Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-12-10
The Panama Question.

the recent developments in the situa-
tion at Panama?
One point that ought to be clearly
understood is that the questions relat-
ing to the Panama Canal are not party
questions; at least they cannot consis.
tently be made party questions. So
far as the desirableness of having a
canal between the two oceans is con-
cerned the two parties are united in
recognizing it. For century such
water way has been a cherished dream
of the South and of farsighted leaders
in the Democratic party.
So far as the recent course Of the Ad-
ministration in relation to Colombia
and Panama is concerned, criticism
upon it comes with poor grace from
the party that inaugurated the course
that resulted in Mexico being ultimate
ly stripped of Texas, New Mexico, Ari-
zona, California, Nevada, Utah and
parts of Colorado and Wyoming. 1t is
true that Mexico was paid $25, 600
for the territory mentioned (outside of
Texas,) and was relieved of claims
amounting to 80 5000 more, but the
fact remains that she was forced to sell
at the point of our guns.
Before the OWL War the Democratic
party took the lead in movements for
national aggrandizement; now the
leading part in such movement is taken
by the Republican party. Really,
therefore, in regard to all such matters
there is no principle at issue between
the two parties. The Democrats can
not criticise any of the acts of the late
and present Republican admin.
istration in relation to foreign
affairs, without thereby casting
| the gravest reflection upon the re-
cord of their own party during the
thirties, forties and fifties. Indeed, the
United States was responsible for the
revolt of Texas in a way in which it
does not appear that it has been re.
sponsible for tho revolt of Panama and
| it profited by the revolt of Texas in
say in which it is not profting, and
will not profit, by the revolt of Pan
anna. 1t has reaped no substantial
benefit from the Panama revolution
that it had not previously hoped to Sc
cure through negotiation from Colon
bia.
But it does seem that the time has
come for us to examine anew our ideas
with regard to when and when not re-
volt and secession are justiiable. Has
our course in the past been aconsstent
one2 We favored revolt and secession
in 1776; we sympathize with the revolt
OF Mexico and the South American COL
onies against Spain; we abetted the
secession of Texas from Mexico; we
broke the integrity of Mexican territory
in the forties; in 1898 we stripped
Spain of her remaining colonies; and
now, while we cannot be held respon-
sible for the revolt of Panama against
Colombia, we are not at all shocked by
the occurrence, but on the contrary as
sumo that Panama is justified in seced
ing, and we have lost no time in
recognizing her independence and in
negotiating treaty for the furtherance
of our cherished canal project. On
the other hand we strongly opposed
internal secession in the sixties, and
dealt that principal blow from which
it will never recover. The right of any
of our states to secede can never again
come up as practical question. Still,
in the light of our complacent accept.
ance of the fact of secession in foreign
countries, the query arises; On what
principle of right did we compel the
Southern states to remain in the Union9
Perhaps all that we can say is that
circumstances alter cases; that there is
no single fixed principle that can be
followed in all cases; that beyond the
conscious power of men at any par.
ticular time, and beyond the wisdom
; of our wisest statesmen, there presides
destiny, shaping Providence, that
oyerrules the tortuous and Inconsistent
ways of men tothe working out of some
better thing for the humanity of the
| future. Certain it is that in the light
ofthe present we can not wish the
course of events in the past to have
been reversed. We cannot wish that
the avolt of 1776 had been quelled by
the British armies; we cannot wish
that our southwestern states and terri
tories were to-day a part of Mexico
we cannot wish that the secession Of
the Southern states had been success
full; we cannot wish that Spain were
still in passessioo of Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines. And is it reason.
able to suppose that the time will come
when, in the light of its practical results,
we shall ever regret the outcome OF
the recent events in the Isthmus OF
Panama? J.M,R.
|