New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-16
PANAMA SECOND BALKAN
III FRENCH HAD ENTERED.
assistant Secretary Loomi$ Tells of
Possibility That Vas Prevented.

ilShnleht of the Republic of Panama were dis
cuSSed last night at the dinner of the Quill Club,
Heid al the Hotel Manhattan. The Rev DR.. e.
- ripple presided, and the speakers on 18TH
ihlan affairs were Francis b. Iooms Assistant
secretary of State, and NJ. Philippe Bunau-
ar1Ila, Minister from Panama
assistant Secretary Loomis said I'm part
We have not desired to annex Panama. and we
nave not done so. The President simply exc
cuted the viii of the American people with due
te8ard to International law and right. He was
Instructed by Congress to secure canal route
oh the Isthmus of Panama if possible He
waited until the adjournment of the Colombian
NohSreSS, aud gave the government of that
country every opportunity to ratfy the treaty
10 vi 20 propose some proper method looking TO the
Tatlhcation of new treaty, and the Colombian
congress In utter bad faith rejected the treaty
and adjourned.
In less than a weeks time. and before the
PRESIDENT could he reasonably expected to turn
10 grave consideration of the Nicaragua route.
the long expected and inevitable revolution in
FanaIna came to pass; the people arose as one
man. and. in thorough accord, without the firing
OF single shot. Unressted. they quietly estab-
Ished a government Of their own. They had
thrice been independent, and the right of seces-
SION was. believe expressly stipulated In some
or their constitutions.
THE PROMPTNESs NOT. UNUSUAL
The President directed our meagre naval force
ashore, consisting of forty marines to do what
II could to preserve peace, order and unim-
peded transit across the sthmus. He promptly
a a
ne learned that it was in peaceful possession
or the country. This is the usual and neces-
Sary proceeding. We have on many occasions
recognized new governments with equal de-
gree OF celerity and promptness Later the
Repub!lc of Panama was given full recOgni-
ton. We acting fairly and lawfully under
the treaty of 1876 The administration ! am
sure has no apologies TO offer for its course
We were more deeply interested, and more di-
of 1916 than New-Granada was or any other
country That treaty was negotiated for the
purpose of securing to us certain canal privi-
leScs. We in turn agreed to guarantee the neu-
trality of the iEJhmus TO keep transit open and
10 keep foreign aSgressOrs at distance. We
nave carried out the letter and the spirit of
part of the agreement; we have performed gen
erousy and faithfully all of the duties laid upon
us, and at times greatly to our disadvantage
and very great cost. Colombia, on the other
hand, seems 10 have shirked most of her obliga-
tons.
The rejection of the treaty at Bogota was an
hnfrlendly act from the viewpoint of inter
national law. Colombia appealed us to enter
into d treaty to build a canal, the treaty was
negotiated with her in most liberal spirit on
our part and was then rejected by the Colom-
ban government and Congress without debate.
Ihe executive branch of the government, which
had negotiated it, did not try to secure it's rati-
hcation. 1t became evident, shortly after the
opening of the Colombian Congress in June that
there was not the least intention of Tatifying the
Hay-Herran treaty. The belief seems to have
been widely current in Bogota that the United
States could not or would not build canal by
any other than the Panama route. It occurred
TO certain men in Bogota that the u tied States
instead of SlpoN0O0, or, better still. as has
been disclosed by recent published official cor
respondents, if the treaty were rejected or no
action taken upon il, and the whole matter
postponed for .notheC ear. the 4occ sssion of the
present French Canal Company having expired
by that time. the renewal Of that concession
would be declared invalid. and all the rights
privileges and work Of the French Canal Com
pany be practically Contlscated and disposed of
TO the United States for S40.000,O00. in addition
to the S1OUD,OUe, proposed, and the annuity
Of S2,5O0OG0. This a radiant and alIuring
prospect, and the temptation proved too strong.
PHASE NOT MUCK DISCUSSED.
This particular phase Of canal history and th4
possible consequences of the action of the
Colombian government in rejecting the treaty
have not been exhaustivey discussed. If you
will consider il carefully YOU will that out Of
the conditions created by the failure of the
Colombians TO ratify the treaty and their deeply
grounded belief that they could invalidate the
renewal of the concession of the French COM
panJ and sell that concession to the United
States for $40 600 O00-out OF these possibilities
came one of our strongest needs for prompt and
courageous action when the opportunity was
offered by the revolution in Panama No
Veuber ,
Reflect for a moment on the grave possi-
hilities which confronted this government as it
peered into the future and sought TO provide in
telhgently for the many serious complications
and contingencies which the President foresGw.
If the revolutions in Panama had not occurred
if the American people guided by the opinions
of it's most learned, efficient and highly trusted
engineers, continued to think the Nicaragua
route an impracticable one, if the people and
Congress of this country had insisted that
ait for year or until such time as the poll
tcians at BOgota ready negotiate a
new canal treaty. and in the meantime their
Congress had declared invalid the renewal of
the French concession. what might have hap
peneG the isthmus? I may safely assert,
without fear of contradiction by any well in
formed person, that the government of France
would not nave stood serenely by and witnessed
tie pillage Of thousands Of her people through
the act which Bogota politicians devised for
the lOOting of the French company cf $4,000 900.
flashed
BOgota 10 Paris the astounding news that the
extension of the French concession can
celled French squadron from Martinique
would have borne down upon the isthmus, and
perhaps landed marines at Colon and sent them
across the isthmus to Panama and along the
llEe or the canal 10 protect the interests and
property Of French citizens There would in
all probability. have been armed conflict be-
tween France and Colombia, or France at least
isthmus for a long period. This would have
wrought Immediately and poignauty upon the
sensibiliies Of the American people in respect to
the Monroe Doctrine and we should no doubt
have found ourselves viewing France with
noying apprehension The French Warships
might easily have been followed by those of
England and Holland; and Panama. like the
Balkan States. might well have been expected TO
furnish the spark to set half the world in flames
This situation, which have described, fraught
with real and momentOus dangers, furnished
one Of the very serious possibilities which the
administration had to reckon with in dealing
with the revolution in Panama. When you
keenlv grasp the full sense of imminent danger
of foreign complications which confronted the
President, and the plainly evident truth that no
Justice generosity fair dealing or businesslike
consideration could be obtained from Colombia.
and when you consider further our obligations
under the treaty Of 1916 and the opportunity
afforded 10 put an end to the long series OF san
culinary and enfeeblins revolutions which have
wasted the resources and arrested the progress
Of the isthmuS; when you recall Colombia's dog
in the mangeI'' attitude. and the salient dan
gerous pressing eXigencies OF the situation
which confronted this government upon the
night of November >, | think you may well be