Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1904-01-04
THE EVENING Journal. MONDA JANUARY 4, 1894

FORFEITURE repugnant TO the ideas OF JUS
tice which obtain IL every civilized ma
ton the property and rights of the
New Panama Canal company could be
confscatod.
Sush 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 10 be
RELOCATED to the indefinite future, while
Colombia was. by reason Of her own
delay, 10 be placed In the "nsore advan-
tageous" position Of claiming not mere
~ the compensation to be paid by the
United States for the privilege Of com
pleting the canal. but also the forty mil
lions authorized by the act OF 1902 to
be paid for the property of the New
Panama Canal company. That the at
tempt to carry out this scheme would
have brought Colombia into conflict
with the government Of France cannot
be doubted. nor could the United States
have counted upon immunity 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 Colombia this government
would have been summoned to inter
pose, in order to give effect to the guar.
antees of the treaty OF 1916. and all
this in support of a plan which. while
characterized in its first stage by the
wanton disregard Of our own highest
interests. was ftly to end In further in.
jury to the citizens OF a friendly ma
ton, whose enormous losses in their
generous efforts to pierce the istbmus
have become a matter Of history.
Recognition Justified.
In the third place. confidently main
tain that the recognition of the repub
lie Of Panama was an act justified by
the interests Of collective civilization
If ever government could be said to
have received a mandate from civiliza-
ton to effect an object the accomplish.
ment OF which was demanded in the in.
terest Of mankind the United States
holds that position with regard to the
interoceanic canal. Since our purpose
to build the canal was definitely an
bounced there have come from all quar-
.ers assurances Of approval and en-.
couragement. in which even Colombia
herself at one time participated, and 70
general assurances were added specific
acts and declarations. In order that no
obstacle might stand in our way Great
Britain renowned important rights un.
der the Clayton Bulwer treaty and
agreed to its abrogation. receiving in re
turn nothing but our honorable pledge
to build the canal and protect Il as an
open highway. 1t was in view Of this
pledge and Of the proposed enactment
/ by the congress Of the United States Of
| legislation TO give ii immediate effect
that the second pan-American confer
ence, at the City of Mexico on Jan. %,
1902, adopted the following resolution:
The republics assembled at the interna-
tional conference Of Mexico applaud the
/ purpose OF the United States government
/ to construct an interoceanic canal and
acknowledge that this work will not only
be worthy Of the greatness OF the Ameri-
can people, but also in the highest sense
a work Of civilization and 10 the greatest
/ degree beneficial TO the development OF
commerce between the American states
and the other countries Of the world.
Among those who signed this reso
luton on behalf of their respective
governments was General Reyes, the
delegate Of Colombia. Little could il
have been foreseen that two years later
the Colombian government. led astray
by false allurements Of selfish advan
tage and forgetful alike Of its interna
tional obligations and of the duties anC
responsibilities Of sovereignty. would
thwart the efforts OF the United State:
to enter upon and complete a worl
which the nations of America, reech3
ing the sentiment Of the nations of Eu
rope, had pronounced to be not only
worthy of the greatness Of the Amer
lean people," but also Sin the highest
sense a work Of civilization"
Powers Follow Our Lead.
That our position as the mandatory OF
civilization has been by no means mis-
conceived is shown by the promptituds
with which the powers have, one after
another. followed our lead in recogniz
ing Panama as an independent state
Our action in recognizing the new re