The Red Cloud chief., 1904-01-08

international relations, I do not hesi-I
tate to affirm that there Is nothing OF
greater or more pressing Importance
than the construction OF an inter-
oceanic canal. Long acknowledged to
be essential to our commercial He-
velopment, II has become. as the rctult
OF the recent extension Of our terri
torial dominion, more than ever essen
tial to our national sclf-defense.
In transmitting to the senate the
treaty OF 1916, President Polk pointed
out as the principal reason for its rati-.
fication that the passage of the ista-.
mus, which II was designed to secure,
would relieve us from a long and
dangerous navigation Of more han o.
900 miles around Cape Horn, and rem
der our communication with our own
possessions OF the northwest coast OF
America comparatively easy and
speedy" The events OF the past five
years have given to this consideration
an Importance UNNECESSARILY greater
thar 1t possessed In 1916. In the light
OF our present situation. the estab-
lisnment OF easy and speedy communi-
cation by sea between the Atlantic and
the Pacific presents itself not simply
as something to be desired, but as all
object to be positively ana promptly
attained. Reasons OF convenience have
been superseded by reasons OF vital
lAf'tsNlNNs W w " $3.50
finite delays.
A Mandate from Civilization.
In the third place, l confidently
maintain that the recognition OF the
Republic of Panama vas an act justi-
fled by the interests OF collective civil
ization. If ever a government could DO
said to have received a mandat 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 regard
to the interoceanic canal. Since our
purpose to build the canal was def
initciy announced. there have cone
from all quarters assurances of APP
prevail and encouragement, in which
even Colombia herself at one time
participated; and to general assur-
ances were added specific acts and
declarations. In order that no OBJ
might stand In our way. Great
Britain r~enounced important rights
under the Clayton-Bulwer treaty and
agreed to its abrosation. receiving In
return nothing but our honorable
pledge TO build the canal n protect
1t as an open highway.
Treaty SHOULD Be Ratified.
Instead OF using our forces. as wa
were invited by Colombia to do. for
the twofold purpose OF defeating u
own rights and interests n the in
terests of the civilized world. and OF
compelling the submission OF the peo-
pie of the sthmus to those whom they
regarded as oppressors. we shall. as In
duty bound, keep the transit open and
prevent it's invasion. Meanwhile, the
only question now before us Is that
OF the ratification OF the treaty. For
IL Is to be remembered that a failure
to ratify the treaty will not undo what
been done. will not restore Pan
anna to Colombia. and Will not alter
our obligation to keep the transit
open across the isthmus. II to pre-
vent any outside power from menace
this transit. 4
II seems to have been ssumed in -
certain quarters that the proposition
the obligations OF article 35 of
the treaty OF 1916 are to be considered
az adhering to and following the ov-
eighty of the isthmus. SO long ~
sovereignty is not absorbed by h
States, rests upon some novel
No assumption could be
from the fact. 1t Is by no
means true that n state I'm declaring
it's independence rids itself OF all the
treaty obligations entered into by the
parent government. 1t In "a mere CO.
Incidence that this question was once
i'm a case involving the obliga-
lions Of Colombia as an independent
state under a treaty which Spain had
with the United States many
years before the Standardization
Independence.
Principle Asserted by Adams.
In that case Mr.. John Quincy Adams.
Secretary OF State. In an instruction
to Mr.. Anderson. our minister to CO.
Combia. of May 81. 1929, said:
by n treaty between the United
and Spain concluded at the time
when Colombia was a part OF the
Spanish dominions . the principle
free ships make free goods was
expressly recognized n established.
1t Is asserted that by her declaration
of independence Colombia has been
entirely released from all the obliga-
by which. as n part of the Span
ish ration. she was bound to other
This principle IL not ten
able. To all the engagements OF Spain y
with other nations. affecting their
rights and interests. Colombia. so far
qs she was affected by them. remains
bound In and In Justice. The
now referred to IL Of that
character"
Was Fully Sustained.
The principle thus asserted by Mr..
Adams was afterwards sustained by
an international commission in res
pect to the precise stipulation to which
he referred: and a similar position
tdNtu ny III CIiittu DthieS Win
to the binding obligation upon
he independent state of Texas Of
commercial stipulations embodied in
prior treaties between the United
and Mexico when Texas formed
n part OF the latter country. But Ing
he present case it Is unnecessary to
so so far.
Even If 1t be admitted that prior
treaties of a political and commercial
complexion generally do not bind n
new state formed by separation, II IN
that stipulations having n
.ocal application to the territory en-
braced in the new state continue In
force and are binding upon the new
sovereign. Thus II IL on all hands
conceded that treaties relating to
boundaries and to rights of navigation
in force without regard TO
changes I'm government or In sover-
eighty. This principle obviously ap-
plies to that part nj the treaty of 1876
which relates to the ISthmuS OF pam