Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1904-01-09

wards the Colombian government. In
our anxiety TO be fair We had gone 20
the very verge I'm yielding 20 weak
nations demands what the nation vas
helplessiy unable TO enforce from US
against our Will The only criticism
made upon the administrat IN for the
terms OF the Hay Herran treaty were
for having granted too much 20 Colon
bia. not for failure 20 grant enough.
Neither in the Congress nor in the
public pnesli. at the time that this
treaty was formulated. were here com
plants that II did not in the fullest
and amplest manner guarantee 20 Co
lOmbia everything that she could by
any color OF title demand
Nor Is the fact TO be lost sight Of
that the rejected treaty. while gcner-
Ously responding 20 the pecuniary de
mands OF Colon bia. In other respects
merely provided for tho construction
OF the canal in conformity with tho ex-
pressed requirements OF the act OF
Congress OF June IS. 1902. by that act
as heretofore quoted. the President
was authorized 10 acquire from Co
lOmbia. for the purposes OF the canal
perpetual control" OF a certain strip
OF land and 10 was expressly required
that the control" thus 10 be obtained
shOul include jurisdiction 20 make
police and sanitary regulatins and 90
establish such judicial tribunals as
might be agreed upon their enforce
mcnt. These were conditions prece-
dent prescribed by the Congress. and
for their fulhllmcnt suitable stpula-
tions were embodied In the treaty II
has been stated in public prints that
Colombia objected 70 these stipula-
tions. on the ground that they involv-
ed a rcliQuishmcnt OF her sovereign
ty." but In the light OF what has
/ taken place this alleged objection
must be considered as an after
thought. In reality. the treaty In
stead Of requiring a ccssiOn OF Colon
hia's sovereignty over ne canal strip.
expressly acknowledged. confirmed
and preserved her sovereignty over
o. The treaty in This respect simply
proceeded on tho lines on which all
the negotiations leadinEup tothc pres
emit situation have been conducted In
those negotiations the exercise bv the
United States. subject TO the para
mount rights OF the local sovereign
OF a substantial control over the canal
and the immediately adjacent terrific
ry has been treated as q fundamont
al part OF any Arrangement that might
be made. 10 has formed an essential
feature for all our plans. and It's me-
cessity is fully recognized I'm the Hay
paunCefote treaty The Congress. ia
providing that such control should nc
secured. adopted no new principle.
but only incorporated in a. leEisla
ton the importance and prOpriety
OF which were universally Recognized
During all the years OF negotiation
and discussion that preceded the con
Clusion OF tho Hay-Herran treaty
Colombia never minated that the re
Qulrcmcnt by the United States OF
control over the canal strip would
render unattainable the construction
OF a canal bv way OF the lsthmus %,
. Panama. nor were advised. during
the months when legislation OF 1870.
was pending before the Congress. thai
the terms which 10 embodied would
render negotiations with Colombis
impraCucable 10 is plain hat no ma
= tion could construct and guarantee,
tho neutrality of the canal with a les.
degree of control than was stipulatet
T for Ia the Hay-Hcrran treaty. 4 ia
fusal 20 grant such degree OF contro
was necessarily a refusal 10 make an,
practical treaty at all. Such refusa
therefore sQuarely raised the question
: whether Colombia was entitled TO ba
8 the transit OF the worlds TRAN
5 across the Isthmus.
t, That the canal itself vas eagerly de
manded by the people OF the locaiit
I through which il was 20 pass. and tina
the people OF this locality no less ca
T. serly longed for its construction unda
{ American control. are shown by tn
5 ! unanimity o. action in the new Pana
l. 1 Rnnnhffs - r
after having rejected the treaty Il
4 spite OF our protests and warning
n when 10 was in her power TO accept il
n has since shown the utmost eagernes
q 10 accept the same treaty II only tn
. status quo could be restored. One OF IA
T men standing highest In the oricis
= circles OF Colombia. on November
5 addressed the American minister q
r BOgOta. saying that II the Governmeu
a OF the United States would land troop
20 preserve Colombian sovereignty an
v the transit. the Colombian GOvernmer
. would declare martial law. and. D
q virtue OF vested constitutional author
q ty. when public order is disturbe,
- (vould) approve by decree the ratif
a cation OF the canal treaty as signed
(. or. II the Government OF the Unite
!, states prefers. (woUld) call extra Sc.
= sion or the COngress-with new an
!, friendly members-neNt May TO al
= prove the treaty" Having these fac
= in view. there is no shadow OF que
ton that the Government OF the Unite
J., States proposed a treaty which was ~
y merely just. bat generous TO Colombo
Y which our people regarded as erin
IS if at all on the side of OvergenerOsity
e which was hailed with delight by a
n people OF the immediate lOcalit
- / 81. f.f. -
e who were most concerned as 10 II
a | ocur o~do- Of u.hf~h q