The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-04

4 tinue from Bogota 10 rule over the 18th
mus OF Panama, Is conception that
would In itself be incrsdible. even II
the contrary did not clearly appear.
HAD TO INTERVENE
II Is true that since the treaty was
made the United States has again and
again been Obliged forcibly 10 intervene
| for the preservation OF order and the
4 maintenance OF an open transit. and that
| this Intervention has usually operated 10
the advantage OF the titular government
Of Colombia, but IL is equally true that
i the United States In intervening, with
or without Colombia's consent. for the
! protection OF the transit has disclaimed
any duty to defend the Colombian gov
ernment against domestic insurrection or
against the erection OF an independent
government on the isthmus OF Panama.
| The attacks against which the United
States engaged 10 protect New Gransdian
sovereignty were those OF foreign powers;
but this engagement was only means
10 the accomplishment OF yet more
\ important end. The great design OF the
article was to assure the dedication OF
the isthmus TO the purposes Of free and
unobstructed interoceanic transit the
contamination OF which would be found
/ in an interoceanic canal
To the accomplishment OF this object
the Government OF the United States
had for years directed Its diplomacy. IL
| occupied a place In the instructions OF
our delegates 10 the Panama congress
during the administration OF John quincy
| Adams. II formed the subject OF reso-
| luton OF the senate in 1898. and OF the
| house of representatives I'm 1899 In 1s46
its importance had become still more
| apparent By reason OF the Mexcan war.
II the treaty OF 1916 did not In terms
| bind New Granada to grant reasonable
| fofS NJ hp Of rnQ nj
| OF interoceanic communication. II was
| only because II was not imagined that
such concessions would ever be withheld.
AZ II was expressly agreed that the
| United States. In consideration Of its
onerous guarantee OF New Granadian SOW
ereignty. should possess the right OF free
and open transit on any modes Of COM
munication that might be constructed,
the obvious intent Of the treaty rendered
| II unnecessary, II not superfuous In
| terms TO stipuate that permission for
| the construction OF such modes OF COM
munication should not be denied
Long before the conclusion OF the Hay
Herran treaty the course of events had
shown that a canal TO connect the Allan
tic and Pacific oceans must he built by
| the United States or not at all Expert
ence had demonstrated that private en-
| terprise was utterly Inadequate for the
purpose: and a fixed policy, declared by
the United States on many memorable
occasions. and supported by the prac-
| tically unanimous voice 81 American
opinion. had rendered IL morally impos-
| sible that the work should be undertaken
| by European powers. either singly or In
| combination Such were the universally
| recognized conditions on which the legis-
lation OF the congress was based. and on
which the late negotia tons with Colon
| bia were begun and concluded
OUR AID INVOKED
Nevertheless. when the well considered
agreement was rejected by Colombia and
! the revolution on the isthmus ensued.
| one OF Colombas first acts was 10 in
| woke the Intervention OF the United
States. nor does her invitation appear
| to have been confined to this government
/ alone. BY n telegram from Mr.. Beaupre.
I our minister at Bogota, on the 1th OF
4 November last. we were informed that
General Reyes would soon leave Panama
! invested with full powers; that he had
| telegraphed the president OF Mexico TO
ask the government OF the United States
and all countries represented al the Pan
| American conference ito aid Colombia TO
preserve her integrity" and that he had
requested that the government OF the
! United States should meanwhile pre-
serve the neutrality and transit OF the
isthmus and should mot recognize the
new government"
| In another telegram from Mr.. Beaupre.
which was sent later in the day. this
/ government was asked whether II would
/ take action Ito maintain Colombian
| right and sovereignty on the isthmus in
| accordance with article Sb OF the treaty
| OF lst6' In case the Colombian govern
ment should be entirely unable TO sup
/ press the secession movement there"
Here was direct solicitation TO the
/ United States to Intervene for the pur-
pose OF suppressing. contrary TO the
/ treaty OF 1916 az this government has
uniformly construed e. new revolt
against Colombia's authority brought
about by her own refusal to permit the
/ fulfilment Of the great design for which
/ that treaty was made. II was under
! these circumstances that the United
States. instead OF usingsits forces to de-
! stroy those who sought TO maks She en-
gagements OF the treaty q reality. recog-
niZed them as the proper custodians ~
\ the sovereignty OF the isthmus.
This recognition was. in the second
place. further justified by the highest
| considerations OF our national interests
! and safety. In all the range Of our inter
national relations. / DO not hesitate to
affirm 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 commercial development, u has be-
! come as the result of the recent extern
sion OF our territorial dominion. more
/ than ever essential to our national self
/ defense. In transmitting to the senate the
treaty OF 1s4s. President Polk pointed out
as the principal reason for Its ratification
J that the passage Of the lsthmus. which Il
was designed TO secure. would relieve us
, from long and dangerous navigation of
more than 400 miles around Cape Horn.
and render our communication with our
! own possessions on the northwest coast of
America comparatively easy and speedy"
! The events OF the past five years have
given Ia this considerable an Importance
imneasurably greater than II possessed
| IN 1896. In the light OF our present situa-
| tion, the establishment OF easy and
speedy communication by sea between the
Atlantic and the Pacific presents itself
! not simply az something 10 be desired,
but rs an object 10 be positively and
promptly attained Reasons OF conve-
/, nience have been superseded by reasons
of vital necessity, which do not admit OF
Indefinite delays.