The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-04

the iSthmus, and again and again
i United States sailors and marines have
been landed as they were landed in
this instance and under similar in
structions to protect the transit. One
of these revolutions resulted in three
years of warfare; and the aggregate
of bloodshed and misery caused by
them has been incalculable. The fact
that in this last revolution not a life
was lost, save that of the man killed
by. the shells of the Colombian gun
boat, and no property destroyed, was
due to the action, which I have de-
seribed. We, in effect, policed the
isthmus in the interest of it's inhabit-
ants and of our own national needs,
and for the good of the entire civil
lied world. Failure to act as the ad-
ministration acted would have meant
great waste of life, great suffering,
great destruction of property; all OF
which was avoided, by the firmness
and prudence with which Commander
Hubbard carried out his orders and
prevented either party from attack
ing the other. Our action was for the
peace both of Colombia and of Pana-
ma. 1t is earnestly to be hoped that
there will be no. unwise conduct on
our part which may encourage Col
ombia to embark on a war which can
not result in her reganing control of
the isthmus,, but which may cause
much bloodshed and suffering. ass
Injurious Insinuations Repealed.
[ hesitate to refer to the injurious
insinuatiOns which have been made
Of completely by this government in
the revolutionary movement in Pana-
ma. They are as destitute of foun-
dation as Of propriety. The only ex
cuse for my mentioning them is the
fear slest unthinking. persons might
mistake for acquiescence the silence
of mere self-respect. think proper
to say therefore, that no one con-
nected with this government had any
part In preparing, melting or -encour-
aging the late revolution on the 18TH
mus of Panama, and that, save. from
the reports Of our military'and ma
val officers, given above, no one con-
nected with this government had any
previous knowledge of the revolution
except such as was accessible to any
person Of ordinary intelligence who
read the newspapers and kept up a
current acquaintance with public af-
fairs. 80 ..-
BY the unanimous action of it's
people, without the firing of a shot
with a unanimity hardly before re-
corded in any similar case-the peo-
pie Of Panama declared themselves
an independent republic. Their rec
ognition by this government was based
upon a state Of facts in no way de-
pendent for its Justification upon our
action in ordinary cases. I have not
denied, nor do I wish to deny, either
the validity or the propriety of the
general rule that a new state should
not be recognized as Independent till
it has shown it's ability to maintain
it's independence. This rule is derived
from the principle Of nonintervention,
and as a corollary of that, principle
has generally been observed by the
United States But, like the prin-
ciple from which it is deduced, the
rule is subject to exceptions; and there
are, in my opinion, clear and impera-
tive reasons why a departure from it
was justified and even required in the
present instance. These reasons en-
brace, first, our treaty rights; second
our national interests and safety, and
third, the interests OF collective civ
ilization. .-. a. ..... D.,
Not Bound to Bolster Bogota Govern.
ment. .lf g..'-.. -. .'f
I have already adverted to the
treaty Of 1S46, by the thirty-hfth1 ar
ticle of which the United States Sc
cured the right to a free and open
transit across the Isthmus Of Pan
anna, and to that end agreed to guar
antee to New Granada her rights OF
sovereignty and property over that
territory. This article is sometimes
discussed as If the latter guarantee
constituted it's sole object and bound
the United States to protect the SOW.
ereignty of New Granada against do
nestle revolution. Nothing, how.
ever, could be more erroneous thar
this supposition. That our wise and
patriotic ancestors, with all theil
dread of entangllng alliances, would
have entered into a treaty with New
Granada solely or even primarily fo1
the purpose Of enabling that remnant
of the original republic of Colombia
then. resolved into the states Of. New
Granada, %Nenezuela and Ecuador, tc
continue from, Bogota to rule over
the Isthmus of Panama, Is a concep.
ton that would in itself be incredible
even if the contrary did not clearl!
appear. 1t is true that since the
treaty was made the United State!
has again and again been obliged
forcibly to intervene for the preser
walton of order and the Snain1enanct
of an open transit, and that this in
tervention has usually operated t,
the advantage of the titular govern
ment of Colombia, but it is equal,
true that the United States in inter
vening. with or without Colombia
consent, for the protection of tn
transit has disclaimed any duty t.
defend the Colombian government
against domestic instruction o
ent government on the Isthmus o
Panama. The attacks against whicl
the United States engaged to protec
New Granada sovereignty were thos
of foreign powers; but this engage
ment was only means to the accom-
plishment of a yet more importan
end& Fhe great design of the articl
was to assure 1.-The dedication of tn
istlftnuss to the purposes of free an
unobstructed interoceanic transit, tn
contamination Of which would b
found in an interoceanic canal. II
the accomplishment Of this object tn
government of the United States ha
for years directed it's diplomacy.
occupied a place in the instruction
to our delegates to the Panama cor
gress during the administration {
John Quincy Adams If. formed TIL
subject Ola resolution ofgstFe senat
in 1885, and of the. house of repre-
sentatives in 1899. In, 1916 it's i'm
portances had become still more al
parent by reason of the Mexican wa
If the treaty of 1916 did not in term
bind New Granada to grant reason
able concessions for the constructfo
of means Of interoceanic communics
ton. it was only, because, it, was nc
imagined that such concessions wotll
ever be withheld. AS it was express]
agreed that the United States, in cor
:. sideration of it's onerous guarantee {
New Grauadiap Soyeraierntv Oh