Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-04

all Inelr OreaQ or enIanglUS dIliuuCeS,
would have entered into treaty with
New Granada solely or even primarily
| for the purpose of enabling that rem
| nant of the original republic of Co
lombia. then resolved into the states of
New Granada, Venezuela, and Eeua-
| dor. 10 continue from BogOta to rule
over the Isthmus of Panama. is a con-
ception that would in itself be incred-
| ible, even if the contrary did not clear
| " appear. 1t is true that since the
| treaty was made the United States has
| again and again been obliged forcibly
| to intervene for the preservation of or
| der and the maintenance of an open
| transit, and that this intervention has
| usually operated 10 the advantage of
| the titutlar government of Colombia.
| but it is equally true that the United
| States in intervening. with or without
| Colombia'S consent. for the protection
] of the transit. has Gisclaimed any duty
TO defend the Colombian government
against domestic instruction or
against the erection of an independent
| government on the Isthmus of Pana-
| ma. The attacks against which the
| United States engaged to protect New
Granadian sovereignty were those of
| foreign powers: but this engagement
| was only a means to the accomplish
ment of Il yet more important end. The
great design of the article was to as
sure the dedication of the isthmuS 10
| the purposes of free and unobstructed
interoceanic transit, the contamination
of which would be found in an inter
| oceanic canal.
(The president then says that the OBJ
| ject of all our diplomacy for years has
been the construction of this canal,
and that its construction is Il matter
| of vital interest to the United States
He refers to the rejection of the Hay
Herran treaty, and says that there
after one of Colombia's first acts was
TO invoke the intervention of the United
States to put down the Panama re-
bellion, and sayS:i
Here was a direct solicitation to the
United States to intervene for the pur-
pose of suppressing. contrary to the
treaty of 1916. as this government has
uniformly construed it. new revolt
against Colombia's authority brought
about by her own refusal to permit the
fultillment of the great design for
which that treaty was made. 1t WAS
under these circumstances that the
United States, instead of using its
forces to destroy those who sought to
make the engagements of the treaty
reality. recognized them as the
proper custOdians of the sovereignty
of the isthmuS.
Ask to Violate the Treaty.
Gle declares that 1.-The recognition OF
the republic of Panama was an act
81, into Of
civilization" and proceedsJ:
That our position as the mandatory
of civilization has been by no means
miscOnceived is shown by the prompt
tude with which the powers have one
after another, followed our lead in
recognizing Panama as an independent
state. Our action in recognizing the
new republic has been followed by like
recognition on the part of France, Ger
many. Denmark. Russia Sweden and
Norway, Nicarag qua, Peru, China, Cuba,
Great Britain, Italy, Costa Rica, Japan,
and Austria Hungary
CoIombia's Policy of Delay.
Gle then refers to the orders of the
Colombian senate after the rejection
of the Hay-Herron treaty, which laid
out a policy of delay, and refers to it
Ls follOwsD:
Such is the scheme to which it was
proposed that the United States should
be invited to become a party. The
construction of the canal was to be
reiegated TO the indefinite future, while
Colombia was, by reason of her own
delay. TO he placed in the more ad-
VantageOus" position of claiming not
merely the compensation to be paid
by the United States for the privilege
of completing the canal, but also the
S4O000,00O authorized by the act of
1902 to be paid for the property of the
New Panama Canal company. That
the attempt to carry out this scheme
would have brought Colombia into con- |
fict with the government of France |
can not be doubted: nor could the !
United States have counted upon i'm. |
munity from the consequences of the
attempt, even apart from the indefinite |
delays to which the construction of the |
canal was to be subjected. On the !
first appearance of danger TO Colon !
bia, this government would have been /
summoned to interpose,i in order to give /
effect to the guarantees of the treaty |
of 1864; and all this in support of a !
plan which. while chara cterized in its !
first stage by the wanton disregard Of |
our own highest interests, was fifty 10 !
end in further injury to the citizens of |
a friendly nation, whose enormous |
losses in their generous efforts to |
pierce the isthmus have become n mat |
ter of history.
CThe president closes as follows:
Meanwhile, the only question now |
t. hat IF 81, %
the treaty. For il Is to be remembered !
that Il failure to ratify the treaty will |
not undo what has been done, will not |
restore Panama TO Colombia, and will /
not after our obligation TO keep the
transit open across the isthmus, and
to prevent any outside power from
fhiS