The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-12
IN DEFENSE
 OF ROOSEVELT Hit Discusses Panama
 Republic. THE DEBATE WAKES WARM DinSmore and Williams Ar. raign the President. Democratic Leader Believes the New Nation's Birth Was Forssesn
 and Aided by oficials of
 the United States.

' pHr1&fAtEe 1ScS= 4As-~ t&0 1As ess VI ~%s~ Republic of Panama and it's recognition by this government, was the subject of a spirited debate in the House to-day. r Mfr. Dinsmore Dem., Arls.). during con- alteration of the pension appropriation bill. severely criticised the administration | in connection with the canal, and Mir. l Hit (Rep.. nis.) chairman of the Com mittse on Foreign Affairs. replied in a vigorous defense of the President and his Central American policy.
 Mir. Williams of Mississippi. the minor ity leader. replied to MT. Hit. declaring that the minority did not condone that part taken by this government in con- nection with Panama affairs. ! Nearly the whole of the four sessions was taken up in discussion of the isth- milan question. No conclusion was reached on the pending bill. Mr. Van v0orhis l (Rep., Ohio), of the appropriations conn mittee, made statement concerning the provisions of the bill, when the debate dlgressed to Panama.
 l The House adjourned over until Mon day.
 Pension Bill Up. The House on convening today resolved itself into Committee of the Whole to consider the pension appropriation bill with Mir. Lawrence of Massachusetts. In the chair.
 l Mir. vanvorhis. Republican of Ohio. ex- plained that the provisions in the bill were practically identical with those of the last years measure.
 Mir. Dinsnore Democrat Of Arlxansas, who was recognized for one hour. took occasion to speak Of the republic of Pan- anna. He said the republic had been es- tablished and that 1t exists by the power of the United States and that without that power 1t could not exist. Nothing had. he said. been gained that could not have been gained in q straightforward and honorable way. He explained that he did not use the word "honorable', in an ofEensive sense, but insisted that but for the action of the United States there would be no republic of Panaraas Mir. Dinsmore, referring t0 the prO3iS- ions of the Panama canal bill. aaids 'Here Is the law. Did the President obey It? Everybody knows that he made no pretense of obeying the law. Have any excuses been offered why he did not obey it2 He has not even vouchsafed to Congress, whose law he had violated. the slightest excuse. Is he above the law? Indeed, Mir. Chairman. if this is true. we have come upon evil times when the ex- ecutfve power of the government can usurp authority and cast aside the express wish of Congress in declared law"
 Mir. Dinsmore disavowed any purpose to impute disho~erable or improper mo- tives to the officers of the government Recognition Not Nasty. MT. Hit said there was nothing nasty or uniore in the recognition of the new republic, as 1t occurred five days after the promulgation of the independence of the republic.
 MT. Williams of Mississippi asked if this would not be the first timo in South A t.ta kh. nkf had been prevented from shooting back" Mir. Hit replied that he had seen 1t stated in the press, but did not know it to be so. but said that troops could be sent to Colon only to prevent interfer- ence with traffic on the iBthmus, and that the United States is under obligation to prevent interruption of this traffic. MT. Hit made vigorous defence of the administration in connection with the Republic of Panama. Ills reference to the President caused applause on the Republican side.
 The President. sad MT. Hit. had not been precipitate, but had waited a req sonable tinls, "but," he added, ''he did not waste time, he never does"
 This utterance was loudly applauded on the Republican side.
 ordinarily" Mr Hit went on, ''when ship is in port and a disturbance or in- surrection occurs. we land troops to pro- tect Americans from being killed or rob- bed. We have done that in France and we would do 1t anywhere.
 Different in Panama.
 'Tn case of Panama our situation was different from that of any spot on earth. We had a solemn and binding engage ment which had been impressed upon us by all the years. Often we were called upon by the Colombian government of- tener by events, to enforce the obliga- ton to keep that path open from sea to sea; not to aid nor to 5uppress rebellion, but to keep the path open; and when we landed troops at Colon their duty under the treaty was plaiJ to let no armed men or cause of any kind disturb the open, free course of commerce of or movement in the pathway across the isthmus (ap- plause on Republican side.)
 Now 1t so happened in the course of human events which we do not guide, but which it is believed by many and all wise Providence watches and directs that in this case our duty in good faith under the treaty to keep that highway open, fell in with and brought out a conse- quence which was grave to Colombia. She has invoked that interference before, but it so happened that always heretofore it inured to her benefit. In this case that
  tive of the highest obligation of national faith"
 After reviewing the history of the act of Congress and the negotiations with Colombia and the sending of a treaty to Bogota. Mir. Hit said the people of Co., lombia thought the United States were so bent on having a canal on the isth- mus that the game was 'easy
 Greed of the Colombiana
 They had ten millions, but twenty would be better. and Colombian papers had urged those charged with the power to hold out for great sums of Yankee money.
 Referring to the size of Panama, Mir Hit said: ''It is not @ matter of space. The rule of square mile is a mistake Moral laws are not measured from the surveyors point"
 Mir. Wilhams-Nor measured by ditches, tha raduirannants of a canal either