Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-04
PANAMA IS
DISCUSSED
Continued from First Page.

essential feature of all our plans. and
its necessity is fully recognized in the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty. The congress,
in providing that such control should
he secured, adopted no new principle,
but only incorporated in its legislation
condition the importance and pro-
priety OF which were universally recog-
nized. During all the years of nego-
tiatiOn and discussion that preceded
the conclusion OF the Hay-Herran
treaty. Colombia never minated that
the requirement by the United States
OF control over the canal strip would
render unattainable the construction of
canal by way of the IsthmUs Of
Panama: nor were we advised. during
the months when legislation of 1902
was pending before the Congress, that
the terms which it embodied would
render negotiations with Colombia i'm
practicable. 1t is plain that no nation
could construct and guarantee the neu-
trality Of the canal with Il less degree
or control thar was stipulated for in
the Hay-HeTran treaty. y refusal TO
grant such degree OF control was
necessarily n refusal to make any prac-
ticable treaty at all. Such refusal
therefore squarely raised the question
whether Colombia WAS entitled TO bar
the trans il of the worlds traffic across
the iSthmuS.
Demand for the Canal.
That the canal itself was eagerly de-
manded 10y the people Of the locality
through which il was To pass aud that
the people of this locality no less
eagerly lOnged for its construction I'M
der American control. are shown by
the ununimity Of action i'm the new
Panama republic. Furthermore Col
ombia. after having rejected the treaty
in spite of OIi' protests and warnings
when il was in her power to accept it,
has since shown the utmost cagprness
TO accept the same treaty if only the
status quo could he restored. One Of
the men standing highest in the official
circles of Colombia. on Nov. g. adj
dressed the American minister 1T 30
gotta. 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 au-
ah'AlNN4 WIN Bilil' 'l'fi - 'lt~-
turbed. (wouldD approve by decree the
ratification of The canal treaty as
signed. or II the government of the
United States prefers would, call OK
ira session of the cOn@Tess-v.ith new
and friendly mcmbcrS-neXt May to
approve the treaty" Having these
facts in view. there is no shadow OF
que stidn that the governments Of the
United States proposed Il treaty which
WIS not merely just. but generous to
Colombia, which our people regarded
as crrlng. if at all. OIL the side of over
generosity; which was hailed with de-
light 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 reCog-
niZe as being 50 good that thcyarP will
ing to promise its unconditional rcti-
fication if only we will desert those
who have shown themselves our
friends and restore to those who have
shown themselves unfrcndly the power
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 committing an act of such
haseness as to abandon the new rcpub-
lie of Panama.
Congress Settled the Route.
Third. Finally the congress defin-
itely settled where the canal was to
he built. 1t was provided that treaty
should be made for building the canal
across the Isthmus OF Panama: ana
if. after reasonable time. il proved i'm
possible to secure such treaty: that
then we should go to Nicara qua. The
treaty. has been made; for il needs no
argument to show that the intent of
congress was to insure a canal across
Panama. and that whether the repub-
lie granting the title WAS called New