New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-21
PANAMA POLICY RIGHT.
SO SAYS DIR. SCHURMAN.
Negligent Of Duty Had Government
Acted Differently.

That the Panama policy o: President Roose-
welt and the government was justified was en-
phatically declared last evening by DR.. Jacob
Gould Schurnan. president OF Cornell Uni
versity, in address in Cooper Union before
the Peoples Institute on The True Elements of
National Greatness" He said that peace.
interrupted traffic ana keeping foreign nations
or the American continent were the ends
secured by President Roosevelt's action
Dr.. schurman said in part:
There are some things clear about Panama.
We have rights and duties under the treaty Of
1876 10 maintain uninterrupted transit across
the isthmus. and for fifty years have done So
We exercise our rights by intervening i'm insur-
rections and by not intervening. Panama, Ike
any other dissatisfied or oppressed State, has
the right to rebel The government Of Colombia
notified last summer by the representa-
tives in Congress from Panama that Panama
would revolt II the treaty not passed This
matter of public notoriety Intelligent indi-
viduals here Ia America were fully aware OF the
true situation OF affairs Our government would
have been blindly negligent or ITS duties II IL
had not made preparations for the contingency.
Happily its eyes were wide open and all nee
essary measures taken. Our government recog.
nized the independence of the new State. II
went further II declared that In order TO dis
charge its treaty obligations on the isthmus 1t
our navy to prevent the landing OF Colombian
soldiers.
Undoubtedly this was going fuI her than any
government had ever gone before, though II
may be described the consummation OF a pol
fey gradually developed in the past. Still IL
was a new action Whether ii was tustffabe
must be determined in the light OF the aiterna
tive. That alternative was 10 permit Colombia
and Panama to wage war. perhaps long con-
tnued and destructive, probably TO interrupt
traffic the railroad. which it duty
70 keep free and open. and almost certainly lead
France to intervene for the protection of French
rights which Colombia had menaced by sug
costing the cancellation of the canal conces-
sion held by French citizens.
Peace. uninterrupted traffic keeping foreign
nations off the American continent-these were
the ends secured by President Roosevelt's ac-
non. Ihey seem 10 me TO warrant that action,
which, as ] have already said. has its further
justification in the rights and duties in the
Colombian treaty OF 1916
President ROOSevelt's critics ignore the fact
that every crucial decision. both for individual
and nation, is a choice between alternatives
neither Of which is perfectly clear and both Of
which are difficult and painful My view is that
President Roosevelt has chosen that alternative
which is most justihahle. and which will con-
duce most not only to the furtherance of Amer
ican interests but to the advantage of the new
Republic of Panama and 70 the commercial and
peaceful intercourse Of the civilized world.
President schurman began his address by
declaring that nation the product OF
force. of ideas and of rights. and that the
maps OF the world were made and unmade by
the brute strength the reason or imagination
and the moral sense Of mankind. A great ma
ton. in the complete sense Of the term, was
a nation which possessed mighty physical pow
ers which was permeated with high reason and
fine culture and which maintained and prac-
tised just and noble conduct both at home and
in intercourse with foreign peoples and govern
ments
DR.. Schurman went on to say:
As look around see two spectres menacing
our nation. One is the negro question, the other
is The Philippine question There are those who
advocate the Acknowledgement Of the negro;
that way lies hOpelessness for him and conse-
quently disaster for US There are those who
viii neither admit the Philippines as terri
tory State under the Rgis Of the constitu-
fton. vet grant them the independeDce-the
properly safeguSrded independence-we have al
ready bestowed upon Cuba. think the United
States did what wise and right In refusing
70 turn the Philippines over to Aguinaldo But
We should belle our for that course.
nut a brand the vet unstained brow of our
republic and outrage humanity in the persons
Of seven million Christian and civilized Fill
pinos IT, now that. according to President
Roosevelt. We have already conferred upon that
nation blessings unparalleled in history, We
should refuse to confer upon them the su
preme blessing Of managing their own affairs
without which in actually or in prospect all
other goods dross or tinseL Do you say
that have already given the Filipinos civil
liberties? True. hut did not give them
trial by iury-not daring to trust the people
and trial by jury is the foundation Of all; and
for the rest that is a profoundly true saying Of
Charles James Fox that civil liberty can have
no security without political power"