Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-08
november. 1ss7.-o,sturpance on line O.

Continued from page So
november. lsS7.-Olsturpance on line OF
canal.
January. 1Ss9-Riot
January. 1S95.-Revolution which lasted
until April.
March. 1S95.-Incendiary attempt.
October, 1899.-Revoluticn.
February, 1900. to July. 1900.-Revolution
January. 19G1.-Revolution.
July. 1901.-Revolutionary disturbances.
September, 1901.-City Of Colon taken by
rebels.
March. 19o2-Revolutionary disturbances.
July, 1s02-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 fifty-three for the
fifty-seven years. 1t will be noted that
one of them lasted for nearly three
years before it was quelled; another
for nearly year. In short, the ex-
perience Of over half a 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 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 1862, 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-
ceived and which runs as follows:
knowing that revolution has al
ready commenced in Panama Ian emf
nent Colombian] says that if the gov
eminent of the United States will land
troops to preserve Colombian sover-
eighty and the transit, if requested by
Colombian charge d'affaires, this gov
eminent will declare martial law and
by virtue Of vested constitutional au-
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. It's 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 q 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
isthmus from which the Colombian
government has just by its action de-
cided to bar us by preventing the con-
struction of the canal.
Af
The control. in the interest of the
, commerce and traffic of the whole civil
lied 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
shave repeatedly exercised this control
SRy intervening in the course Of domes-
yfcss dissension and by protecting the
territory from foreign invasion. In
1858 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 Peru
and Colombia. In 1864 Colombia, which
has always been vigilant to avail itself
of its privileges conferred by the treaty,
expressed its expectation that In the
event Of war between Peru and Spain
the United States would carry into eff
feet the guarantee Of neutrality. There
have been few administrations Of the
state department in which this treaty
has not. either by the one side or the
other. been used as basis of more or
less important demands. 1t was said
by Mr.. Fish In 1871 that the depart
ment Of state had reason to believe
that an attack upon Colombian SOW
ereignty on the isthmus had on several
occasions been averted by warning
from this government. In 1856, when
Colombia was under the menace Of hos
tilities from Italy in the Cerruti case,
Mr.. Bayard expressed the serious con-
Germ that the United States could not
but feel that a European power should
resort TO force against sister repub-
lie of this hemisphere, as to the SOW
ereign and uninterrupted use of part
Of whose territory we are guarantors
,,udor tho uo1ep,u foifh IF a frootx,