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The Commoner.
14
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 47,
Urn
namo which for tho moment the ter
ritory bore on the map."
VTI10 purpose of tho law," he said,
"was - to authorize tho president to
make a treaty with the power in act
ual control of the isthmus of Panama.
This purpose has boon fulfilled."
The president then made a review of
tho relations of the United States, gov
ernment with isthmian affairs. Ho
described the treaty of 184G made, with
Now Granada, the predecessor upon
tho isthmus of tho republic of Co
lombia, and said that "a new republic,
that of Panama, which was at one
.time a sovereign state and at another
time a more department of a success
ful confederation as Now Granada and
Colombia, has now succeeded to the
rights which first ono and then- the
other formally exercised over the isth
mus." He said that as long as the isthmus
endures, "the mere geographical fact
of its oxistenco and tho peculiar in
terest therein which is required, by
our position perpetuate the sofemn
contract which binds the holders of
the territory to respect our right to
freedom of transit across it and binds
us in, return to safeguard to the iBth
mus and tho world the exercise of that
inestimable privilege!"
The president said that he finds
vhat ho regards as tho true interpre
tation of the obligations upon which
the United States entered in the treaty
of 1846 in tho utterances of many
presidents and secretaries of state. He
quoted from Secretary Cass in 1858,
wherein Mr. Cass said that "sover
eignty has its duty as well as its
right and none of these locai govern
ments, even if administered with more
regard to the just demands of other
nations than they have been, would
be permitted in the spirit of eastern
isolation to close the gates of inter
course on the great highways of the
world and justify th.e act by tho pre
tension that these avenues of trade
and travel belong to them and that
they choose to shut them or, what is
almost equivalent, to encumber them
with such unjust relations as would
prevent their general use."
He quoted from Mr. Soward, who, in
18G5, said that the United States would
take no interest in any question of
internal revolution, in the state of Pa
nama or any state of the United States
of Colombia, but would "maintain a
perfect neutrality in connection with
such domestic altercations." Mr
Seward added that the United States
would hold themselves ready to pro
tect tho transit across the isthmus
"against invasion of either domestic
or foreign disturbers of the peace of
tho state of Panama." Mr. Seward
also said that .neither the text nor
the spirit of the treaty of 184G im
posed obligation on this government
to comply with requisitions made by
the president of the United States of
Colombia calling for forces to protect
the isthmus of Panama from a body of
insurgents ot that country. Mr. Sew
ard said "the purpose of tho stipula
tion was to guarantee the isthmus
against seizure or invasion by the
foreign powers only."
The president quoted from Attor
ney General Speed under date of No
vember 7, 18G5. Mr. Speed said that
from the treaty of 1846 "it could not
bte supposed that New Granada had In
vited tho United States to become a
party to tho intestine troubles of that
government nor would the United
States become bound to take sides in
the domestic broils of Now Granada."
Mr. Speed also said: "The United
States did guarantee New Granada
their sovereignty and property over
the territory. This was as against
other and foreign governments."
The president then pointed out that
for four hundred years tho canal
across tho isthmus has been planned
and that for two score years it has
been worked at. Ho said that the pro
posed treaty with Colombia was made
through tho urgent solicitation of the
people of Colombia and that tho gov
ernment, of Colombia not merely re
pudiated the treaty, but repudiated it
in such manner as to make it evident
by tho time tho Colombian 'congress
adjourned that not the scantiest hope
remained of ever getting a satisfac
tory treaty from them. The president
said the government of Colombia made
the treaty and yet when the Colombian
congress was called to ratify it, tho
vote against ratification was unani
mous, lie then pointed out that im
mediately after the adjournment of
the Colombian congress came tho Pa
nama revolution. He said tho people
of Panama had long been discontented
and that when it became evident that
the treaty was hopelessly lost "thoy
rose literally as one man." He said
that "not a shot was fired by a single
man on the isthmus in the ierests
of the Colombian government. Not a
life was lost in the accomplishment of
the revolution. Tho Colombian troops
stationed on the isthmus who had
long been unpaid, made common cause
with the people of Panama and with
astonisHing unanimity the recent re
public was started."
Then the president said the duty of
the United States in the premises
was clear and that this government
acted in strict accordance with the
principles laid down by Secretary Cass
and Seward in the official documents
quoted. The president said that the
United States "gave notice that it
would permit the landing of no ex
peditionary forces, the arrival of
which would mean chaos and destruc
tion along the line of the railroad, and
of the proposed canal, and an interrup
tion of transit as an inevitable conse
quence." He detailed the history re
lating to the recognition of the new
republic of Panama with which his
tory newspaper readers are quite fa
miliar. The president then presented
what he calls a partial 1st of the dis
turbances on the isthmus of Panama
since 1846. Beginning with May 22,
1850, and ending with June, 1902, the
president presented a list of fifty
three "outbreaks," "riots," "revolu
tionary plots," and "insurrections,"
and showed that on several occasions,
in 1856, in 1860, in 1861, in 1873, in
1885, and In 1901 and in 1902 it was
necessary .for the intervention of the
United States forces in order to pre
serve order. Tho president main
tained, therefore, that the "experience
of over half a century has shown Co
lombia to be utterly incapable of
keeping order on the isthmus," and
that "only the active interference of
the United States has enabled her to
preserve so much as a semblance of
sovereignty."
The president then referred to what
he calls "the most extraordinary re
quest" which he says has just been
received and which is to tho effect
that "an eminent Colombian" says
that if the government of tho United
States will lend troops to preserve
Colombian sovereignty, the Colombian
officers will approve the ratification of
the canal treaty as signed, or if tho
United States government prefers,
will call an extra session of tho con
gress with new and friendly members
next May to approve the treaty. Tho
president Said that this offer "is in
sharp contrast with the pre-emptory
and contemptuous refusal of the con
gress which has just closed its ses
sion to consider favorahlv sum, n
treaty; it shows that the government
which made the treaty really had ab
solute control over the situation, but
did not caro to exorcise this control.
The dispatch further calls on us to re
store order and secure Colombian su
premacy on the isthmus, from which
the Colombian government has just
by its action decided to bar us by pre
venting the construction of the canal.'?
The president laid great stress up
on tho importance of the construction
of the canal and says that a recital of
the facts establish beyond question,
first, that tho United States has for
over half a centurv verv nntiAntiv ri
J in good faith' parried out its obliga
tions under the treaty of 1846; second,
that when for the first time it became
possible for Colombia to do anything
in requital of the services thus re
peatedly rendered to it for fifty-seven
years by the United States, the Co
lombian governments pre-emptorily
and offensively refused to do its part
even though to' do so would havo been
to its advantage and immeasurably to
tho advantage qf the state of Panama
at that time under its. jurisdiction;
third, that throughout this period of
revolutions, riots, and factional dis
turbances of every kind have occurred
one after the other, in almost uninter
rupted succession, some of -them rag
ing for months and even for years,
while the central government was un
able to put them down or to make
peace with the rebels; fourth, that
these disturbances instead of showing
any sign of abating, have tended to
grow more numerous and more serious
in the immediate past; fifth, that the
control of Colombia over the isthmus
of Panama could not bo maintained
without the armed intervention and
the assistance of the United States.
"In other words," said tho presi
dent, "the government of Colombia
while wholly unable to maintain order
on tho isthmus, has nevertheless de
clined to ratify the treaty, the con
clusion of which offers it the only
chance to secure its stability, and to
guarantee permanent peace on and the
construction of a canal across tho
isthmus."
The president said that "under such
circumstances, the government of the
United States would have been guilty
of folly and weakness amounting in
their sum to a crime against tho na
tion had it acted otherwise than it did
when the revolution of November 3
last took place in Panama." The
president says that the course adopted
by the United States government was
necessary "for the sake of our own
honor and of the interests and well
boing not merely of our own people,
but to the people of the isthmus of
Panama and the peace of tho civilized
countries of the world." He there
fore submitted the proposed treaty
with the new republic of Panama and
described the terms of this treaty,
with, which terms newspaper readers
are already familiar.
He added: "At last the right to be
gin this great undertaking is made
available. Panama has done her part.
All that remains is for the American
congress to do its part, and forthwith
this republic will enter upon tho exe
cution of a project colossal in its size
and well-nigh incalculable possibili
ties for the good of this country and
the nations of mankind."
MR. BRYAN
INTERVIEWED. S
(From the New York World.)
Mr. Bryan sails for Europe with his
son William on the Majestic todav
He will visit England, France and
Germany. It is his first voyage acro33
the Atlantic. He will return in about
six weeks.
I saw Mr. Bryan at the Victoria ho
tel last night, and ho looked very
much as he did when he was tne god
of the hurrahing multitude a little
stouter, but still full of fire and fight
His farewell utterance through the
World before sailing marks out dis
tinctly the line which he and his sup-porte-s
intend to follow In the ap
proachlng presidential campaign.
When I called his attention to Mr.
Cleveland's statement in the World
regarding the recent elections Mr.
Bryan's eyes lit up.
"In, his manifesto in last Sunday's
World," he said, "Mr. Cleveland fol
lowed his usual custom and reflected
upon the intelligence, the integrity
and the sanity of those who sup
ported the democratic ticket in the
campaigns of 1896 and 1900. If the
recent election is a lone: sten 'in tho
direction of sane democracy,' then,
according to Mr. Cleveland's opinion,
the party must have been insane
when it dared to differ from him.
"He speaks of 'years of our wander
ing, and forgetfulness of party integ
rity.' Unless by the word 'our' he re
fers to himself and those who joined
him in opposing the domocratic party,
he must set himself up as a standard
and bring an indictment against the
six and a half million citizens who
voted the democratic ticket while he
joined with a hundred and thirty-two
thousand in supporting Palmer and
Buckner. He is, however, probably
the only one of the hundred and thirty-two
thousand who is enough of a
Pharisee to boast of his .superiority
and insult those who differ from him
by questioning their mental and moral
soundness.
"It is hard to decide whether such
Not Hungry
when you should be means disordered
nerves, which, will lead to nervous
prostration. Dr. Miles' Nervine is
guaranteed to benefit you or money
refunded. Book on nerves sent free.
Db. Milks Medical Co., Elkhart, Ind.
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