The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-08
A Few Words About q Colonel.

Few Words About . Colonel.
We do not like to witness such spec
tacle a. Is now afforded by the editor
OF the Courier-Journal Of Louisville, q
gentleman who has always had claims to
our interest. and sometimes to our SYM
pathetic admiration. His present per-
Torrance affects VI profoundly and pain
fully. It il as II we saw an old family
friend taking to drink near the end OF
long and generally creditable career and
exhibiting himself publicly and profess
slonally In an unfortunate condition.
About two weeks ago Col. WATTERsoN
printed certain statements Of fact, or al
legged fact, In tho columns of his news
paper. The tone OF his utterances was
jocose. almost devil-may-care, but the
charges for which he made himself re-
sponsible wore Of the gravest character.
Col. WATTERsoN declared, as il on per-
sonal knowledge, that the $4oO0o,OOo
voted In q certain event by Congress to
tho New Panama Canal Company, ostensi-
bly, In payment for their property and
rights on tho Isthmus. was to be divided
to Tho Last dollar among thieves. Thieves
was tho word used by Col. WATTERsoN.
He specified two sets Of thieves--Frenoh
thieves in Paris, who were to get $20,-
100000 practically for nothing. while
the other $2O,OO0,0O0 went to Ameri-
can thieves, including newspaper CORE
spondents who had helped to manu.
faotlre opinion In favor Of Panama;
engineering experts who came out OPP
portunely for Panama rather than for
Nicaragua, and Senators Of the United
States who voted for the Spooner
amendment.
No moro stupendous accusation Of
criminaity was ever brought by any
American in his senses. However lightly
tho charge may have been advanced by
Col. WArrlBsoN In tho hrst place, tho
mere fact OF It's publication and the i'm
mediate public appreciation Of its magni-
tude ought to have exercised SOLDERING
effect upon the accuser as soon as he per-
ceived his position. That position is no
fit subject for humorous treatment by
him ar by anybody else. His RESPONSE
bility II an extremely serious matter. It
cannot DO avoided by swagger or dis
posed Of by journalistic buffoonery. In
order to preserve the esteem Of his
friends and fellow citizens, Col. WAITER
son must either prove his charges or
confess himself mistaken and withdraw
the same. II he is unable to do the one
thing and persists in refusing to do the
other he will suffer in public estimation
to an extent which it would be unpleasant
for us to describe.
What course Is Col. WATTERsoN taking
in the presence Of this alternative which
concerns so directly his personal stand
ing and professional honor?
Immediately after his first publication
we undertook to correct his amazing
theory Of the geneSis Of the SAC. ooO, 900.
We called his attention to the circum-
stance that the steal Of $40, 900, 900 was
not arranged, as he alleged, by the sim
pie process Of adding $2O,OOO,O00 for
French thieves to $40, 900 900 for thieves
on this side of the water, but that the
figures in question represented the exact
valuation put upon the property and
franchises OF the New Panama Canal
Company of Paris, after an expert con-
siderstion of all the items in detail, by
our own Isthmian Canal Commission,
consisting Of Admiral j. G. WALKER,
SAMUEL PAsco, ALFRED NOBLE, GEoRGE
s. MORRISON PETER G. HAMS. WILLIAM
H. BURR, o. H. ERNST, LEWIS M. HAUPr
and EMORY r. JOHNSON, an official body
Of men Of professional eminence and
personal good repute.
Soon afterward, Mr.. PHILIPPE BUNAU-
VANILLA, formerly the chief engineer Of
the Panama Canal and one Of the most
influential agents in inducing the French
shareholders to reduce their asking price
to the precise figure at which our
own Isthmian Commission had valued
the property, called Col. WArTERsoN's
attention to another important fact. In
a letter to The SUN, Mr.. VARILLA pointed
out the somewhat pertinent legal cir
cumstance that, after the $40 900 900 has
been paid by this Government. not one
dollar OF the amount can be disposed OF,
or allotted to any "thief," French or
American, without decree Of the courts
of France, the property paid for belong
ing to a company In bankruptcy and
being managed by receiver under the
supervision OF the courts. OF course. this
circumstance will make the French judi
CARY party to any larcenous division
OF the 80, 100000.
Many other newspapers have followed
The SUN in advising Col. WATTBRsoN
either to produce his proof, or supposed
proof, or to withdraw charge which
unsupported is SO damaging TO himself
We sincerely regret to say that he Ia
doing the foolish rather than the wise
Thing. Instead Of producing proof. he II
resorting to the form Of argument Illus
trated by the subjoined passages from
editorial articles in the Courier Journal
OF Tuesday last: