The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1903-12-22
PRESIDENT RoosEvELT's MESSAGE.

The message of President Roosevelt
to Congress this year has attracted
unusual attention, both at home and
abroad. 1t possesses many excellent
features. Most. probably all of it,
was evidently written by his own hand,
and his scholarship and his training
as a writer are marked by a terseness
and clearness of expression, uncom-
mon in official papers. The leading
characteristics of the message are it's
rigid adherence to law, constitutional,
statutory, and as modified in treaties,
and its absolute freedom from the
least stain Of political aspiration.
His views are frank, decided, earnest,
and yet moderate, to a degree that can
not fail to excite general respect.
The case against the United States
of Colombia is presented in an argu-
ment, fortified by a condensed array
of facts, that is simply irrefragable,
and which indeed, as to its conclusions,
had been unanimously anticipated by
the great powers. No judge or ap-
pellate tribunal could have delivered
an opinion on the, question in issue in
better language, more consecutive in
method, more rigidly impartial or inn
pressed with more substantial dignity.
President Roosevelt has made a state
ment that cannot fail to be a con-
trolling factor in the history of the
Colombian imbroglio and has thrown
partisans who charged the United
States with having delivered Panama
from the womb of Colombia by a
Caesarian operation, beneath the con-
temptuous feet of Americanism. He
recapitulates the treaty of 1S46 with
New Granada, in its relevant parts,
and, by it's text, proves that the Amer
lean Government was bound to protect
the Isthmus of Panama, in the interest
not only of New Granada and it's sue
proves the uniform Interpretation of
this treaty by citations both from
Democratic and Republican Secretaries
of State. The agreement of Secre-
tary Cass in 1858 and Secretary Sew
ard in 1866 in their construction of
the rights and obligations of the Uni
ted States. under this solemn compact,
was a full justification of our national
position when Panama seeded, but
was also fortified by numerous other
State papers, and by frequent re-
quests for American interference both
b5 New Granada and by Colombia.
The President has collated fifty-three
Instances of revolts, rebellions, and
revolutions in the Isthmus of Panama
In fifty seven years, some of which
were of long duration, and in many
of which the Intervention of the Fed
eral Government to protect free tran
sit was essential and was solicited and
given. He proves the absolute bad
faith and falsehood of the Colombian
Government in the rejection of the
treaty, which had been ratified at
Washington by a unanimous vote,
against definite pledges and the wishes
of the Colombian people. He demon
State of Panama was the sponta-
neous act of the entire population and
local officers, without any suggestion
or encouragement from our govern
ment, and accomplished without blood
she'd He further shows that, the Re
public of Panama having been or
ganized, the duty of recognition legal
ly followed and was performed by all
leading nations. He also proves that
stable government having been es-
tablished, even Independently of the
circumstance that the revolution itself
was just, it became the right of the
United States to enter into treaty re-
lations with the new republic, and tt
secure, as it did secure, great ad
yantages, not only for the American
people, Dut IOr clVlilZdlloIL dt large
There is not flaw in the message OF
this question.
Upon other material points of ma
tional policy, without spread of mer
words, but in apt and incisive phrase
ology, President Roosevelt is equal.
lucid and definite. His proposition
in reference to capital and labor, es
pecially in view of the vast combina
tions of both in modern times, are a
just as the pronouneements of Aris
tides, and maintain the equal admins
tration of the law for and, when neces
sary, against each. The establish
ment of the Department of Commerc
and Labor, including the Bureau {
Corporations, has been fully justife
by results, and amendments to tn
antitrust law, both those adopted an
recommended, have been framed, nc
FOR tho nurpoSa of attacking Aithe