Iron County register., 1903-12-10

boats with high efficiency in fleet and
squadron formations. and the standard Of
The best work ashore is indispensable,
but the highest duty Of naval officer is
to exercise command at sea.
1t is eminently desirable, however, that
there should be provided a naval general
stan on lines similar TO those OF the general
staff lately crear~d for the army. Within
the navy department itself ahe needs Of
the service have brought about a system
under which the duties of general stan
are partially performed; for the bureau OF
navigation has under its direction the war
college, the office of naval intelligence and
the board of inspection, and has been in
close touch with the general board of the
navy. But though under the excellent OIL
GERS at their head, these boards and bureaus
do good work they have not the authority
of a general staff, and have not sufficient
scope to insure a proper readiness for
emergencies. We need the establishment
by Jaw OF body of trained officers, who
shall exercise a systematic control of the
military affairs of the navy, and be author
ICED advisers of the secretary concerning it.
The Isthmian Canal.
By the act of June 2S, 1902, the congress
authorized the president to enter into
treaty with Colombia for the building OF
the canal across the Isthmus of Panama;
it being provided that in the event of
failure to secure such treaty after the
lapse of a reasonable time, recourse
should be had to building a canal through
Nicaragua. 1t has not been necessary to
consider this alternative, as l am enabled
to lay before the senate treaty provid-
ing for the building of the canal across
the ISthmus of Panama. This was the
route which commended itself to the de-
liberate judgment of the congress, and
We can now acquire by treaty the right
to construct the canal over TINS route
| The question now therefore, is not by
which route the isthmian canal shall be
| built, for that question has been definite
| ly and irrevocably decided. The question
| is simply whether or not we snail nave
| an sthmian canal.
When the congress directed that we
| should take the Panama route under
! treaty with Colombia the essence of the
condition, of course, referred not to the
government which controlled that route
| but to the route itself; to the territory
across which the route lay, not to the
| name which for the moment the territory
bore on the map. The purpose of the law
| was to authorize the president to make
treaty with the power in actual con-
| troll of the Isthmus of Panama. This
purpose has been fulfilled.
Isthmian Treaty obligations.
In the year 1916 this government en-
| tered into treaty with New GRANADA,
| the predecessor upon the Isthmus OF the
Republic of Colombia and of the present
Republic of Panama, by which treaty IT
| was provided that the government and
citizens of the United States should al
ways have free and open right of way
| by any modes of communication that
might be constructed, while in return our
government guaranteed the perfect neu-
| trality of the above-named iSthmus with
the view that the free transit from the
one to the other sea might not be inter-
rupted or embarrassed The treaty vest,
ed in the United States substantial
property right carved out of the rights OF
Sovereignty and property which New
Granada then had and possessed over the
said territory. The name of New Gran
ada has passed away and its territory
has been divided. It's successor, the gov
ernment of Colombia, has ceased to own
any property in the isthmus. new
republic, that of Panama, which was al
one time sovereign state. and at an
other time mere department of the sue
cessive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia, has now succeed
ed to the rights which first one and ther
the other formerly exercised over the
isthmus. But as long as the isthmus en-
dures, the mere geographical fact of Its
existence and the peculiar interest there
in which is required by our position
perpetuate the solemn contract which
binds the holders of the territory to re
spect our right to freedom of transi
across it, and binds us in return to safe
guard for the isthmus and the world the
exercise of that inestimable privilege
The true Interpretation of the obligation!
upon which the United States entered II
this treaty of 1916 has been given repeat
edly in the utterances of presidents ant
secretaries Of state.
For 400 years, ever since shortly after the
discovery of this hemisphere, the cana
across the isthmus has been planned. Fol
twoscore years it has been worked at
When made it is to last for the ages. 1t II
to alter the geography OF a continent ant
the trade routes of the world. We hav'
shown by every treaty we have negotiated
or attempted to negotiate with the peoples
in control of the isthmus and with foreign
nations in reference thereto our consisten
good faith in observing our obligations; OF
the one hand to the peoples of the isthmus
and on the other hand to the civilized worl(
whose commercial rights we are safe
guarding and guaranteeing by our action
We have done our duty to others in lette
and spirit, and we have shown the utmos
forbearance in exacting our own rights.
CoIombia's Reputation of Treaty.
Last spring, under the act above re
ferred to, treaty concluded between tn
representatives of the Republic of Colon
bia and of our government was ratitie
by the senate, This treaty was entere
into at the urgent solicitation of the peo
pie Of Colombia and after body of ex
perts appointed by our government es
pecially to go into the matter of tn
routes across the isthmus had pro
nounced unanimously in favor O
Panama route In drawing up this treat
every concession was made to the peopl
and to the government of Colombia. w
We're more than just in dealing wit
them. Our generosity was such as t
had not gone too far in their in
terest at the expense of our own; for i
our scrupulous desire to pay all possibl
heed, not merely to the real but even t
the fancieds rights of our weaker neigh
bor, who already owed SO much to ou
protection and forbearance we yielde
in all possible ways to her desires i
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless tn
repudiated the treaty, but repudiated
in such manner as to make it evident b
, the time the Colombian congress ad
journed that not the scantiest hope re
mained of ever getting a satsfactor
!, treaty from them. The government c
? Colombia made the treaty. and yet whe
; the Colombian congress was called t
: ratify it the vote against ratification wa
| unanimous. 1t does not appear that tn
! government made any real effort to Sc
a cure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
: Immediately after the adjournment
/; the congress revolution broke out
t Panama The people of Panama ha
! of Colombia, and they had been keI
} quiet only by the prospect Of the cor
! clusion of the treaty, which was to thel
f came evident that the treaty was hopt
lessly lost, the people Of Panama ros
9 literally as one man. Not shot wa
! fired by single man on the isthmus |
! the interest Of the Colombian goverr
r ment. Not a life was lost in the accom-
: plishment Of the revolution. The Colon
S bian troops stationed on the isthmu
$ who had long been unpaid, made con
S mon cause with the people of Panam
and with astonishing unanmity the ne
: republic was started. The duty of til
n United States in the premises was clea
S In strict accordance with the principle
r laid down by Secretaries Cass and Sewa1
e in the official documents above quote
e the United States gave notice that
T would permit the landing of no exped
3 tionary force, the arrival of which wou
mean chaos and destruction along IL
line of the railroad and of the propose
canal, and an interruption Of transit
q an inevitable consequence. The de fac
e government of Panama was recognize
. in the following telegram to Mr.. Eth
. man
y THE people of Panama have, by appa
y emily unanimous movement, dissolved the
y political connection with the republic
u Colombia and resumed their independence
,. When you are satisfied that q Ge 1acto go
a ernment, republican in forLa and withol
e substantial opposition from It's own PEE
e pie, has been established in the state