The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-01-14

Panama, and that whether the republic
granting the title was called New
Granada, Colombia, or Panama mat
tered not one whit. AS evsats turned
out, the question of reasonable time"
did not enter into the matter at all.
Although, as the months went by. 1t
became increasingly improbable that
the Colombian Congress would ratify
the treaty or take steps which WoIid
be equivalent thereto, yet all chances
for such action on their part did not
vanish until the Congress closed at
the end of October; and within three
DAYS thereafter the revolution IL ran
ANA had broken out. Panama became
an independent state. and the control
of the territory necessary for building
the canal then became obtainable. The
condition under which alone we could
have gone to Nicaragua thereby be-
came impossible Of fulfillment. II the
pending treaty with Panama should
not be ratified by the Senate this would
not alter the fact that we could not go
to Nicaragua. The Congress has de-
cided the route and there is no alter
native under existing legislation.
When in August it began to appear
probable that the Colombian Legisla--
ture would not ratify the treaty 1t be-
came incumbent upon me to CONSIDER
we'll what the situation was and to be
ready to advise the Congress as 10
what were the various alternatives OF
action open to us. There were several
possibilities. One was that COLOMBIA
would at the last moment see the un-
wisdom of her position. That there
might be nothing omitted, Secretary
Hay. through the minister at Bogota,
repeatedly warned Colombia that grave
consequences might follow from her
rejection of the treaty. Although it was
a constantly diminishing chance, yet
the possibility of ratification did not
wholly pass away until the close OF the
session of the Colombian Congress.
A second alternative was that by the
CLOSE of the session on the last day OF
October, without the ratification OF the
treaty by Colombia end without any
steps taken by Panama, the American
Congress on assembling early in NO
yember would be confronted with
situation in which there had been
failure to come to terms as to building
the canal along the Panama route, and
vet there had not been lapse oi
reasonable time-using the WORD rea-
sonable in any proper sense such as
would Justify the Administration going
10 the Ninarauga route. This situation
seemed on the whole the most likely
and as a matter Of fact / had mace
the original draft of my Message to
tho Congress with a view to its eX-
istence.
IN view of all these facts 1 directed
the Navy Department to issue instruc-
tions such as would insure our haV-
ing ships within easy reach oi the Is
thmus in the event Of need arising.
Orders were given on October ~ 10
the Boston to proceed to San Juan
del Sur, Nicaragua; to the Dixie 10
prepare to sail from League lsiana'
and to the Atlanta to proceed 10
Guantanamo. On October 30 the
Nashville was ordered to proceed 10
Colon. On Move nDer when, the
Colombian Congress having adjourn
ed. it was evident that the outbreak
was imminent, and when 1t was an
nouRced that both sides were making
ready forces whose meeting would
mean bloodshed and disorder, the GO.
lombian troops having been embarked
on vessels, the following instructions
were sent to the commanders OF the
Boston, Nashville and Dixie:
In the third place, l confidently
maintain that the recognition or the
Republic of Panama was an act Justl-
fed by the interests Of collective civil
iZation. If ever government could pc
said TO have received a mandate from
civilization to effect an object the ac-
complishment of which was demanded
in the interest of mankind, the United
States holds that position with respect
to the interoceanic canal. Since our
purpose to build the canal was dennlte-
ly announced, there have come from
all quarters assurances of approval and
encouragement, in which even Colom-
bia herself at one time partclpa1ea,
and to general assurances were adoeo
specific acts and declarations. IN OF
der that no obstacle might stand In
our way. Great Britain renounced I'M
portant rights under the Clayton-Bui-
wer treaty, and agreed to its abroga.
ton, receiving in return nothing but
our honorable pledge to build the ca
nal and protect it as an open highway:
It was in view of this pledge. and OF
the proposed enactment by the Con-
eress of the United States OF leglsla-
ton to give it immediate effect, tnat
the second Pan-American Congress, at
the City Of Mexico, on January ~
1902, adopted the following resolution:
"The republics assembled at the IN
ternational Conference OF Mexico ap-
plaud the purpose of the United states
government to construct an interoce-
anic canal. and acknowledge that this
work will rot only be worthy or the
Greatness of the American people, but
also in the highest sense work OF CIV
ilizatior, and to the greatest degree
beneficial to the development OF COM
merce between the American states
and the other countries Of the world.
Among those who signed this reso-
Iution or behalf Of their respective
Honara1 PavAS the