The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-05

treaty of 1876; and all this in support
of a plan which, while characterized
| in it's first stage by the wanton dis
regard of our own highest interests,
was fifty to end in further injury to
the citizens of a friendly nation,
whose enormous losses in their gem
erous efforts to pierce the isthmus
have become a matter of history.
BY Interests of Civilization.
In the third place. 1 confidently
| maintain that the recognition of the
| republic of Panama was an act justi-
| fed by the interests of collective civil
| lization. If ever a government could
| be said to have received a mandate
| from civilization to effect an object
! the accomplishment of which was de-
manded 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 definitely announced. there have
come from all quarters assurances of
| approval and encouragement in which
| even Colombia herself at one time par
| ticipated; and to general assurances
| were added specific acts and declara-
! t!onS. In order that no obstacle might
stand in our way. Great Britain re-
nounced important rights under the
! Clayton-Bulwer treaty and agreed to
its abrogattCn, receiving in return moth
| ing but our honorable pledge to build
| the canal and protect l. as an open
highway. 1t was in view of this pledge,
and of the proposed enactment by the
| Congress of the United States of leg
islation to give it immediate effect,
| that the second Pan-American confer
ence, at the City of Mexico, on Jan.
%, 1902, adopted the following resolu-
tion:
The republics assembled at the inter-
national conference of Mexico applaud
the purpose of the United States gov
| ernment to construct an interoceanic
| canal, and acknowledge that this work
| will not only be worthy of the great
ness of the American people, but also
| in the highest sense a work of civiliza-
| tion, and to the greatest degree bene-
fetal to the development of commerce
| between the American states, and the
other countries of the world.
Among those who signed this resolu-
ton on behalf of their respective gov
ernments was Gen. Reyes, the delegate
| of Colombia. Little could it have been
foreseen that two years later the Co
| lumbian government, led astray by
false allurenents of selfish advantage,
and for%etful alike of it's international
obligations and of the duties and re-
| sponsibilities of sovereignty, would
thwart the efforts of the United States
| to enter upon the complete a work
which the nations of America. reeche
ing the sentiment of the nations of
Europe, had pronounced to be not only
worthy of the greatness of the Ameri-
4 can people," but also Sin the high
est sense a work of civilization"
| That our position as the mandatory
of civilization has been by no means
! misconceiVed is shown by the prompti-
tude with which the powers have, one
| after another. followed our lead. in
recognizing Panama as an Independent
state. Our action in recognizing the
new republic has been followed by
like recognition on the part Of France,
Germany, Denmark. Russia, Sweden
and Norway, Nicaragua, Peru, China,
Cuba, Great Britain. Italy Costa
Rica, Japan, and Austria Hungary.
Attitude Surprises Him.
In view of the manifold considera-
tions of treaty right and obligation, of
national interest and safety, and of
collective civilization, by which our
| government was constrained to act, l
am at a loss to comprehend the atti-
tude of those who can discern in the
recognition of the Republic of Panama
only general approval of the princi-
pie of revolution" by which a given
government is overturned or one por-
ton of country separated from an
other. Only the amplest justification
can warrant a revolutionary move
ment of either kind. But there is no
fixed rule which can be applied to all
such movements. Each case must be
judged on it's own merits. There have
been many revolutionary movements,
many movements for the dismember-
ment of countries. which were evil.
! tried by any standard. But in my
| opinion no disinterested and fair-mind-
ed observer acquainted with the cir
| cumstances can fail to feel that Pana-
ma had the amplest justification for
separation from Colombia under the
conditions existing, and moreover, that
it's action was in the highest degree
beneficial to the interests of the entire
civilized world by securing the imme-
diate opportunity for the building of
the interoceanic canal. 1t would be
well for those who are pessimstic as
to our action in peacefully recognizing
| the Republic of Panama, while we law
fully protected the transit from inva-
sion and disturbance to recall what
has been done in Cuba, where we in
tervened even by force on general
grounds of national interest and duty
! When we interfered it was freely
prophesied that we intended to keep
| Cuba and administer it for our own
interests The result has demonstrat-
ed III S1ngularly conclusive fashion the
/ falsity of these prophecies. Cuba is
now an independent republic. We gov
| erned it in its own interests for a
few years, till it was able to stand
alone, and then started il upon it's ca
reer of f-government and independ-
ence, granting it all necessary aid. We
have received from Cuba grant of
two naval stations, so situated that
they in no possible way menace the
liberty OF the island, and yet serve
as important defenses for the Cuban
people, as well as for our own people,
against possible foreign attack The
! people of Cuba have been immeasura-
bly, benefited by our interference in
their behalf, and our own gain has
been great. So will it be with Pana-
ma. The people of the isthmus, and
as 1 firmly believe of the adjacent
parts of Central and South America,
will be greatly benefited by the build
ing of the canal and the guarantee of
peace and order along it's line; and
hand in hand with the benefit to them
| will go the benefit to us and to man
kind. BY our prompt and decisive ac-
! ton, not only have our interests and
| those of the world at large were likely
to be fruitful in loss to ourselves, and
in bloodshed and suffering to the peo-
pie of the isthmus.
Keep Transit Open.
Tns+aad of using our forces as we