The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-01-08

BY the unanimous action of its peo-
PIE. Without the firing of a shot-with a
tnaniTnity hardly before recorded in any
similar case-the people of Panama de-
clared themselves as independent repub-
nc, Their recognition by this government
was based upon a state of facts in no
way dependent for its Justification upon
our action in ordinary cases. l have not
denled nor do / wish to deny, either the
Vaidlty or th~espropriety OF the general
rule that a. new state should not be rec
ognized as independent till it has shown
LIS ability. to maintain it's independence.
rms rule is derived from the principle of
nonlntervention, and as a ccrollary OF that
principle has generally been observed by
the United States. But. like the principle
1ect to exceptions; and there are in my
opinion clear and imperative reasons why
a aePar5ure from 1t was justified and even
reasons embrace, first. our treaty rights;
second, our national interests and safety;
and, third, the interests of collective civili-
Reasons for Ratification.
He reviews these reasons at considerable
length, and j%ustities the speedy recognition
precedents to show that treaties concluded
with one nation are binding upon the sue
e eess $ OF that nation, thus the treaty of
1910 with New GRANADA was transferred
first to Colombia and now to Panama. or
tn second reason he says:
This recognition was, in the second
place., luTlHef JuStltled by the highest COM
siderations of our national interests and
safety. In all the range of our interna-
tlonal relations. l do not hesitate TO al
firm that there is nothing of greater or
more pressing Importance than the con-
struction of an interoceanic canal. Long
acknowledged to be essential to our COM
the result of the recent extension of our
territorial dominion, more Inan ever es-.
sential to our national self-defense. .
In the light of our present situation, the
s / n a n On md ran11 81 nm
municatlon by sea etween the Atlantic
and the Pacific presents itself not simply
as something to be desired. but as an OBJ
9ect to be positively and promptly at
tanned. Reasons of convenience have been
superseded by reasons of vital necessity,
which do not admit of indefinite delays
In the same connection he charges Co
lombia with attempting to SO delay the
ratification of any canal treaty as to
place that government in a position not
compensation by this government, but to
secure the s40,00.ce9 promised the Panama
Canal company for it's franchise and
Der 81, 1904, the franchise of the Panama
company would have expired, and the
government be in a position
sthnus and then be in a position to de-
mand of the United States the payment
70 that government of both sums. In
this connection he says:
Such is the scheme to which 1t was
proposed that the United States should
be invited to become a party. The con-
struction Of the canal was to be rele-
gated to the indefinite future, while CO.
loEnbla was, by reason of her own delay,
to be placed in the more advantageous
position Of claiming not merely the com
pensation to be paid by the United States
for the privilege Of completing the canal,
but also the $40, 100000 authorized by the
act Of 1902 to be paid for the property of
the attempt to carry out this scheme
would have brought Colombia into con-
i1lct with the government of France can
States nave counted upon immunity from
the consequences of the attempt, even
apart from the indefinite delays to which
the construction OF the canal was to be
danger to Colombia, this gov aat
would have been summoned to interpose.
IN order to give effect to the guarantees
port OF q plan which, while character
regard Of our own highest interes $
liens of a friendly nation. whose enor-
nous losses in their generous efforts to
pierce the isthnus have become a mat
ter of history"
Of the third reason for speedy recog-
milton the president says in part:
In the third place. I confidently main
tain that the recognition of the republic
of Panama was an act justified by the
of collective civilization. If ever
a government could be said TO have re-
ceived a mandate from civ.lization to
which was demanded in he interest of
mankind, the United States holds that
with regard to the inter..sF,ic
canal was definitely announced, there
come from all quarters assurances
OF approval and announcement, in which
even Colombia herself at one time par
ticiDated; and to general assurances were
added specific acts and declarations. In
order that no obstacle might stand in Our
rights under the Clayton-Bulwer treaty
and agreed to its ~abrogation. reneivin~ in
return nothing but our honorable pledge
to build the canal and protect it as an
open highway.
Justified by Collective Civilization.
That cur position as the mandatory of
has been by no means mis-
conceived is shown by the promptttude
with. which the powers have, one after
another. followed our lead in recognizing
in recognizing the new republic
has been followed by like recognition an
the part of France, Germany, Denmark.
Peru, China, Cuba, Great Britain, Italy.
Costa RIGA, Japan and Austria-Hungary.
In view of the manifold considerat. ons
interest and safety, and of collective civ
by which our goyeTnlne: $
constrained to act, / am at a loss to
comprehend nand the "a attitude OF those who
49,
public of Panama only a genera ap-
prevail Of the principle of revolution by
which g given government IS ove..arned
or n portion Of a country separated
from another. Only the amplest justi-
fication can warrant q revolutionary
of either kind. Blu here IS
fixed rule which can be applied to all
such movements. Each case must be
Judged on It's own merits. Nh
peen many revolutionary movements,
movements for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of countries, which were evil, tried by
any standard. But in my opinion no d s.
and fair minded observer ac-
quaf,nted with the circumstances can fall
to fee! that Panama had the ampiest jus
tification for separation from Colombia
under the conditions existing, and, more
that its action was in the highest
degree beneficial to the interests of the
entire civilized world by securing the
opportunity for the building
OF the interoceanic canal. = The
people of the isthnlus, n as / firmly
belieye of the adjacent parts of Central.
and South America, will be greatly bene-
fited by the building of the canal and the
guarantee of peace and order along its
lLne; and hand in hand with the benefit
to them will go the benefit to us and to
BY our prompt and
action. not only ave our interests and
those of the world at large been con-
served, but we nave forestalled compl1-
cations which were likely to be fruitful
In loss to ourselves, and in bloodshed and
suffering to the people of the isthmus