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

engagements Of the treaty Il reality, rec
cshized then, as The proper c,istodians
OF the soverelgnty.or tho Isthrnus.
This recognition was, III tho second II
place, futther Justified by the Highest.
considerations OF our national interests
5ternntohal relations. do not hesItnte
to affirm that there Is nothing Of greater
Or moro pressing Importance than tic
construction of MI nterocennlc cannl
Long acknowledged to be essential to our
commercial development, It has become,
Sas tho result OF the recent extension OF a
our territorial dominion. moro thnn ever
essential to our national self-defcnse.
In transmitting TO the Senate the treaty
OF 1910, President Polk pointed out Ds
tho principal reason for It's ratification
that the passage Of the Tstllmus. which
1t was designed TO secure, would relieve
,ls from Il long and dangerous navigation
OF moro than 5000 miles around Cape
Horn, and render our communication
with our own possessions on the north
west coast of America comparatively easy
ana speedy rho events Of the past
five years have given to this consldcrt-
tio,i an Importance UNNECESSARILY greater
than It possessed In 1916. In the, 'ght
OF our present situation, the estabtsh-
nsnt OF easy and speedy communication
By sea, between the Atlantic and the
Pacific presents Itself not simply as
something to be desired, but MS an object
10 be positively ana promptly attained.
Rehsons OF convenience have been super
seeded by reasons OF vital necessity, which
dbnot admit OF Indefinite delays.
To such delays the rejection by Co
lombla Of the Hay-Herran treaty d.
rcctly exposed us. AS proof OF this fact
I need only refer to the programme OUT
lined In the report Of the majority Of the
Pnrama cannl committee. read IN. tho
Colombian Senate on tn. 14th OF Octo-p
Dor last. In this report, which recom-
nended that the discussion Of a law to
authorize the government to enter, upon
new negotiations shou,l be Indefinitely
pc ytpon,ad. It Is proposed that the consid-
GRAFTON OF the subject should be deferred
TIL October 81. 1901. when tho next Co
lorblan Congress should have met ~
ordinary session. BY that time. as tho
report goes on to say, tn, extension OF
time granted to the New Panama Canal
Company by trcnty3in 1909 would have
expired, and the new Congress would be
In q position TO take up the question
whe Their tht, company had not. IN spite o.
further extensions that had been granted
BY legislative acts. forfeited all It's prop
efty and rights. When that time ar
rives," the report significantly declares.
"the republic. without any impeachment.
\ Will be abt. to contract, and VIII be III
moro clear moro definite. and more adj
vcntageous possession both legally and
mnteriallv." The naked meaning Of this
report Is that Colombia proposed to walt
Until by the enforcement Of a forfeiture
rcrugnant 10 the IDEAS Of justice which
obtain In every civilized nation. the prop
! erty and rights of the New Panama Canal
Company could he confiscated.
| such Is the scheme 10 which It was
| p, opposed that the United States should
| be invited to become 4 party. The con-
~ al was RI r.,
I r: ted to the Indefinite future. while Co
;,nhia was by reason OF her own delay.
! u be placed In the more advantageous
| position Of claiming not merely the COM
pci:eation to be paid by tf,a United States
! FOR the privilege OF comp citing the canal.
| bur also the forty millions authorized
b. the act Of 1902 10 be paid for the prop
| erty Of the New Panama Canal Company.
That the attempt to carry out thif
! scheme would hNv., brought Colombia;
| into conflict with the, government %
| T:ante cannot be doubted: nor could the
United States haveS counted upon I'm
r1rrity from the consequences of the at
| tempt even apart from the indefinite
| delays TO which the construction OF the
1 canal was 10 be subjected, On the first
\ al pearance OF danger to Colombia. this
1 government wou,i have been summoned
! to interpose, In order 10 give effect 70
| the guarantees OF the treaty OF 1915: and
| characterized In It's first stage by the
| wanton disregard OF our own highest In
| te.eets was fifty to end IN further injury
/ to the citl7i,ns of friendly nau3n whose
| enormous losses In their generous Hfforts
to plerce the Isthmus have become g
| matter OF history.
Act Justified.
In the third place, confidently main
tain that tho recognition OF the Republic
1 Of Panama was an act justified by the
i interests OF collective civilization. II ever
j n government could be said to have re-
/ celved a mandate from civilization TO
! effect an object, the accomplishment OF
which was demanded In the Interest OF
j mankind, the United States holds that
/ position with regard to the interocean1c
] canal Since our purpose. to build the ca
/ nal was definitely announced there nave
4 come from all quarters assurances or APP
! prevail and encouragement, IN which even
4 Colombia herself at one time parucl-
i pated; and to general assurances were
/ added specific acts and declarations. IN
4 order. thu + no obstacle might stand In our
4 way. Great Britain renowned timportanl
4 rights under the Clayton ulwer treaty
1 and agreed to It's Rbrogation, receiving IN
return nothing but our honorable piedse
to build the canal and protect u asta =
4 omen highway IT WAS ln.vleW Of TINS
| /,
4 the Congress OF tile United States OF leg.
i islatIon to give It immediate effect tila . = =
4 the second Pan-Amercan conferences ~ 40 a.
f, the city OF Mexico, on January loS7'
adopted the following resolution;
Tho republics assembed a.eo t aena an aded
the purpose OF the United States govern
az h ntsr WorR viii not
!. onivirn ;rorthy of the greatness ot the
Amerlcap people, but q also v,i IL s
anu to the Greptest degree pene-
flcol TO the oeyelopment Of en ~ hn e,b pe
! countries Of the world.
Among those who signed thi .,,.r res ,ea,,
ton on behalf of their respective g1s-
ernmcnts was General Reyes, me aeie-
I gate of Colombia. Little could i nave
been foreseen that two years later lsrar Inc ne
Colombian Government, led nstray 2, ~
4 false allurements Of selfish ndvantagp;
and forgetful alike Of It's international
obligations and Of the duties ana respoh,
! slbiities Of sovereignty, would thwart tue
! -. tt,o 4 INIT States To enter