The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1903-12-10


feet OF these maneuyers upon the ma
tional guard is marked, and ample ap
preparation should be made to enable
the guardsmen of the several states ID
share in the benefit. The government
should as soon as possible secure suit
able permanent camp sites for military
maneuvers In the various sections OF
the country.
heartily congratulate the congress
upon the steady progress in building
up the American navy. We cannoi
afford a let-up in this great work. Il
stand still means to go back. Their.
should be no cessation in adding to th,
effective units of the fighting strength
of the feet. Meanwhile the navy de
partment and the officers of the nav,
are doing well their part by providing
constant service at sea under condi
tons akin to those of actual warfare
Our officers and enlisted men are learn
ing to handle the battleships, cruiser
and torpedo boats with high efficiency
in feet and squadron formations. ant
the standard of craftsmanship is being
steadily raised. The best work ashor.
Is indispensable. but the highest duty
Of a naval officer is to exercise com
mand at sea. 1t is eminently desirable
that a naval general staff should be
established.
Isthmian Canal.
By the act of June 2S 1902, the con-
gress authorized the president to entei
into treaty with Colombia for the
building of the canal across the 18TH
mus of Panama. 1t being provided thai
in the event of failure to secure suci
treaty after the LAPSE of reasonabl,
time recourse should be had to build
ing a canal through Nicaragua 1t ha.
not been necessary TO consider this hi
tentative. as l am enabled to lay be
fore the senate treaty providing foi
the building Of the canal across the
isthmus of Panama. This was the
route which commended itself to the
deliberate judgment Of the congress
and we can now acquire by treaty tbs
right to construct the canal over this
route. The question now. therefore, is
not by which route the isthmian cana;
shall be built, for that question has
ed. The question is simply whether or
not we shall have an 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 mol
to the government which controlled
that route. but to the route itself; to the
serritory across which the route lay,
not to the name which for the moment
ihe territory bore on the map. The
purpose of the law was to authorize
The president to make treaty with the
power in actual control of the isthmus
of Panama. This purpose has been
fulfilled.
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 1t 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 peo-
pies in control of the isthmus and with
foreign nations in referehce thereto our
consistent good faith in observing our
obligations. on the one hand to the peo
Piles OF the isthmus and on the other
hand to the civilized World, whose COM
mercial rights we are safeguarding and
guaranteeing by our Sction We have
done our duty to others in letter and in
,frtf nd hox cha hn x1fv
forbearance in exacting our own rights.
Reputation of Treaty by Colombia.
Last spring treaty concluded be-
tween the representatives of the re-
public of Colombia and of our govern
ment was ratified by the senate. This
treaty was entered into at the urgent
solicitation of the people of Colombia
and after a body of experts appointed
by our government especially to go into
the matter of the routes across the
isthmus had pronounced unanimously
In favor of the Panama route. In draw
ing up this treaty every concession was
made to the people and to the govern
ment of Colombia. We were more
than just in dealing with them. Our
generosity was such as to make it q
serious question whether we had not
gone too far in their interest at the ex-
pense of our own, for in our scrupulous
desire to pay all possible heed not
merely to the real but even to the
fancied rights of our weaker neighbor
who already owed so much to 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
iy repudiated the treaty, but repudi-
ated it 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.
Revolution In Panama.
The people OF Panama had long been
discontented with the republic of Co
lombia, and they had been kept quiet
only by the prospect OF the conclusion
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