The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-04
CANAL MESSAGE.
Continued from Page Two.)

CONTINUED from rage IWO.l
similar instructions to protect the tran
sit. One of these revolutions resulted
IN three years OF warfare; and the ag-
greEate of bIoodShed and misery cauS-
ed by them has been inca1culable- The
fact that in this last revolution not a
life was lost, save that of the man
killed by the shells of the COlomb lan
gunboat, and no property destroyed,
was due to the action which l have
described. We, in effect, policed the IS
thmuS in the interest OF its inhabitants
and of our own national needs, and for
the good of the entire civilized world
Failure to act as the administration
acted would have meant great waste
of life great suffering, great deStruc-
ton of property; all of which was
avoided by the frmness and prudence
with which Commander Hubbard car
ried out his orders and prevented eth
er party from attacking the other our
action was for the peace both OF COL
ombia and of Panama. 1t is earnestly
to be hoped that there will be no I'M
wise cor7pct on our part which may
eucouraae Colombia to embark on
war which can not result in her re-
gaining control Of the lstnInus, put
which may cause much bloOdshed ana
hesitate to refer to the injurious in
Situations which have been mace OF
completely by this government IN the
revolutionary movement III eA4Ac1AAe-'
They are as destitute of foundation as
of proprfety The only excuse for my
mentioning them is the fear lest I'M
thinking persons might mistake for ac-
Quiescence the silence OF mere sel1-re-
spect I think proper to say, there
fore that no one connected with this
Government had any part in preparing,
netting or encouraging the late reFo-
luton on the Isthmus of Panama, ana
that save from the reports OF our raln-
taFy and naval officers, given ABOVE,
no one connected with this government
had any previous knowledge of the
revolution except such as was acceSSI-
BILE to any person of ordinary lnteli-
gence who read the newspapers ana
kept I'D a current acquaintance with
public affairs.
By the unanimous action of its Deo-
ole without the firing of shot-wlth
q unanimity hardly before recorded IN
any similar case-the people of Panama
declared themselves an Independent
Republic. Their recognition by TINS
government was based upon state OF
facts i'll no way dependent for its JUS
fihcation upon our action in ordinary
cases. have not denied, nor do 1 wish
to deny. either the validity or the pro-
priety Of the general rule that a new
state should not be recognized as indie
pendent till 1t has shown its ability to
maintain its independence. This rule
is derived from the principle OF non
Intervention. and as a corollary of that
Nrinciple has generally been observed
by the United States. But, like the
principle from which it is deduced. the
rule is subject to exceptions: and there
are in my opinion clear and imperative
reasons why a departure from it was
justified and even required in the pres
ent instance. These reasons embrace.
first, our treaty rights: second. our ma
tional interests and safety: and, third.
the interests Of collective civilization
Treaty of 1916
I have already adverted to the treaty
of 1886 by the thirty-ffth article Of
which the United States secured the
rights to a free and open transit across
the isthmus of Panama. and to that
end agreed to guarantee to New Ora
NADIA her rights of sovereignty and
property over that territory. This ar
ticle is sometimes discussed as If the
latter guarantee constituted its sole OBJ
ject and bound the United States to
protect the sovereignty of New Granada
against domestic revolution. Nothing,
however, could be more erroneous than
this SupDOsition That our wise and
patriotic ancestors, with all their dread
of changing alliances, would have
entered into 8 treaty with New Granada
solely or even primarily for the purpose
of enabling that remnant of the orig
inai republic of Colombia. then resolved
into the states of New Granada. Vene-
zuela and Ecuador. to continue from
Bogota to rule over the isthmus of
Panama. is a conception that would in
itself be incredible. even if the con-
trary did not clearly appear. 1t is true
that since the treaty was made the
United States has again and again been
obliged forcibly to intervene for the
preservation of order and the nainte-
ma ace Of an open transit, and that this
intervention has usually operated to
the advantage of the tftular govern
ment OF Colombia. but it is equally true
that the United States in intervening,
with or without ColOmbia'S consent for
the protection of the transit. has dis
claimed any duty to defend the Colom-
bian government against domestic in
surrection or against the erection of an
Independent government on the 18TH
mus of Panama. The attacks against
which the United States engaged to
protect New Granadian sovereignty
were those of foreign powers: but this
engagement was only a means to the
accomplishment of YET more imports
ant end. The great design of the article
was to assure the dedication of the
isthmus to the purposes of free and I'M
Distracted interoceanic transit the
contamination Of which would be found
IN an interoceanic canal To the ac-
comDlishment of this object the gov
eminent of the United States had for
years directed its diplomacy 1t occu-
pied place in the instructions to our
delegates to the Panama congress dur
ing the administration of John Quincy
Adams. 1t formed the subject of a
resolution of the senate in 1885, and of
the house of representa- tiVes in 1899 In
1S46 its Importance had become still
more aDDarent by reason of the Next
can war. If the treaty of 1916 did not
in terms bind New Granada to grant
reasonable concessions for the construc-
ton of means of interoceanic communi-
cation. 1t was only because it was not