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

have gone to Nicaragua thereby De-
came impossible of fulfillment. If 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 it be-
came incumbent upon me to consider
we'll what the situation was and to be
ready to advise the Congress- as te
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, yes
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 and without any
steps taken by Panama, the American
Congress on assembling early in NO
vember would be confronted with a
situation in which there had been a
failure to come to terms as to building
the canal along the Panama route, and
yet there had not been lapse OF a
reasonable time-using the word rea~
sonable in any proper sense such as
would justify the Administration going
to the Nicarauga route. This situation
seemed on the whole the most likely
and as a matter of fact l had mada
the original draft of my Message to
the Congress with a view to it's ex-
istence.
In view of all these facts directed
the Navy Department to issue lnstruc-
tions such as would insure our hay
ing ships within easy reach OF 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 Dlxle 10
prepare to sail from League lslands
and to the Atlanta to proceed TO
Guantanamo. On October 30 the
Nashville was ordered to proceed to
Colon. On November 2 when, the
Colombian Congress having adjourn
ed, it was evident that the outbreak
was imminent, and when it was an
nounced that both sides were making
ready forces whose meeting would
mean bloodshed and disorder, the Co
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, confidently
maintain that the recognition of the
Republic of Panama was an act justl-
fed by the interests of collective civil
ization. If ever government could be
said to have received mandate from
civilization to effect an object the &C
complishment of which was demanded
in the interest of mankind, the United
States holds that position with respect
to the intCroceanic canal. Since our
purpose to build the canal was definite
ly announced, there have come from
all quarters assurances Of approval and
encOura cement, in which even Colon
bia herself at one time participated.
and to general assurances were added
specific acts and declarations. In or
der that no obstacle might stand in
our way, Great Britain renowned i'm
portant rights under the Clayton-Bui-
wer treaty, and agreed to it's abroga-
ton, receiving in return nothing but
our honorable pledge to build the Ca
nal and protect it as an open highway
1t was in view Of this pledge, and OF
the proposed enactment by the Con-
gress of the United States OF leglsla-
ton to give it immediate effect, that
the second Pan-American Congress, at
the City of Mexico, on January 22.
1902, adopted the following resolution:
1.-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