Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-23
At Last a Great Nation Pays
It's Debt of Honor

It's Debt of Honor
-HE senate's ratification of the treaty
! giving belated justice to Colombia is
fortunate and gratifying in spite of
the wizenly inconsistent course by which
| Republican leaders have come to this goal
Of long manifest duty. Among the nine and
sixty Senators-eleven more than the reQui-
| site two-thirds majority-supporting the
measure of honorable compensation were
Messrs. Lodge, McCumber, Brandegee and
others who vehemently opposed it when 1t
was submitted a few years ago through
Democratic foreign relations committee A
policy which they then denounced as weak
am, contemplate they now laud as very
helpful in promoting friendly relationships"
For the countrys good let us hope that our
Republican converts may continue to recov-
er from the sad myopia which they develop
ed during Mr.. Wilson'S second term, and
may come to see other vital issues Of the
time in true proportion.
Future students will wonder that 80 great
nation as the United States OF America
ever hesitated to pay a just debt to a help
less neighbor. This richest of earth's coun-
tries and most powerful, with her more than
three million square miles of territory and
more than one hundred and five million In
habitants, why should she ever have been
placed in the ungenerous attitude of refus-
ing a square deal to little Colombia? 1t was
not the attitude of the American rank and
file any more than it was the tradition or
the republic whose boast it has been that
even defeated enemies fair justly at her
hands. Colo a would have been given her
due seventeen years ago and all the interim
Of ranking and ill will averted, If political
pride and partsanship had not turned blind
ly obstinate. What is the record in the case?
The long and perilous voyage of the bat
tIeship Oregon around Cape Horn at the out
break of the war with Spain renewed and
focused American interest for the construc-
ton of an isthmian canal; and by June,
1902, after divers complications and delays,
CONGRESS had empowered the President o
select the route and build. There were but
two practicable routes-one through Nicara-
qua, the other through what was then the
Colombian province of Panama. The latter
having been chosen, negotiations were begun
for the needful concessions. Some decades
earlier q French syndicate had secured
franchise for canal operations in this very
place, but having met with ill success, 1t
agreed to transfer it's rights to the United
States for a sum finally fixed at forty mill
lion dollars-sixty million less than the orig
inal demand. Washington was ready to strike
the bargain, but first it was necessary to
obtain the consent Of Colombia; and the
authorities in that country, knowing that the
French franchise was to expire in 1904,
whereupon all rights would revert to them,
were in no aaste to trade This isthmfan
right of way, they readily perceived, was
their nations most valuable asset Thus ne
gotiations dragged on. At last however, the
Colombian Government authorized its Min
lister at Washington to sign treaty giving
the United States the canal concession for
fen million dollars cash and an annually OF
| two hundred and fifty thousand, but reserV-
ing Colombian sovereignty over the zone. IN
January, 1908, this treaty was signed al
Washington, and two months later was rat1-
1 10 hnin no l..
ed as triumph of the Administration
diplomacy. But there was one thins yet need
Naturalization by the Colombian Con-
gress And that body most disconcertlngly
rejected the treaty, and adjourned
Now comes the crux. There are conflict
| ing versions and opposed interpretations OF
what occurred in the ensuing autumn. But we
lassured1y shall get fair statement OF the
facts if we turn to so impartial, informed
and altogether dependable an authority as
DR.. Frederic L. Paxson, professor OF history
at the University of Wisconsin. Says ne IN
his notable volume "The New Nation: by
the autumn of 1903 Roosevelt had deter
mined unon the route at Panama, the French
company had become eager to sell, and the
| Colombans living on the Isthmus were anx-
| ious to have the negotiations ended ana the
| digging begin. In october the President wrote
| to an intimate friend hoping that there
might be a revolt of the Isthmus against Co.
lombia. though disclaiming any intent to
nrovoke one, The friend made the wish pub
lie over his name but before it appeared IN
print the revolt had taken place. 1t was
known in advance to the State Department
| lat Washington) which telegraphed on No
vember 8 1903, asking when it was to ne
precipitated. 1t took place later on this day.
the independence of the republic OF Panama
was proclaimed the United States prevented
Colombia from depressing it by force, recog-
Lied the new republic by cable. and on NO.
vember IS signed at Washington treaty
with Panama granting the canal concession.
'sI took Panama." boasted President Roose-
welt some years later, when critics de-
nounced his policy as robbery of weak
neighbor."