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Show How if Was. Speaking of the possible shipment of arms to the Cuban rebels, the Argonaut says: "Did not our government wink at the revolution revolu-tion which tore Panama by a Caesarian operation from the flanks of the republic of Colombia? That was a revolution against a republic and not against a monarchy. But that, we are told, is a very different matter. But why?" And that is not an article in good faith in an American newspaper. It is not fair, it is not truthful. It gives a wrong impression of the real facts, and it seeks to discredit our government without cause. Some years ago, to make a federation of states in some respects like our own republic, the state -of Panama was induced to join New Grenada and other South American states to mako up the republic re-public of Colombia. But Panama was cautious and only consented to join that union on the stipulation that if she did not like the union she would be permitted to withdraw. Well, our government gov-ernment wanted a right of way across the Isthmus of Panama through which to build a canal. Tho representatives of Colombia met our representatives representa-tives and negotiated a treaty giving the United States that right of way on payment of a mighty sum, if we remember correctly, some $10,000,000. The Senate of the United States ratified the pur-chase. pur-chase. Then tho proposition was sent to the par- 'H liament of Colombia. In the meantime our gov-eminent gov-eminent had bargained with France' for all the 'H rights and property of the old French company jH on the Isthmus. JH But the greasers in that Colombian senate re-. re-. fused to act. Week after week passed. Their thought was that the United States was so anx- jH ious for that strip that more money could be ex-acted, ex-acted, though $10,000,000 was more than all Co- 'H lombia was worth. The Colombian legislature finally adjourned with nothing done. The thought of the members of that robber band was to hold up the United States for a much larges sum. Then Panama under the old stipu-lation' stipu-lation' declared she was an independent state and drew out. Our country' at once jH recognized her claim. A few days later France and Great Britain did the same. Panama accepted jfl the money which Colombia had virtually declined. A new treaty was made with Panama and Co-lombia Co-lombia was out In the cold. And the whole world flfl said it was all right, all the world except Colom-bia Colom-bia and a few Democratic politicians in the United 'H States. And it goes into history as all right and it will always be so held. -H |