The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-08

TO construct the canal over this route.
! The question now. therefore. is not by
which route the isthTnian canal shall be
built, for that question has been definite
| ly and irrevocably decided. The question
! is simply whether or not We shall have
isthmian canal
When the congress directed that We
| should take the Panama route under
| treaty with Colombia. the essence of the
condition, OF course, referred not to the
government which controlled that route
but to the route itself; to the territory
across which the route lay. not TO the
name which for the moment the territory
| bore on the map. The purpose of the law
was 10 authorize the president TO make
| a treaty with the power in actual con-
troll Of the Isthmus OF Panama. This
| purpose has been fulfilled.
Isthmian Treaty Obligations.
| In the year 1916 this government en-
| tered into a treaty with New Granada,
the predecessor upon the Isthuus OF the
| Republic of Colombia and of the present
| Republic of Panama. by which treaty it
was provided that the government and
citizens of the United. States should al
ways have free and open right of way
or transit across the IsthmuS of Panama
by any modes of communication that
might be constructed, while IN return our
government guaranteed the perfect neu-
traiity Of the above-named isthmus with
! the view that the free transit from the
one to the other sea might not be inter-
rupted or embarrassed. The treaty vest
4
property right carved out of the rights of
sovereignty and property which New
Granada then had and possessed over the
said territory. The name of New Gran
ada has passed away and its territory
has been divided. Its successor. the gov
eminent of Colombia, has ceased TO own
any property in the isthmus, A new
republic, that of Panama which was at
one time a sovereign state and at an
other time mere department of the sue
Sesslve considerations known as New
do III
ed to the rights which first one and then
the other formerly exercised over the
isthmus But as long as the isthmus en-
dures. the mere geographical fact of its
IN which is required by our position
perpetuate the solemn contract which
oinds the holders of the territory to re-
spect our right to freedom of transit
across II. and binds us in return to safe
guard for the stkmus and the world the
exercise of that inestimable privilege
The true Interpretation of the obliga lions
upon which the United States entered Il,
TINS treaty of 1916 has been given repeat-
edly in the utterances of presidents and
secretaries Sss of state. Secretary Cass in
government as follows:
Inc progress of events has rendered the
lnteroceanlc' route across the narrow Dor
ton of Central America vastly important
TO the commerciahworlda and especially to-
the United States, whose possessions extend
along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. and
demand the speediest and easiest modes
of communica ton. While the rights ~
sovereignty OF the states occupying this
region should always be respected we shall
expect that these rights be exercised in a
splrt oenttlng the occasion and the wants
ana circumstances that have arisen. Sow
erelSnty has its duties as well as its rights
and none OF these local governments evan
If administered with more regard to the
gust demands OF other nations than they
have been, would be permitted In a spirit
OF eastern isolation. to close the gates of
intercourse on the great highways OF the
world, and justify the act by the preten-
sion that these avenues of trade and travel
belong to them and that they choose TO
shut them. or. what is almost equivalent,
10 cucumber them with such unjust reIa-
tons as would prevent their general uses,,
Seven years later, in 1865. Mr.. Seward in.
different communications took the-foilow-
ing position:
take no interest in ally question of internal
revolution in the state of Panama or any
state of the United States Of Colombia. but
VIII MAINTAIN a perfect neutrality in con-
nection with such domestic alterations
The United States will, nevertheless, hold
themselves ready to protect the transit
trade across the isthmus against invasion
of either domestic or foreign disturbers of
the peace of the state of Panama
Neither the text nor the spirit Of the Stip-
ulation in that article by which the United
States engages to preserve the neutrality
OF the lSthmuS of Panama imposes an
obligation on this government to comply
with the requisition Lof the president of
the United States of Colombia for a force TO
protect the isthmus of Panama from a
body of insurgents of that countryl. The
purpose of the stipulation was to guarantee
the isthmus against seizure or invasion by
foreign power only
Attorney General Speed, under date of
November Z, 1856, advised Secretary Seward
as follows:
From this treaty it cannot be supposed
that New Granada invited the United
States to become party TO the intestine
troubles of that government, nor did the
United States become bound to take sides
in the domestic broilS of New Granada.
The United States did guarantee New
Granada in the sovereignty and property
over the territory. This was as against
other and foreign governments
For 400 years. ever since shortly after the
discovery of this hemisphere, the canal
across the isthmus has been planned. For
twoscore years it has been worked at.
When made it is to last for the ages. It IS
to alter the geography OF continent and
the trade routes of the world. We have
shown by every treaty We have negotiated
or attempted TO negotiate with the peoples
in control of the isthmus and with foreign
nations in reference thereto our consistent
coed faith in observing our obligations; on
the one hand 10 the peoples of the isthmus,
and on the other hand to the civilized world
whose commercial rights We are safe
guarding and guaranteeing by our action.
We have done our duty to others in letter
and spirit, and We have shown the utmost
forbearance in exactins our own rights.
Colombia's Reputation of Treaty
Last spring. under the act above re-
ferred TO, treaty concluded between the
representatives of the Republic OF COLON
bia and of our government was ratified
by the senate. This treaty was entered
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo-
pie of Colombia and after body of
perts appointed by our government es-
pecially to go into the matter of the
routes across the isthmus had pro-
nounced unanimously in favor of
ma N = iys
every concession WAS made 10 the people
and to the government OF Colombia We
were more than just in dealing with
them Our generosity was such as TO
make ii a serious question whether We
had not gone too far in their in
tereSt at the expense OF our own. for in
our scrupulous desire to pay all possible
heed, not merely 10 the real but even 10
the fancied rights of our weaker neigh
Dor who already owed SO much 10 our
protection and forbearance. we yielded
in all possible ways 20 her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the
government Of Colombia not merely
repudiated the treaty, but repudiated il
in such manner as 10 make it evident by
the time the Colombian congress ad-
journed that not the scantest hope re-
manned of ever getting a satisfactory
treaty from them. The government of
Colombia made the treaty. and vet when
the Colombian congress was called TO
raIify 4 the vote against ratification was
unanimous. II does not appear that the
government made any real effort to Sc
cure ratification.
Revolution in Panama
Immediately after the adjournment Of
the congress 4 revolution broke out in
Panama The people OF Panama had
long been disconnected with the Republc
Of Colombia and they had been kept
quiet only by the prospect ~ the CON
clusion OF the treaty. which was TO them
a matter Of vital concern. When Il be-
came evident that the treaty was hone
sfS no ~ -