Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-01-09
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
President Roosevelt in Defense OF Ills
Panama Policy.
COMPLETE STORY OF THE AFFAIR.
Details oil The Revolution aud the ADMINISTERS.
lions CouueeiIoo With Il Made Public In
situations Of Completely on tn: Part OF the
Government Emphatically Osuied Duties
Of the United States.

Washington. d. c. (SpeciaD with
IN a few minutes after the reasscmbling
OF Congress Monday at noon. spc-
eial message from the President on
Panama was received i'll the Senate and
read.
Before this had been done, in tho
Senate, Mr.. Lodge gave notice that
he would address the Senate on the
Panama question. and bill was pass
cd, making Chester, Pa. SUPPORT OF
entry.
AT the opening oil the House tho
chaplain prayed Tor peace between ia
pan and Russia. The resignation of
Mr.. Mcclellan (Ncw York; was AN
nounccd.
The message sent in by the PrcSi-
dent is nearly 10000 words in length
tie calls it "A statement oil my action
up TO this time in executing the
Spooner act providing for the CON
struction oil a canal. He denies The
injurious insnuations" that this conn
try had anything TO do with promot
ing the revolution, saying no one CON
nected with this Government had any
part III preparing. melting or cncour-
aging the late revolution on the 18th
mus OF Panama.
On October Is Commander Hub
bard OF the navy notified the Navy
Department that, though things were
quiet on the isthmus. 4 revolution had
broken out in the State OF Cauea. On
October 10 Capt. c. b. Humphrey and
Lieut.. Grayson Mallet- Provost Muir
ply. who had just returned from four
month tour through the northern por
tionS OF Venezuela and Colombia. told
the President that plans were practic-
ally ripe on the isthmus for rcvolu-
ton. and that the people there seemed
unanimous Tor il.
In view oil all these facts. he says.
he directed the Navy Department to
issue instructions such as would in
sure our having ships within easy
reach OF the is,hmus: and on November
,, when the Colombian Congress had
adjourned, it was evident that the out
break was imminent. instructions were
sent to the commanders oil the Boston.
Nashville and Dixie To maintain Tree
vent the landing oil any armed force
wan HpStit hiANhtp N4Ahti
or inSurgcut, at any point within so
miles OF Panama.
Quoting in full two reports OF Com
mandcr Hubbard OF tho Nashville. who
was at Colon. the President says that
on November !. the day after tho
revolution began. the commander oi the
Colombian troops AT Colon INDUCED i'll
wanton and violent threats against
a a,,1 H..
gan war against the United States. lie
adds:
This plain official account OF the
occurrences OF November 4. shows that.
instead OF there having been too much
provision by the American Government
for the maintenance OF order and the
protection OF lie and property OIL the
isihmus. the orders Tor the movement
OF the American warships had been
too long delayed. Ii thus clearly
appears that the fact that there was no
bloodShcd on The Sthmus was directly
duc---and only duc--io the prompt and
firm enforcement by the United States
oil its traditional policy.
Defending his prompt recognition OF
the new republic the President says
that. while il is 4 general rule not TO
tNNOSttEt 81 lSN sFAdt' AHtH ~ SiipNu
its ability To maintain lis independ-
cnce. the rule is subject to exceptions.
and there arc. i'll my opinion, clear and
imperative reasons why departure
from it was justified and even required
in the present instance. These rca-
sons embrace. first. our treaty rights
to guarantee transit across the 18th
mus: second. our national interests and
caf aud ti,,r1 tf.., ~ col
icctive civilization" The treaty of
1876. he declares. never meant that the
United States should protect the Sow
ercigniy al New Granada against do
nestle revolutions.
After quoting the Hay Pauncciote
treaty to show Great Britain's desire
to have us bnild the canal and the rec
ogntion by many nations to show their
attitude i'll desiring us to build the ca
nal. the President says:
There have been many revolutionary
many movements for the
OF countries. which
were evil. tried by any standard But
in my opinion no disiutcrcs,cd and fair
minded observer acquainted with the
can fail To feel that Pan
anna had the amplcst justification Tor
=
existing. and. moreover. that
It's action was in the highest degree
beneficial to tho interests at the en-
tire civilized world by securing the inn
mediate opportunity Tor the building
oil the inter oceanic canal
In conclusion" the President says.
''lc, me repeat that the question act
ually before this Government is not
that oi the recognition al Panama as All
Republic Tha, is already
an accomplished fact The question.
and the only question. is whether or
not we shall build an iSthmian canal"
Accompanying President RooScvcli's
message were copies oi notes cxchang-
cd between General Reyes and the Sec
ctary OF State. on December 10 and
II. concerning the attitude oi the Unit
cd States i'll case Colombian troops
should be sent to Panama. Also copies
OF two notes To the Stale Department
by the Minister oil Panama Ia the Unit
ed States