The Forrest City times., 1904-01-08
Reasons for Ratification.

He reviews these reasons at considerable
length and justties the speedy recognition
on either and all of them. He refers 10
precedents TO show that treaties concluded
with one nation are binding upon the sue
ceSsors of that nation thus the treaty Of
ls46 with New Granada was transferred
FIRST to Colombia and row to Panama. OF
II second reason he says.
This recognition was, in the second
pace, further justified by the highest con
sideratiCns OF our national interests and
safety. In all the range of our interna-
tional relations. | do not hesitate to al
urn that there is nothing OF greater or
more pressing importance than the con-
structlon or an tnteroceanic canal Long
acknow edged to be essential TO our com
Hercial development. II has become al
the result OF the recent extension OF our
territorial dominion more Ihan ever es
sentiai to our national self-defense.
In the light of our MT situation. the
establishment of easy and speedy com
inunicatlon by sea between the Atlantic
ana the Pacific presents Itself not Simply
as something TO be desired, but as an OBJ
1ect 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superseded by reasons of vital necessity.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.
lofnbla with attempting to delay the
ratlhcation of any canal treaty as to
place that government in position not
only to secure the 100000 offered 1t as
compensation by this government, but TO
secure the 100000 promised the Panama
canal company for its franchise and
rights as we'll BY waiting until Octo-
Der 81 1894 the franchise OF the Panama
company would have expired. and the
colombian government be in a posit on
TO seize ITS property and rights on the
isthmus, and then be In position to de-
mand Of the United States the payment
TO that government of both sums. In
this connection he says:
Such is the scheme to which IL was
proposed that the United States should
be invited To become a party. The COR
struction of the canal was t. be rele-
o. tod he \ fS,,Es
iombia was by reason of her own delay.
10 be placed in the more advantageous
position OF claiming not merely the corn
pensatlon to be pad by the United States
for the privilege Of completing the canal,
but also the s49.e1co0 authorized by TIT
act OF 1902 to be paid for the property ef
the New Panama Canal company That
the attempt to carry out this scheme
would have brought Colombia into CON
hict with the government Of France can
not be doubted. nor could the United
states have counted upon immunity from
the consequences Of the attempt even
apart from the indefinite decays 10 which
the construction Of the canal was to be
subjected. on the first appearance Of
danger to Colombia. this government
would have been summoned to iuterpose.
in order IL give effect to the guarantees
OF the treaty Of 1875, and all this in sup
port OF plan which while character
ized N its hrst stage 5y the waHton dis
regard Of our own highest interests. was
htiy to end in further INJURY To the cit
izens OF a friendly nation. whose endr-
nous losses II tnc!T gene US efforts Il
pierce the iSthmd5 have become Il mat
ter of history"
OF the third reason for speedy rceog-
milton the president says in part:
In the third place. confidently main
tain that the recognition n the republic
or Panama was an act justified by the
interests Of collective civilization. II ever
"A government could be said to have re-
ceiNed a mandate from civ lization to
effect an object the accomplishment. of
which was demanded in the interest OF
mankind. the United States holds tat
position with regard to the interocean.c
cana Since our purpose to build the
canal vas definitely announced. there
have come from all quarters assurances
OF approval and encouragement. in whtea
even Colombia herself at one time par
ucipa ted, and TO general assurances wee
added specific acts and declarations In
order that no obstacle might stand in oar
way, Great Britain renounCed important
rights under ne Clayton Bulwer treaty
and agreed 10 It's abrogau0n, receiving IN
return nothing but our honorable plodge
to build the canal and protect il as an
open highway.