Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1902 — ASKED TO LEAVE. [ARTICLE]

ASKED TO LEAVE.

Colombia Wants Americans to Qnit Isthmus and Repeal Treaty. It would seem that the very thing that was expected to settle that the Interoceanic canal would be built on ths Panama route will have just the opposite effect. When Attorney General Knox filed bis report with the President, in which he stated that the title of the French company is valid and that if the United States purchased it tills country would secure a clear and indisputable right to the concessions granted to ths t rcncli company by the Colombian government, the first conclusion to he drawn was that the matter of the canal routs was settled and that the big waterway would be constructed across the isthmus of Panama. But the very certaiuty of the situation drove the Colombian government to insist on impossible conditions which had already been presented ns ths price that republic would exact for its consent to the huilding'of the canal lor which Colombia had already granted concessions to a private company. The treaty of 1840 gave to the United States the right to land troops to preserve the peace in the isthmus of Pauama for the purpose of keeping it free for ths transit of commerce. This right lias become a duty with the United States, and ail the nations of Europe look to this country to preserve peace in the isthmus. So important has this become that in the recent troubles Admiral Casey issued an order against the transportation of Colombian troops on the Panama railroad lest it should bring about an attack by the insurgents and block the transit of the isthmus. The Colombian government protested against Admiral Casey’s order as subverting Colombian sovereignty in Panama. As a matter of courtesy to Colombia the order was somewhat modified, but the right to issue such an order was maintained. There is no doubt that the treaty of 1846 practically makes the United States the sovereign in the isthmus. Colombia now recognizes that fact and wants the treaty abrogated. This she demands ns the quid pro quo for her consent to the transfer of the French concessions to this country. But if the canal should be built on the Panama route there would be nil the more reason for the United States keeping the rights it has in the isthmus if not for assuming nomiual as well as actually sovereignty. The negotiations were at the breaking point when Minister Concha handed in his resignation. It remains to be seen whether this will mend matters any. At this juncture it looks ns if the government might wash its hands out of the Panama canal nnd commence work on the Nicaragua route, along which it can secure concessions which would amount to nominal nnd actual sovereignty.