Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-11-24
The Panama Incide mt.


changes have come to the Un tied
States. In m any respects it has
grown more in that time than
century before. This growth is
not only in wealth, but also in
ideals, in principles, politics, pol
icies and courage. Ten years
ago we were more local and
colonial than at present, conse-
quent upon our youth and lack of
experience and courage, and
somewhat owing to Our financial
dependence upon Europe to
which we were largely in debt,
and realizing that Europe could
largely depress the financial and
business operations of the Uni
ted States by throwing Ameri-
can securities upon the market,
and another cause might be said
of our territorial isolation which
separated our immediate and
our direct interests from the
larger concerns of the earth.
This has all beeA changed in the
last few years.
Our successful war with Spain
and the aquisition of the Philip
pines and our industrial expan-
sion which enabled us to pay our
debts to Europe and establish our
commercial supremacy among
the nations of the world are the
most important causes. These
changes have been too rapid for
many of our people to realize the
great results aud importance and
grand possibilities and destinies
/ which await the American peo-
pie. Some of our people yet re-
main thinking of provincial and
local surroundings and compare
everything by the standards Of
ten years ago.
The many changes require the
adoption of other policies and
; different methods of enforcing
them. The differences may well
be compared to the young man
just entering business and not
sure Of his ability and strength,
and the man of mature years who
has achieved success, and has full
! knowledge of his ability. The
: one lacks confidence, and the
: other knows and understands
what is best for the affairs of
mankind. The United States
speaks respectfully, but with
authority upon all international
Questions and she is listened to
with respect. The late Panama
incident fully illustrates the posi-
ton. For fifty years the con-
: struction of canal to connect
the two great oceans has been
discussed and desired by all the
lgreat commercial nations. The
Columbian government invited
the United States to complete, as
near as the latter could, nego-
tiations along certain lines to-
, ward construction of the canal.
After the United States had COM
pleted the negotiations on her
part as nearly as she could, and
it was up to the Columbian gov
, ernment to ratify the terms her
,, authorities had invited, she prac.
tically went back on the whole
, scheme and attempted to levy
; tribute which was mercenary be-
yond question, SO much SO that
E many of her own citizens were
dissatisfied thereabout.
RI The people in and about Pana-
! ma were dissatisfied for the fur
, ther reason that the construction
of the enterprise would make
!, prosperous and more substantial
that part of the country. Pana-
ma people declared their indie
. pendence and as soon as quiet
: and order was restored the United
!, States recognized the new gov
= ernment. The conditions arose
and the emergency was met with
out hesitation or fear and with
out waiting to ascertain how
other nations would regard it.
It is probable that with the new
government of Panama the Uni
.. ted States will be able to negoti- :
. ate satisfactory terms so that the
: long needed canal may be con-
structed and the commerce of the
world benefited thereby.