The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-07

does the Panama revolution mean? Was
it started by the friends or the enemies OF
a canal?
Senator Morgan, who understands ali
the conditions in Central America better
than any living man, take the ground that
this government, under the circumstances,
could not now build Panama canal with
out war with Colombia, and that tire
Presidents plain duty, in view of the
situation on the isthmus, is to turn to
Nicaragua to avoid every possible appear
ance in the eyes of the world of en-
couraging the present revolution.
Mr.. Morgan also in unmistakbe terms
expressed his unqualified disappointment
that the President has not before this
ccnformed to the law as laid down in the
Spooner canal act. He is quoted as say,
ing:
Il do not wish to say, nor can / be-
lieve that the officials of this government
have in any way encouraged the present
revolution in the State of Panama. Bat
l do wish to say. in unmistakable lam
guage, that in order to avoid every pos
sible appearance of having given such
encouragement it will be necessary cor
the President to conform at once to the
terms of the Spooner act, adopt the al
tentative therein contained and negotiate
al Fcr
the construction of the Nicaragua canal.
eve must remain entirely clear of the
present trouble on the isthmus. If We
have any duty at all it is to stand os
the sovereign State of Colombia, Tor we
are bound TO this by the treaty obiga-
tlcns of 1916. Three times in history
we have fulfilled the obligations of this
&C invention, in which we guarantee Colon
bias sovereignty and ownership OF the
territory of its States. If we are called
on now to take any action whatever We
should do nothing less than keep the
peace with our good offices and our treaty
obligations with Colombia.
1.-THE only way in which to put our
selves right in the eyes of the South
American republics and the nations OF
the world is to prepare the way at once
for the construction OF the Nicaragua
canal.
SHOULD this government be in any de-
gree guilty of inspiring or aiding the OUT.
break in Panama the belief would at once
be created that we intend to exert polit.
cal authority in Colombia now and here
after. This we cannot do, and it wouLi
array all parties in that country in hos
tility against the United States
The New York Herald has strong ana
able editorial along the line of Mr.. Nor
gan's interview, closing with ringing
demand for the construction of the Mica
ragua canal. The Herald closes its eel
torials with these words:
I'm this situation the plain and imper
alive mandate OF Congress embodied IL,
the Spooner act is for the President 10
proceed with the Nicaragua Canal. Even
should the revolution on the isthmus
prove successful and the revolutionary
government be recognized by the Unitea
States, the administration would have n,
authority to make canal treaty with
it, because the Spooner law empowers
but Colombia
ct is not easy to see what reason e.
excuse President Roosevelt can have Iol
not turning to Nicaragua, IN compliance
with the provisions of the Spooner Law.
Ii is said that he has marked prefer
ence for the Panama route and is nc,
disposed to abandon it. But it is not .
question of the Presidents preference,
but of his duty under the law. 1t Is
for Congress, and not the President to
say what route shall be adopted, and
that body has directed the President to
move for the construction of the Nicare-
qua canal on failure to come to terms
with Colombia within a reasonable time
This contingency has now arisen, ana
hence the mandate of Congress is that
the Panama affair be dropped and the
Nicaragua enterprise undertaken.
"Of course the Panama schemers ane
the railroad ring will continue their e1
forts to defeat or delay the Nicaragu,:
canal but it is high time that these
should be frustrated and the sentiment
of the people prevail. This sentiment
was reflected in the virtually unanimous
vote of the House for the Hepburn bill
adopting the Nicaragua route. Hvers
advantage is on the side of this and its
adoption is demanded by national inter
est as well as by public opinion
1.-The sooner President Roosevelt aban-
dons the discredited Panama failure and
turns to Nicaragua as the true Amcri-
can canal the better it will be for the
country and his own administration"