The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-11
Canal-Dctails Related.

N"hut-DCtdlIS IhSldUSu.
~
Washington, Jan. "A convibu-
ton designed to cla5ify the eenfus-
ed situation which has ariser over
the question of III right 5f the
United States to prtify the Panama
Canal was submit 8ed today u former
Senator Foraker, of Ohio, Il rresi1
dent TAT, VIZ made it 4 pubI<
Throughout thesperiod during witch
the Hay-Pauncdf dfote treaty was ne.
gotiated and satifed by both the
United States aid Great Britain, sena-
tor Foraker advised with John Hay.
then Secretary of State, and made
many Of the suggestions which were
incorporated in the treaty preserving
| to this Government the right to take
such means as it deemed necessary to
protect the canal property and ship
ping without specifically authorizing
Notifications.
Senator Foraker's letter to Presi-
dent Taft, which is made public now,
| apparently because it undertakes to
dispose Of the question Of the right Of
| thil Government to construct fortifi-
cations as 1t may deem necessary for
the protection Of the canal property.
reviews the treaty made with Eng
| land and laws passed subsequent to
the ratification Of the existing Hay
| Pauncefote treaty. The letter tells
Of the ratification Of treaty, by the
Senate December 20, 1900, which was
rejected by the British Government
When that treaty was presented to
the Senate. 1t contained a provision
against the fortification Of the canal
and there was a great deal Of criti-
cism Of Secretary Hay because Of that
fact.
| Drifting into a general discussion
OF the whole subject, Mr.. Foraker
and Secretary Hay, it appears, agreed
that 1t would be idle to undertake to
secure the ratification of any treaty
that finally prohibited fortifcation by
the United States or involved this
Government in any obligation to con-
suit any other Government as to the
protection Of it's own property. Sena-
tor Foraker suggested several changes
from the Convention, which had been
rai fn6 hxy
them new matter and some transpo-
sitions that would soften the effect.
They include the following: THE
canal shall never be blockaded, nor
shall any right Of war be exercised
nor any act Of hostility be committed
within it. The United States, however,
shall be at liberty to maintain such
military police along the canal as
may be necessary to protect it against
lawlessness and disorder"
| Senator Foraker said that he mark
ed these changes in a copy Of the first
Hay-Pauncefote treaty, which was
handed to him by Mr.. Hay. who took
1t away With him and in the tall Of
the same year, on August %, 1901,
wrote to the Senator In confidence
that he hoped to conclude a new
treaty with England in line with "all
the suggestions which you kindly
made to me-" That treaty was ne
gotiated and sent to the Senate in De-
cember, 1901, and was ratified. with
out amendment, and in due time was
ratified by England and became q
binding agreement. In his letter to
the President Senator Foraker shows
that he had no doubt that the United
States was reserving the right to for
tify the canal.
From the treaty provision for the
establishment Of the military force on
the canal Mr.. Foraker says it would
follow, as a matter of course, that
such military force would have a
right to do whatever was necessary
in the way OF intrenching itself, "or,
in, in palmer words, fortifying itself
against attack
He adds that the idea was that, as
the canal was constructed at a cost
Of hundreds Of millions Of dollars, mo
one would ever question our right to
DO whatever might be necessary, in
our judgment. to uphold our authority
and protect our property and com
mercial rights"
Quoting from the Spooner law,
providing for the fortihcation of the
treaty, Senator Foraker shows it to
have been set forth clearly that it
was the intention Of the United States
to protect the canals and harbors.
The Panama treaty uses the words:
! THE United States shall have the