New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-12
RIGHT TO KEEP THE PEACE.

The paramount responsibility Of the United
States in Panama is for the peaceful and unin-
terrupted use of the railway by the commerce
of the world
That is a responsibility which, as Secretary
Hay phrased il, runs with the land we
have held that responsibility. with the consent
of all parties in interest, ever since the railroad
was built and opened by our citizens. We held
il when New-Granada claimed the sovereignty
of the isthmus. when Colombia had it when
the state Of Panama seeded, when it returned
10 the Colombian confederation. We hold IT
now. when the State of Panama has again
seeded.
There is not the least mystery or doubt about
this latest secession. The people of Panama,
long disconnected. gave repeated warnings of
their intention to cut loose again from the Bo-
gotta government if it jeopardized their interest
in the canal The Bogota government threw
that interest away in a crazy effort to hold up
and bIackmail at once the French company and
the United States Then the people OF Panama
simply rose, asserted their independence and
threw the Colombian army into Jail. That was
all there was of it. There does not seem TO
have been single citizen of all the isthmus so
far as yet heard from, opposed TO the secession
inauCurated at Panama. But the United States
had to do business with somebody in the 18TH
mus-had to deal with some authority So it
did what every civilized nation in the world
does. under such OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
de facto government.
So far there is no dispute; and there is no
critic friend or foe, whose opinion is worth
rush, that viii question the absolute correct
ness of our attitude. But now come the men
who always seek TO find their own government
in the wrong protesting that at least we have
no right TO interfere with Colombia's belated
efforts TO reconquer the isthmus. Let US see.
If our relation to the territory were that of
any other nation we might perhaps stand still
snd watch the disorder, pronunciamentos and
counter pronuncamentos spasmodic fighting,
long range riot and general paralysis of bust
ness that mark the usual Spanish-American
civil war But we alone have an obligation TO
perform-to keep that railroad open 10 peaceful
transit. We are not at fault that Colombia has
lost her sovereignty: and we cannot abandon
our duty in order TO let her interrupt peaceful
transit and fight all over the railroad route in
trying to regain the sovereignty she recklessly
imperilled and yet failed to protect.
The time for Colombia to protect her SOW
ereignty in q region where we were bound to
keep the peace when she had it. But at
that time. on the contrary, she merely goaded
the isthmus into revolt, without taking q single
precautiOn against the inevitable outbreak.
When il came. the insurgents merely marched
her army generals" and all, to the caabooSe.
and so an end. Now the United States simply
says: "You shall not send in troops here on a
peaceful community to precipitate disorder in
''an effort TO reconquer what you did not pro-
"tect when you had it, Settle your dispute
somewhere else You shall not fight it out
"over this railroad. where we, have guaranteed
peaceful transit. You shall not even come
anywhere near il with troops for that purpose"
Is there civilized government in the world
that, under similar circumstances. would not
say and do the same thing?