The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-14
THE CASS CANAL DOCTRINE.
Sovereignty In Central and ssuth America
Mas DuTics % Well as Nights.

To THE Enron or The Sun Sir The
latest dispatches from Bogota seem to render
IL certain that there Is no possibility OF any
agreement between Colombia and the United
States a. to the terms upon which an inter-
oceanic canal shall be constructed through
the Isthmus Of Panama. The exorbitant
terms upon which Colombia now proposes
to cede the zone through which the route OF
that caual has tom laid down will not for
moment he considered by our Government.
Our Minister there has, in accordance win
his instructions. informed the Colombian
Government that the United States VIII not
agree to any important modification OIL tho
provisions of the Hay Herran treaty, ana as
that has been rejected by the Colombian
Senate, there seems to be no possibility OF an
agreement between the parties.
Whether the State OF Panama will quietly
submit to be deprived of the great advantages
which would accrue to it upon the consTus,
ton Of the canal remains to be seep. Shouiu
the people of that State resort to revolution
for the purpose Of securing them, the result
would be awaited with the deepest INTEREST
In this country They would have our deep
est sympathy, and while our Government
would keep scrupulously within the oouhds o'
international law. II they succeeded IN estaD-
fishing a do facto government and theh OIL,
fered to oede the desired zone after they had
obtained possession Of 1t there Is no reason
why the offer should not be accepted.
Under such circumstances Panama Wouio
occupy the same position that Texas did
when her people revolted against Mexico.
and the result might probably be the same
Should, however, the people Of Panama
submit TO be deprived of the great oppor-
tunity that has been offered them. and take
no stop in behalf Of their own interest, the
question Of an interoceanic canal must DC
solved In some other way. Such 1hai
we must and shall have.
As authorized by Congress, the President
may reopen negotiations with Nicara9u"
and Costa Rca for canal through their
territories. Our experience with Colombia
however, gives little announcement TO the
hope Of q successful negotiation with these
other States. The same difficulty may be
encountered in the ratification OF atreaty with
them. Relieved OF the fear Of the Panama
route az a competitor. they. too. may demand
extrayasant terms as the price Of O con-
cession.
II they do, what are we to do? After
contention with Great Britain that has lasted
ever since the execution OF the Clayton-bui-
wer treaty, we have carried our point, ana py
the abolition Of that treaty have Obtained inc
ack acknowledgement Of our exclusive right 10
construct the canal. Tho other great Powers
have silently acquiesced IN TINS solutlon.
U,y,nr removad these v,eat obstacles, are
". rn,x a. he held at Inv nv these little Gem
,a.;a,n S,otssp Having forced all
50. - LIB. to cor.,ruct a
canal to be- owned and operated and protected
py ourselves eAciuSiSe'!. afo 49,.
lnQuish the great ehIeIp ''so p"1ou'o v. W..
obstruction OF COLOMBIA UT Nie"iaSu~ Va
Costa R1ca?
Has any one Of these States the right to
hold up the commerce Of the world, whose
representative We are in this matter! Must
the mercantile world for all time TO come
cjrcu,npay IN to Cane Horn because 1t cannot
cot a r,pht NJ wav through the Isthmus? Are
,yo a ho ont nj, from the protection OF our
po,ir, soost in t;rne NJ war by the obstinacy
or exorbitarce Of an Isthmian State'
Ia II not time that we should let these States
know that the construction OF the canal Is
not entirely a matter OF their volition. and