The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-08
SECRETARY HAYS EXPLANATION.

The impression gained from the state
ment Of Secretary Hay relative to the
| course of the government in the Pam
anna matter is that an explanation was
| needed. AS a matter of fact there is
some ground for thinking that the gov
eminent was pretty well informed OF
what was going on at Panama and
Colon weeks before steps were taken
to sever the relations between the state
| of Panama and Colombia. Indeed,
there is even reason for thinking that
the leaders of the Panama movement
were quite confident that what they
were proposing to do had the approval
of the United States. Still. Secretary
Hay says that "the action of the Pres
ident in the Panama matter is not
only in accordance with the strictest
principles of justice and equity, and in
line with the best precedents of our
public policy, but it was the only course
he could have taken in compliance with
our treaty rights and obligations"
There is no good reason for doubt
ing that the foregoing is correct, but
there is still room for suspecting that
the attitude of our government to-
wards Colombia was not wholly friend
ly. II must have been known
at Washington what was trans
piring on the isthmus, and the
men at the head of the move
ment for the independence Of Panama
must have had pointed out to them
that If the Washington government ex-
ercised fully its treaty rights for the
protection of traffic across the isthmus,
it would be practically impossible for
Colombia to put down the revolution.
Colombia cannot now send troops
against the revolutionists by sea be-
cause our government will not permit
trouble at the terminals of the 18TH
milan railway. and she cannot send
them overland because of the nature of
the country; and IL she should sue
coed in getting an army on the line
of the isthnian railway where she
could reach the revolutionists, 1t Is
probable that our government would
prevent hostilities because they would
InNEIHGIC Will lldltlC Oll VIC oil W ey II
looks therefore as if Colombia could
do nothing to recover her territory SIM
ply because our government will not
permit her.
OF course Colombia isn't deserving of
much sympathy. She acted very badly
in the matter of the canal concessions.
She proposed to hold up this country,
as it were, for many millions of dol
lars. She was simply bent upon fill
ing her own treasury without regard to
the interests of the commercial world
in an isthmian canal. and with total
indifference to Panama's welfare. OF
course she isn't going to get any SYM
pathy, but because she permitted her
greed to lead her into a course of ac-
ton that is practically indefensible it
doesn't follow that the United States
can afford to do anything that isn't
strictly in accordance with justice and
fair dealing in their efforts to get the
concessions that will permit of the con-
struction a canal across the isthmus of
Panama.
1t is to be hoped that when all the
facts are known it will appear that
our government has done nothing that
can be justly condemned by those of
our critics who are disposed to treat
us fairly. AS much as we want the
canal, and the canal would be almost
inestimable benefit to the South, we
don't want it upon any other terms
than those which are absolutely fair
to all interests concerned.