The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1903-12-07

ance of duty. can advance him. and
no sickness or Indifference that
falls short of a court martial offense
can retard him. Until this system is
changed we cannot hope hat our
officers will be of as high grade as
we have a right to expect, consider
ing the material upon which we
draw.
The Navy.
l heartily congratulate the con.
gress upon the steady progress in
building up the American Navy. We
cannot afford a let-up in this great
work. To stand still means to go
back. There should be no cessation
in adding to the effective units of
the fighting strength of the fleet.
Meanwhile the Navy department and
the officers of the Navy are doing
well their part by providing cor
slant service at sea under conditions
akin to those of actual warfare. Our
officers and enlisted men are learn
ing to handle the battle ships, cruis-
ers and torpedo boats with high eff
cheney in fleet and squadron forma-
lions, and the standard of marks
manship is being steadily raised.
The best work ashore is indispensa-
BILE, but the highest duty of a naval
officer is to exercise command at sea
The establishment of a naval base in
the Philippines ought not to be long
er postponed. Such a base is desira-
BILE in time of peace; in time of war
it would be indispensable, and it's
lack would be ruinous.
The Isthmian Canal.
By the act of June %, 1902. the
congress authorized the President
to enter into a 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 a reasonable time. recourse should
be had to building a canal through
ry to consider this alternative. as l
am enabled to lay before the senate
a treaty providing for the building
of the canal across the Isthmus of
Panama. This was the route which
itself to the deliberate
judgment of the congress. and we
can now acquire by treaty the right
to construct the canal over this
route. The question now, therefore, |
canal shall be built. for that ques-
ton has been definitely and irrevo-
cably settled. The question is simply
whether or not we shall have an
Isthmian canal.
Revolution in Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment
Of the Colombian congress which re
jected the canal treaty a revolution
broke out in Panama. The people
Of Panama had long been discomfort
ed with the republic of Colombia,
and they had been kept quiet only
The treaty, which was to them a mat
,er Of vital concern. When it became
that the treaty was hope
.essly lost, the people of Panama
'ose literally as one man. Not a shot
was fired by a single man on the
.sthmus in the interest of the Col
)mbian government. Not a life was
ost in the accomplishment of the
The Colombian troops
stationed on the Tsthmus. who had
ong been unpaid, made common
with the people of Panama,
with astonishing unanimity the
new republic was started. The duty
If the United States in the premises
vas clear. The United States gave
that it would permit the land
ng of no expeditionary force, the ar
'ival of which would chaos
destruction along the line of the
and of the proposed canal,
and an interruption of transit as an
Inevitable consequence. The de facto
government of Panama was recog-
lized.
The experience of over half a CEN
Jury has shown Colombia to be ut
5eriy incapable of keeping order on
he Isthmus. Only the active inter
of the United States has ena-
oled her to preserve so much as a
of sovereignty. Had it not
been for the exercise by the United
States of the police power in her
interest, her connection with the
would have been sundered
long ago. In 1856. in 1860. in 1873. |
in 1885, in 1901, and again in 1902. |