Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-12-07

who already owed so much 10 our pro-
lection and forbearance, we yielded In
all possible ways to her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless
the government Of Colombia not mere
ly repudiated the treaty, but repudi-
ated 1t In such manner as to make it
evident by the time the Colombian con-
gress adjourned that not the scantiest
hope remained of ever getting a salts
factory treaty from them.
Revelation In Panama.
The people of Panama had long been
discontinued with the republic of Co
lombia, and they had been kept quiet
only by the prospect of the conclusion
OF the canal treaty, which was to them
a matter of vital concern. When il pc
came evident that the treaty was hope
lessly lost the people of Panama rose
literally as one man. Not shot was
fired by single man on the isthmus
in the interest of the Colombian gov
eminent. Not a life was lost in the
accomplishment of the revolution. The
Colombian troops stationed on the 18TH
mus, who had long been unpaid, made
common cause with the people Of Pan
anna, and with astonishing unanimity
the new republic was started. The
duty of the United States in tue prem
ises was clear. In strict accordance
with the principles laid down by Sec
retaries Cass and Seward, the United
States gave notice that 1t would per-
NIT the landing Of no expeditionary
force, the arrival of which would mean
chaos and destruction along the line Of
the railroad and of the proposed canal
and an interruption of transit as an
inevitable consequence. The de facto
government Of Panama was recog-
nized.
Under such circumstances the gov
eminent of the United States would
have been guilty of folly and weak
ness, amounting in their sum TO q crime
against the nation, had it acted other
wise than it'did when the revolution Of
Nov. 3 last took place in Panama. This
great enterprise Of building the inter-
oceanic canal cannot be held up to
crafty the whims or out of respect TO
the governmental impotence or to the
peculiarities of people who, though
they dwell afar off, yet, against the
wish of the actual jewellers on the 18TH
mus, assert an unreal supremacy over
the territory. The possession of ter
ritory fraught with such peculiar ca
pacities as the isthmus in question car
rles with 1t obligations to mankind.
The course of events has shown that
this canal cannot be built by private
enterprise or by any other nation than
our own; therefore it must be built by
the United States.
New Treaty with Panama.
Every effort has been made by the
government of the United States to per-
suade Colombia to follow a course
which was essentially not only to our
interests and to the interests of the
world, but to the interests Of Colon
bia itself. These efforts have failed,
and Colombia, by her persistence in re-
pulsing the advances that have been
made, has forced us for the sake Of
our own honor and of the interest and
well being, not merely Of our own peo-
pie, but Of the people of the isthmus Of
Panama and the people Of the civilized
Of the world, to take decisive
steps to bring to an end a condition Of
affairs which had become intolerabls.
The new republic of Panama immedi
ately offered to negotiate a treaty with
Us. This treaty herewith submit.
By ft our interests are better safeguard
ID than In the treaty with Colombia
which was ratified by the senate at its
asst session. II is better In its terms
han the treaties offered to us by the
epublics OF Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
1t last the right to begin this great
is made available. Pan
ma has done her part. All that re-
Mains IL for the American congress to
o its part, and forthwith this republic
yill enter upon the execution Of
reject colossal I'm its size and of we'll
Ugh incalculable possibilities for the
God OF this country and the nations Of
lankind.