The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1904-01-08

al part of any arrangement that might
be made. 1t has formed an essential
feature for all our plans, and its ne
cessity is fully recognized in the Hay
Pauncefote treaty. The Congress, in
providing that such control should be
secured, adopted no new principle,
but only incorporated in it legisla-
ton, the Importance and proprlety
of which were universally recognized.
During all the years of negotiation
and discussion that preceded the con-
clusion of the Hay-Herran treaty,
Colombia never intimated that the re-
quirement by the United States OF
control over the canal strip would
render unattainable the construction
of canal by way of the lsthmus OF
Panama; nor were advised, during
the months when legislation Of 1902
was pending before the Congress, that
the terms which it embodied would
render negotiations with Colombia
impracticable. 1t is plain hat no ma
ton could construct and guarantee
the neutrality of the canal with less
degree of control than was stipulated
LOl III ClO 1IoJ -I1Cl1dh VI OcCJ "A III
fusal to grant such degree of control
was necessarily refusal to make any
practical treaty at all. Such refusal
therefore squarely raised the question
whether Colombia was entitled to bar
the transit of the worlds traffic
across the Isthmus.
That the canal itself was eagerly de-
manded by the people of the locality
through which it was to pass, and that
the people of this locality no less ca
eerly longed for it's construction under
American control, are shown by the
unanimity of action in the new Pana-
ma Republic. Furthermore, Colombia,
after having rejected the treaty in
spite of our protests and warnings
when it was in her power to accept it,
has since shown the utmost eagerness
to accept the same treaty if only the
status quo could be restored. One of the
men standing highest in the official
circles Of Colombia, on November 6,
addressed the American minister at
Bogota saying that If the Government
Of the United States would land troops
to preserve Colombian sovereignty and
the transit, the Colombian Government
would declare martial law; and, by
virtue of vested constitutional authori-
ty, when public order is disturbed,
{would) approve by decree the ratifi-
cation of the canal treaty as signed;
or, if the Government of the United
States prefers (would) call extra ses-
sion of the Congress-with new and
friendly members-next May to APP
prove the treaty." Having these facts
III view, there is no shadow of ques-
ton that the Government of the United
States proposed treaty which was not
merely just, but generous to Colombia,
which our people regarded as errlng,
if at ALL on the side of overgenerosity
which was hailed with delight by the
people of the immediate locality
through which the canal was to pass,
who were most concerned as to the
new order of things, and which the
Colombian authorities now recognize
as being so good that they are willing
to promise it's unconditional ratifica-
ton if only we will desert those who
have shown themselves our friends and
restore to those who have shown them
selvs unfriendly the poNc to undo
what they did. pass by the question
as to what assurance we have that
they would now keep their pledge and
not again refuse to ratify the treaty if
they had the power; for, OF course, |
will not for one moment discuss the
possibility of the United States COM
hitting an act of such baseness as to
abandon the new Republic of Panama
Third. Finally the Congress definite
ly settled where the canal was to be
built. 1t was provided that a treaty |
should be made for building the canal !
across the Isthmus Of Panama; and II,
after reasonable time it proved impos-
sble to secure such treaty, that then
we should go to Nicaragua. The treaty
has been made; for it needs no argu-
ment to show that the intent of the
Congress was to insure canal across
Panama, and that whether the republic
granting the title was called New
Granada, Colombia, or Panama mat
tered not one whit. AS events turned