Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-12-11

The best work ashore Is indispensoble.
but the highest duty of naval officer is
to exercise command at sea
Ii is eminently desirable, however that
there should be provided a naval general
STAFF on lines similar to those of the general
staff lately, created for the army. Within
the navy department itself the needs of
the. service. have brought about a system
under which the duties of general staff
navigation has under its direction the war
college, the office of naval intelligence and
the board of inspection, and has been in
close touch with the general board of the
navy. But though under the excellent off,
GERS at their head, these boards and bureaus
do good work, they have not the authority
of general staff, and have not sufficient
scope to insure a proper readiness for
smergencies. we need the establishment
by law of body of trained officers, who
shall exercise a systematic control of the
military affairs of the navy. and be author
ized ADVISERS OF the secretary concerning 1t.
The Isthmian Canal.
BY the act of June 2S, 1902, the congress
authorized the, president to enter into
treaty with Colombia for the building of
the canal across the Isthmus of Panama;
1t being provided that in the event of
lapse of reasonable time, recourse
should be had to building a canal through
Nicaragua. 1t has not been necessary to
consider this alternative, as am enabled
to lay before the senate treaty provid-
ing for the building of the canal across
the 1sthmus of Panama. This was the
route which commended itself to the de-
liberate judgment of the congress, and
we can now acquire by treaty the right
The question now, therefore, is not by
which route the isthmian canal shall be
built, for that question has been definite
ly and irrevocably decided. The question
is simply whether or not we shall have
an isthmlan 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.
across which the route lay, not to the
name which for the moment the territory
bore on the map. The purpose of the law
treaty with the power in actual con-
troll of the Isthmus of Panama. This
purpose has been fulfilled.
Isthminn Treaty obligations.
In the year 1916 this government en-
tered into a treaty with New Granada,
the predecessor upon the 1sthmus of the
Republic of Colombia and of the present
Republic Of Panama, by which treaty It
citizens Of the United States should al
ways have free and open right of way
or transit across the 1sthmus of Panama
by any modes of communication that
might be constructed. while in return our
government guaranteed the perfect neu-
trality of the above named isthmus with
one to the other sea might not be inter-
rupted or embarrassed. The treaty vest
ed in the United States a substantial
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
ernment of Colombia, has ceased to own
any property in the isthmus. A new
republic, that of Panama, which was at
one time sovereign state. and at an
other time a mere department of the sue
cessive confederations known as New
a a nj nTnh IN hos No
ed to the rights which first one and then
the other formerly exercised over the
isthmus. But as long as the isthmus
dures the mere geographical fact of its
existence and the peculiar interest there
in which is required by our position.
Perpetuate me solemn contract which
spect our right to freedom of transit
across it, and binds us in return to safe
exercise of that inestimable privilege.
The true Interpretation of the obligations
upon which the United States entered in
this treaty of 1916 has been given repeat
edly in the utterances of presidents and
secretaries of state.
For 400 years. eyer since shortly after the
discovery of this hemisphere, the canal
across the isthmus has been planned For
twoscore years 1t has been worked at.
When made it is to last for the ages. 1t 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
nations in reference thereto our consistent
good faith in observing our obligations; on
the one hand to the peoples of the sthmus
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 exacting our own rights.
COlOmbia's Reputation of Treaty.
Last spring, under the act above re-
ferred to, a treaty concluded between the
nj in of
bia and of our government was ratified
by the senate. This treaty was entered
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo-
Pile of Colombia and after body of ex
perts appointed by our government es-
pecially to go into the matter of the
across the had
Panama route. In drawing up this treaty
every concession was made TO the people
were more than just in dealing with
them. Our generosity was such as to
make 1t serious question whether we
had not gone too far in their in
terest at the expense of our own; for in
our scrupuous desire to pay all possible
heed. not merely to the real but even to
Dor, who already owed so much to our
protection and forbearance we yielded
in all possible ways to her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the
government of Colombia not merely
repud!ated the treaty, but repudiated it
~ such manner as to make 1t evident by
journed that not the scantiest hope re-
mained of ever getting satisfactory
treaty from them. The government of
Colombia made the treaty. and yet when
the Colombian congress was called to
| ratify it the vote against ratification was
| unanimous. 1t does not appear that the
government made any real effort to BE-
cure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment of
| the congress revolution broke out in
| Panama. The people of Panama had
| long been discontented with the Republic
of Colombia, and they had been kept
quiet only by the prospect of the con-
| clusion of the treaty, which was TO them
n matter of vital concern. When 1t be-
came evident that the treaty was hope
lessly. lost. the people of Panama rose
| literally as one man. Not a shot was
| fired by a single man on the isthmus in
! the interest of the Colombian govern
ment Not life was lost in the accom-
| plishment of the revolution. The Colom-
bian troops stationed on the isthmus,
| who had long been unpaid. made com
mon cause with the people of Panama
and with astonishing unanimity the new
republic was started. The duty OF the
| United States in the premises was clear
In strict accordance with the principles