event of war between Peru and Spair
the United States would carry into ef
rect the guarantee of naiitraljtv Thor.