The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-12
OF PANAMA
GOVERNMENTS POLICY BOTH CON-
DEMNED AND SUSTAINED.
ROOSEVELT WAS BACKED UP
nv HIT FOR THE COURSE THE
PRESIDENT FOLLOWED.


the Panama RepubIie-He Was
Ably Supported by Minority Lead
or Williams of Mississippi-News
of the Situation.
washington, Dec, 1.-THE creation
% the Republic of Panama and its rec
IGNITION by this government was the
e,,hiect of spirited debate in the
House to-day.
Mr.. pinsmore of Arkansas, during
consideration of the pension appropria-
+ion bill. severely criticised the adj
,7inistration in connection with the
canal and Mr.. Hit, Republican of Hi
mis- chairman of the Foreign Affairs
committee, replied in a vigorous &C.
fanse of the President and his Central
American policy. Mr.. Hit. declaring
that the minority did not condone the
mart taken by this government in con-
nection with Panama affairs.
Nearly the whole of the four hours
session was taken up in a discussion of
the isthmian question. No conclusion
was reached on the pension bill.
Mr.. Dinsmore said the Panama re-
nublic had been established, and that
IT exists by the power of the United
States. and that without that power it
could not exist. Nothing had, he said,
been gained that could not have been
gained in a straightforward way.
Set Himself Above the Law.
Mr.. Dinsmore declared the President
had set himself above the law, and
criticised the hasty recognition of the
republic of Panama. He said that Sec
rotary Hay learned statecraft at the
feet of Abraham Lincoln and referred
to the attitude of the government in
1860 toward the question of recogni-
ton, saying that Mr.. Hay had now
taken a different view of that ques-
ton.
Mr. Hit of Illinois, chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, reply
ing to Mr.. Dinsmore, said he was as
tonished at the remarks Of the gentle
man from Arkansas, saying such at
tacks on the government would not
be made by any foreigner in discuss
ing its action.
Mr. Dinsmore disavowed any pur-
pose to impute dishonorable or i'm
proper motives to. the officers of the
government.
Was Not Hasty or Unique.
Mr. Hit said there was nothing
nasty or unique in the recognition of
the new republic, as it occurred five
days after the PRONUNCIATION of the in
dependence of the republic.
Mr. Williams of Mississippi asked if
this was not the first time in South
American history that the other fel<
low had been prevented from shooting
back"
Mr. Hit replied that troops could
be sent to Colon only to interfere with
traffic on the isthmus and that the
United States are under obligation to
prevent interruption of this traffic.
Mr. Hit made a vigorous defense of
the administration in connection with
the republic of Panama, his reference
to the President brining out loud ap-
plause on the Republican side.
Mr.. Hit, answering the charge that
the President had been precipitate,
said the President had waited a rea-
son time, but" he added, The did not
waste time-he never does"
This utterance was loudly applaud
ed on the Republican side.
Ordinarily" Mr. Hit went on,
when a ship is in port and a dis
turbance or instruction occurs, we
land troops to protect Americans from
being killed or robbed. We have done
that in France, and we would do it
anywhere.
Had "a Binding Engagement.
IN the case of Panama our situa-
tiO0 of
spot on earth. We had a solemn and
binding engagement, which had been
impressed upon us by all the years.
Often we were called upon by the Co
lombian government oftener by events,
TO enforce the obligation to keep that
path open from sea to sea; not to
and nor to suppress rebellion, but to
Keep the path open; and when we land
cd troops at Colon, when the ships
came to Panama with more of the
marines their duty under the treaty
was plain to let no armed men nor
cause of any kind disturb the open,
free course of commerce or of move
hent in the pathway across the 18TH
mus.
Now, it so happened in the course
OF human events, which we do not
guide, but which it is believed by many
an all-wise Providence watches and
Glects, that in this case our duty i'll
good faith under the treaty to keep
mat highway open, fell in with and
brought out a consequence which was
grave to Colombia. She has invoked
mat interference before but it so hap
Iened that always heretofore it injured
70 her benefit. In this case, that which
we have done, we did for a motive of
me highest obligation of national
Mr.. Hit said the people of Colom-
pLd thought the United States were
80 bent on having a canal on the 18TH
luS that the game was easy. They
idu lOOOO,000, but 20,000,000 would be
uSller, and Colombian papers had urg-
el those charged with power to hold
out Tor great sums of Yankee money.
Another for Roosevelt.
The whole world, he said, had been
III favor of a canal and, added Mr..
lIlt we have got a man to work on
VINO will soon cut it through" This
was loudly cheered by the Republi-
cans.
ar. Williams, interrupting, said he
wanted to take the burden of saying
yes TO the question as to whether the
government had been virtually guilty
VI moral obliquity in its international
gIdlons in its action concerning the
'epuDHc of Panama.
MI. Hit, referring to the action,
salQ the President would not submit
the blackmail that was tried to be
imposed upon the people of the United
- les, owing to the rapacity Of band
~ men who abused their authority. 1t
~ not IN the spirit of our people. When
ot ite open hand of bounty Is met by the
NtAched fist of malice and greed. the