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


just been received and which runs as fol-
lows:
coIombin's Lnrcst Proposition.
Knowing that revolution has already
commenced in Panama Ian eminent CO.
lombianl says that Il the government Of
the United States will land troops to pre-
serve Colombian Sovereignty, and the
daffaires, this government will declare
martial law; and, by virtue of vested con-
stitntional authority, when public order
ratification of the canal treaty as signed;
or, II the government of the United States
gress.with new and friendly members
next May TO approve the treaty. An emil
nent. Colombanl has the perfect confidence
of vice president, he says, and II it became
necessary will go to the isthmus or send
representative there to adjust matters
along above lines to the satisfaction CT
This dispatch is noteworthy from two
stondpoints. It's offer of Immediately
contrast with the positive and contempt
uous refusal of the congress which has just
closed its sessions to consider favorably
such treaty; it shows that the govern
ment which made the treaty really had alb
solute control over the situation, but did
not choose to exercise this control. The
dispatch further calls on us to restore or
der and secure Colombian supremacy in
the isthmus from which the Colombian gov
ernment has just by its action decided to
bar us by preventing the construction Of
the canal.
Important to us.
The control, in the interest of the COM
merce and traffic OF the whole civilized
world. of the means of undisturbed
has become of transcendent Importance
to the United States, We have repeated
in the course of do!sestic dissension and
by protecting the territory from foreign
invasion. In 1853 Mr., Everett assured the
hesitate to maintain tho neutrality of the
isthmus in the case OF war between Peru
and Colombia. In 1864 Colombia, which
of Its privileges conferred by the treaty,
expressed It's expectation that in the
event Of war between Peru and Spain
the United States would carry into ef-
rect the guaranty of neutrality. There
have been few administrations of the
state department in which this treaty
other. been used a basis of more or
less important demands 1t was said by
Mr., Fish in 1871 that the department Of
state had reason to believe that an at
tack upon Colombian sovereignty the
isthmus had, on several occasions been
averted by warning from this govern
the menace of hostilities from Italy in
the Cerruu case, Mr.. Bayard expressed
the serious concern that the United
States could not but feel, that a Euro
pean power should resort to force against
a sister republic of this hemisphere, as
to the sovereign and uninterrupted use of
a part of whose territory we are guar
antors under the solemn faith of a treaty.
The above recital of facts establishes
States has for over half n century pa
tiently and in good faith carried out it's
obligations under the treaty of 1876; sec
ond, that when for the first time it be-
came possible for Colombia to do any
thing in rcquital of the services thus re-
peatedly rendered to it for 81 years by
the United States, the Colombian gov
ernment peremptorily and extensively re-
FUSED thus to do its part. even though
tage and immeasurably to the advantage
of the state of Panama, at that time un-
der its jurisdiction; third, that through
out this period revolutions, riots, and
factional disturbances of every kind have
occurred one after the other in almost
uninterrupted succession, some of them
while the central government was unable
10 put them down or to make peace with
the rebels: fourth, that these disturb
ances instead of showing any sign OF
abating have tended to grow more
numerous and more serious in the imme-
diate past; fifth, that the control of
Colombia over the Isthmus of Panama
could not be maintained without the
armed intervention and assistance of the
ernment OF Colombia, though wholly un-
able to maintain order the isthmus,
mas nevertheless declined to ratify Il
treaty the conclusion of which opened
the only chance to secure its own stabil-
ity and to guarantee permanent peace
on, ana the construction of a canal
Under such circumst stances the govern
ment of the United States would have been
guilty OF folly and weakness. amounting
IN their sum to crime against the nation.
had II acted otherwise than 1t did when
the revolution OF November 3 last took
place in Panama This great enterprise Of
building the tnteroceanlc canal cannot be
held up to crafty the whims, or out OF
respect to the governmental Impotence,
or 10 the even more sinister and evil polit-
ical peculiarities, OF people who, though
they dwell atar off. yet, against the wish
OF the actual dwellers on the istEmus, as
sert an unreal supremacy over the terri
tory. The possession OF a territory fraught
with such peculiar capacities as the 18TH
mus in question carries with II obligations
to mankind. The course of events has
shown that this canal cannot be built by
private enterprise. or by any other nation
by the United States.
Provisions of Panama Treaty.
Every effort has been made by the gov
ernment of the United States to persuade
Colombia TO follow course which was
essentially not only 10 our interests and
terests of Colombia itself. These efforts
have failed; and Colombia. by her persist
ence In repu!sIng 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 cur own people.
but OF the people of the isthmus of PAN
anna and the people of the civilized cour-
tries of the world to take decisive steps
TO bring to an end condition Of affairs
republic Of Panama Immediately offered TO
negotiate a treaty with u.s. This treaty I
herewith submit. BY it our interests are
better safesuarded than in the treaty with
Colombia which was ratified by the sem
ate at Its last session, It is better in its
terms than the treaties offered to us by tLe
republics OF Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
AT last the risft'to begin this great under
taking is made available. Panama has
done her part. All that remains is for the
American congress TO do its part and forth
with this republic will enter upon the exc
cut.on OF project colossal in its size and
OF well-nigh incalculable possibilities for
the good of this country and the nations
OF mankind.
BY the provisions OF the treaty the United
! States guarantees and will maintain the
independence OF the republic of Panama.
There is granted 10 the United States in
perpetuity the use, occupation and control
| of a strip ton miles wide and extending
three nautical miles into the at either
terminal with all lands lying outside of
| the zone necessary for the construction of
the canal or for it's auxiliary works. and
with the Islands in the bay of Panama
| The cities of Panama and Colon are NOT
embraced in the canal zone, but the United
| States assumes their sanitation and in
| case OF need the maintenance OF order