The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-12-18
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELTS ANNUAL MESSAGE TO CONGRESS


the territory bore on the map. Tbs
purpose OF the law was to authoriss
the president to make treaty with tbs
power in actual control of the isthmu
Of Panama. This purpose has bess
fulfilled
For 400 years, ever since shortly aftR
the discovery of this hemisphere, th
canal across the isthmus has been
planned. For twoscore years 1t has
been worked at. When made II IL h
last for the ages. 1t Is to alter ths
geography Of continent and the trads
routes of the world. We have shows
by every treaty we have negotiated a
attempted to negotiate with the pee
pies in control of the isthmus and with
foreign nations In reference thereto ous
consistent good faith In observing orr
obligations, on the one hand to the peo
pies Of the isthmus and on the othes
hand to the civilized world, whose CON-
mercial rights we are safeguarding ana
guaranteeing by our action. We hava
done our duty to others in letter and In
spirit, and we have shown the utmoM
forbearance in exacting our own rightA
Reputation of Treaty by ColsHSssA
Last spring treaty concluded b.
tween the representatives of the 10
public of Colombia and of our govern
ment was ratified by the senate. This
treaty was entered into at the urgent
solicitation Of the people Of Colombis
and after a body Of experts appointed
by our government especially to 20 intn
the matter OF the routes across TIN
isthmus had pronounced unanimously
in favoro Of the Panama route. In draw
ing up this treaty every concession was
made to the people and to the govern
ment of Colombia. We were morn
than just in dealing with them. Our
generosity was such as to make 1t
serious question whether we had nds
gone too far in their interest at the en-
pense of our own, for in our scrupulo,H
desire to pay all possible heed MOI
merely to the real but even to thu
fancied rights of our weaker neighbor,
who already owed so much to our pro
lection and forbearance, we yielded In
all possible ways to her desires In
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless
the government Of Colombia not mere
ly repudiated the treaty, but repudi-
ated 1t in such manner as to make II
evident by the time the Colombian con
gress adjourned that not the seamless
hope remained Of ever getting a salts
factory treaty from them.
Revolution In Panama.
The people Of Panama had long been
discontinued with the republic Of Co
lombia, and they had been kept quiet
only by the prospect OF the conclusion
of the canal treaty, which was to them
a matter Of vital concern. When 1t be
came evident that the treaty was hope
lessly lost the people OF Panama ross
literally as one man. Not shot was
fired by single man on the isthmus
in the interest of the Colombian gov
eminent. Not life was lost In tha
accomplishment Of the revolution. Tbs
Colombian troops stationed on the 18th
mus, who had long been unpaid, made
common cduse with the people of Pan
anna, and with astonishing unanimity
the new republic was started. Th
duty of the United States in the prem
Uses was clear. In strict accordancx
with the principles laid down by Sec
retaries Cass and Seward, the United
States gave notice that 1t would per
nit the landing of no expedltlonar!
force, the arrival of which would near
chaos and destruction along the line of
the railroad and of the proposed cana
and an interruption of transit as ar
inevitable consequence. The de facts
government Of Panama was recog'
nizcd.
Under such circumstances the gov
eminent of the United States would
have been guilty of folly and weak
ness, amounting in their sum to crime
against the nation, had 1t acted other
wise than it did when the revolution Of
| Nov. 3 last took place In Panama. This
| great enterprise of building the inter
| oceanic canal cannot be held up TO
| crafty the whims or out of respect to
the governmental impotence or TO ths
even more sinister and evil political
peculiarities Of people who, though
they dwell afar or, yet, against the
| wish of the actual jewellers on the 18th
mus, assert an unreal supremacy over
the territory. The possession of ter
ritory fraught with such peculiar ca
pacities as the isthmus in question car
ries with 1t obligations to mankind
The course of events has shown thai
this canal cannot be built by private
enterprise or by any other nation than
our own; therefore,it must be built by
/ the United States.
New Treaty with Panama.
Every effort has been made by tina
government of the United States to per-
suade Colombia to follow course
which was essentially not only to our
interests and to the interests of tina
world, but to the interests Of Colon
bia itself. These efforts have failed
and Colombia. by her persistence in re
pulsing the advances that have been
made, has forced us for the sake OF
our own honor and OF the interest and
well being, not merely of our own pee
pie, but of the people Of the isthmus o.
Panama and the people Of the civilized
countries Of the world, to take decisivs
ctA a. hvfn 10 nd n