The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-03
ROOSEVELT GETS
 GREAT OVATION
Continued from First Paael

RreSs passed a law under when the fTeS- Ident was authorized to endeavor to se- cure a treaty for acquiring the right to finish the construction of, and to operate, the Panama canal. which had already been begun in the territory of Colombia by a French company.
 The Canal Treaty. :.
 The rights of this company were aceord- ingly obtained and a treaty negotiated with the republic of Colombia. This treaty has Just been ratified by the sen- ate. It reserves all of Colombia's rights. while guaranteeing all of our own and those of neutral nations, and specially permits us to take any and all measures for the defense of the canal and for the preservation of our interests. whenevev in our judgment an exigency may arise which calls for action on our part. In other, words. these two treaties, and the legislation to carry them out, have re- suited in our obtaining on exactly the terms we desired the rights and prvil- eges which we had so long sought in vain. These treaties are among the most important that We have ever negotiated In their effects upon the future welfare of thiS country, and mark a memorable triumph of American diplomacy-one of those fortunate triumphs, moreover,
  tire world
 Venezuelan Trouble.
 About the same time trouble arose in connection with the republic of Venezuela because of certain wrongs alleged to have been committed, and debts overdue, by this republic to citizens of various for eign powers, notably England, Germany, and Italy. After failure to reach an agreement these powers began a blockade of the Venezuelan coast and q condition of quasiwar ensued. The concern of our government was of course not to inter- fere in any quarrel so far as it did not touch our interests or our honor and not to take the attitude of protecting from coercion any power unless We were will ing to espouse the quarrel of that power, but to keep an attitude of watchful vigil ance and see that there was no infringe ment of the Monroe doctrine-no acquire ment of territorial rights by a European power at the expense of a weak sister republic-whether this acquisition might take the shape of an outright and avowed seizure of territory or of the exercise of control which would in effect be equiv alent to such seizure. This attitude was expressed in the two following published the first being the letter ad- dressed by the secretary of state to the German ambassador. the second the con with the secretary of state re- ported by the British ambassador:
 Department of State
 Washington, Dec. 16 1901 His EXeellency, Dr. von Holleben, etc.:
 Dear Exeellency: l inclose a memor- andum.rh6y way of reply to that which you did me the honor to leave with me on Saturday, and am, as ever, faithfully yours, JOHN HAY"
 Memorandum.
 ''The President in his message of the Sd of December, 1901, used the following language:
 " The Monroe doctrine is a declaration that there must be no territorial ag- by any non-American pow CT al the expense of any American power on American soil. It is in no wise intend- ed as hostile to any nation in the old world.
 "The President further said:
 " This doctrine has nothing to do with the commercial relations of any American power. save that it in truth allows each of them to form such as it desires. X We do not guarantee any state against punishment if it misconducts itself. pro- vided that punishment does not take the form of the acquisition of territory by any non-American power.
 Germanys Position.
 His excellency the German ambassa- dor, on his recent return from Berlin, conveyed personally to the President the assurance of the German emperor that his majesty's government had no purpose or intention to make even the smallest acquisition of territory on the South American continent or the islands adja- cent. This voluntary and frienuly declar- ation was afterwards repeated to the sec retary of state and was received by the President and the people of the United States in the frank and cordial spirit in which it was offered In the memoran- dunn of the 1lth of December. his excel lency the German ambassador repeats these assurances as follows We declare especially that under no circumstances do we consider in our proceedings the &C., quisltion or the permanent occupation of Venezuelan territory
 In the said memorandum of the 11th of December, the German government in forms that of the United States that it has certain just claims for money and for damages wrongfully withheld from German subjects by the government of Venezuela, and that it proposes to take certain coercive measures described in the memorandum to enforce the payment of these Just claims.
 "The President of tho United States. ap- preciating the courtesy of the German government in making him acquainted with the state of affairs referred to, and not regarding himself as called ,non. to enter into the consideration of the claims in question, believes that no measures will be taken in the matter by the agents of the German government which are not in accordance with the well-known pur- pose above set forth, of his majesty the German emperor"
 :. United States Could Not Object.
 Sir Michael Herbert to the Marquis of Landsdowne:
 Washington, Nov 1S, 1902.
 T communicated to MT. Hay this morn- ing the substance of your lordship's tele- gram of the 11th instant.
 His excellency stated in reply. that the United States government, all though they regretted that European powers should use force against Central and South American countries, could not object to their taking steps to obtain redress for Injuries suffered by their sub jects, provided that no acquisition of ter ritory was contemplated"
 Both powers assured us In explicit terms that there was not the slightest in- tention on their part to violate the princi- pies of the Monroe doctrine, and this as- surance was kept with an honorable good faith which merits full acknowledgment on our part. At the same time, the exist ence of hostilties In region so near our own borders was fraught with such pos abilities of danger in the future that it was obviously no less our duty to our selves than our duty to humanity to en- deavor to put an end to that. Accord ingly, by an offer of our good services in a spirit of frank friendllness to all the