Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-11-12
The Panama Canal Problem.

The Panama Canal Problem.
The marked unanmity of the demand
for the construction of ship canal to
connect the waters of the Atlantic and
the Pacific oceans is evident from the
fact that the platforms of both the lead
ing political parties OF this country de-
clared In favor of this great undertaking.
the democratic declaration of principles
going so far as to "denounce the insln-
certify of the plank in the republican ma
tional platform for an isthmian canal. in
the face of the failure of the republican
majority TO pass the bill pending in Con-
gress."
In view of the action taken by the ma
tional conventions of both parties and
the evident anxiety of the democrats to
stamp the republican canal plank as in
sincere it requires no argument to show
that the political leaders Of both parties
believed the mass of our people desired
the construction of this waterway.
A further step in advance was taken
when the majority in the last Congress
did pass bill providing for the construc-
ton of ship canal connecting the At
lantic with the Pacific and while a ma
jority favored the Panama route, there
was an evident determination that an
isthmian canal should be constructed,
even though it be necessary to select the
Nicaragua route. At an earlier time in the
agitation of this question the Naca-
rasua route had been preferred, but
it is no secret that following the terrific
destruction of life by volcanoes in the
seismic disturbances on the main land our
people came to regard the Panama route
as much the safer of the two.
The Spooner bill, the act of Congress
of June rs 1902. empowered the Presi-
dert TO acquire from the republic Of
Colombia perpetual contro: Of the terri
tory and the necessary rights connected
and maintenance of an isthman canal. The
act in question also provided that in case
the President should be unable to obtain
for the United States the control of the
necessary territory and the rights men
toned within a reasonable time and upon
such reasonable terms, then he was to
proceed TO secure the necessary rights
from Nicaragua and Costa Rca and pro-
coed to the construction of a canal by
what is knowp as the Nicaragua route.
The desperation of the opposition to the
Roosevelt administration is shown by the
fact that while il is only a few days since
the adjournment of the Colombian Con
no NJ
government the necessary rights, the
organs of that opposition are shouting
that reasonable time" has expired
and it is the duty of President Roosevelt
to ignore the situation in Panama and
proceed Immediately to carry out the pro-
vision of the act with reference to the
alternative choice of the Nicaragua route.
If our national legislators were wise
when they chose the Panama route in
preference to the Nicaragua route on ac-
count OF the possibility of seismic disturb
'arces in Nicaragua and Costa Rica which
are not without experience in this con-
nection, then even though the people of
Panama province had not set up an in
dependent government a reasonable
time" would not have elapsed until the
President had exhausted every possible
and legitimate means to carry out the
evident wish of Congress that the PAN
anna route be given the preference
AS a matter of fact the people of Pan
anna, upon whom the Colombians have
fed and existed in no small degree, be-
cause Of the wealth of the province. took
advantage of the right existing under the
act of federation and set up a govern
ment of their own; and inasmuch as the
refusal of Colombia to secure for them
the advantages which would result from
the construction of the inter-oceanic canal
was one of their grievances. it is to be
taken for granted that the way is open
Cor the contamination of the project fur
thered at the last session of Congress.
But some of the anti-imperialists say
that the President has no authority to
acquire the right to construct and con-
troll an interoceanic canal since the re-
public of Colombia was named in the
act. This may be true, but inasmuch as
Congress is to convene in session to-day