The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-05

r y llt i -. /. Z
q wants and circumstances that have
Arisen Sovereignty has2its duties rs wei
as Its rights md none o. i nrd ,pI Iti,
governments, even adininsts,sua WIZ ~
ttner nations than they hnye been been,
Wo,iid b permitted, inn Split OF Enstern
ISOLATION. to close the gates 81 n ia,S %
Justly the act by the pie;enson that
IA these avenues or trade and travel belong
10 them and that they choose 70 shn !,
gNfhcn or \ Whit Is almost eQnlVaieh., "
y nrtumber them WITH such unjust relations
IA would prevent their general use,
rs The principle thus enuncnted by Secre-
tnrv Cnss was sound then. and 1t IS
sound now, The United States has taken
The position that M other government is
10 build the canal. In 1889. when France
propoSel to como to the aid OF inc
treuoh panama Company By guarantee
iilg theft, bonds, the Senate of the uhiteu
states III executive session. with nhiS
come three votes dissenting passed q
& resolution. as follows:
phAt the government of the United
states VIII 8loolz with serious concern ana
lisapnroval upon any connection OF lilE
,tiQn or control OF any sh'p canal across
TIC lsthmus OF Darlcn or4across Central
America, and must regard any sue. con-
1tis, rights aud interests OF the United
States and as Il menace to their welfare.
Eagerly Demanded
THAT the canal itself was eagerly de-
fnandcd BY the people of the locality
through which 1t was to pass. and that
the people OF this locality no less eager
IL longed for It's construction under
American control. arc shown by tho
unaninlity OF action III, The new Pana =.
Republic, Furthermore. Colombia. al er
having e!ected the treaty In spite Of our
protests and warnings when It was in her
power TO accept 1t. has since shown the
utmost eagerness to accept the same
treaty II only the status quo could DO
restored One of the men standing high
cs, In the official circles of Columbia. on
November 9th. addressed the American
minister at Bogota. saying that If the
government Of the United States would
land troops TO preserve Colombian SOW
creignty and the transit. the ColUm.
Y bian government would declare martial
law ard, by virtue of vested constitu-
tional authority. when public order 10
disturbed, (would) approve by decree tho
ratification of the canal treaty as sign
ed; or, If the government Of the United
States prefers. (would) call extra session
OF the Congrcss-with new and friendly
i members-next May to approve the
treaty" Having these facts in view.
there Is no shadow of question that the
government of the United States proposed
treaty which was not merely Just, but
generous to Colombia, which our peonle
a regarded as erring, II at all. on the sido
of overgcnerosty; which was hailed
with delight by the people Of the immc-
diate locality through which, the canal
was to pass, who were most concerned
as to the new order of things, and which
# the Colombian authorities now reccg nlze
. as being so good that they are willing
Il to promise its unconditional ratiSica-
ton If only we will desert those who
have shown themselves our friends and
restore 10 those who have shown them
selves unfriendy the power TO undo what
they did pass by the question as to what
z assurance we have that they would now
keep their pledge and not again refuse To
ratify the treaty If they had the power;
for, OF course ! will not for one moment
discuss the possibility OF the Uni ed
81 States committing an act OF such base
ness as to abandon the new Republic
y sf Panama.
Third Finally the Congress definitely
settled where the canal was to be built
q IL WAS prov!de; that treaty should
fe made for building the cana! across the
Jsth-nus d. Panar,a; and If. after rea-
sorsals time. 1t proved impossible TO Sc
l.t!rs such treaty, that then re should go
u N3casa ga The treaty has been
laa6a for il needs no arguren. to slow
4 tnat she iatt:-.t 90 The Congress was to
iaSure canal across Panama, ami that
whether the republic granting the tile
was cailsd New Granada, Colombia, or
Panama, r-.st;ered not one Whit. AS
events turead out the question OF '.rea-
soLasle tine cid not enter into he
mater a. all Although, IS the uortEs
wen; b?, II became increasingly Ltnprob-
able that the Colombian Congress would
ratlfy tie treaty or take steps which
would be equivalent thereto. We, all
chance for such action on their part did
not vanish until the Congress closed AT
tire end OF October; and within three days
thereafter the revolution In Panama had
broken ou,. Panama became an indepeu-
dent STATE and the control OF the terri.
tory necessary for building the canal
then recars.e- obiainable. The condition
under which. alone We gould have gone
to Nicaragua thereby became impossible
OF frltillment II the pending treaty with
Panama should not be ratified by the
Senate this would not alter the fact that
we could not go 10 Nicaragua. The Con-
Gress has decided the route. and there
Is no alternative under existing legsla-
ton.
Guarantor OF Canal.
Under the Hay-Pauncefote treaty It was
explicitly provided tina, the United States
should control police and protect the
canal which was TO be built, keeping II
open for the vessels Of all nations on
equal terms. The United States thus as
sumed the position of guarantor OF the
canal and OF Its peaceful use by all the
world. The guaranty Included as mat
ter Of course. the building OF the canal
The enterprise was recognized as re-
spending to an international need, and 1t
would be the veriest travesty on right ard
Justice TO treat the governments In pos
Eesslon OF the isthinnI az having the right,
In the language OF Mr. Cass, ITO close
the gates of intercourse on the great
highways Of the world and justify the
act by the pre,ensipn that these avenues
of trade and travel belong TO them, and
that they choose TO shut them"
When this government submitted to Co.
lombta the Hay-Herran treaty three
thlngs We're. therefore already settled.
One was that the canal should be built
The time for delay, the time Tor permit.