The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-02
THE PANAMA CANAL,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES NO CRED.
1T FOR PROPOSED WATERWAY.
lite Declarations Are Incorrect in mt
Least Two Particulars Strenuous
Policy Advocated in Platform on

The Democratic platform undertakes
to make the party the guardian of ma
tional aud international honor by attack
ing the administrations Panama Canal
policy, The platform says:
Our party having long and earnestly adj
oceanic ossaui. canal ,ns f Tp"s sbr nnrmoss or Of an Do1 ln 1t
defense and commerce between the States
aud with foreign nations. we favor the
early completion OF the isthmian canal
But. while making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
and irrevcrsible fact. we cannot too forci-
bly, express our disapproval OF the meth
DDS by which. in disregard of the usagcs
and obligations of international law and
treaty obligations. the canal route has been
acquired. or too %Solemnly record our hope
that this precedent of defiant diplomacy
may never he used against us TO our hui
initiation and injury.
III the Democratic party las ever all
vocated the construction Of an isthnnian
canal its advocacy has been purely aca-
dcmic. No Democratic administration
has ever taken n step or lifted Il finger in
that direction.
Democratic Platform of 1896.
AS to the question OF methods the
party is on record in favor of the most
strenuous policy for the establishment
and maintenance of isthmian transit.
The Democratic platform of 1Sa6. m
which James Buchanan Was nominated,
contained the following:
"Resolved, That the great highway
which nature. as we'll as the assent Of
States most Immediately interested in its
maintenance. has marked out for free
communication between the Atlantic aud
Pacific oceans, constitutes one of the most
Important achievements realized by the
spirit of modern times. In the uicouqucr
able energy of our people; aud that re
suit would be secured 10y II timely and
efficient e%xertion of the control which we
have the right to claim over it: and no
power on earth should be suffered 10 i'm
rede or clog Its progress hy any inter
ference with relations that may suit oNr
policy TO establish between our govern.
ment and the governments of the States
within whose dominious Ii lies; we can IN
der no circumstances surrender our pre-
ponderance in the adjustment OF all ques-
lions arising out of 1T
When the resolution was adopted tho
question of an iSthmian canal WAS not
being agitated. us it never was in any
practical way by the Democratic party.
The resolution refers To the maintenance
of overland isthminn transit. which had
been interrupted by Nicaragua under n
pretcnse that her sovereignty was being
invaded. The resolution virtually asserts
the paramount right of the United States
10 maintain and control the transit route.
NiiitI WIS an lihI'tl'i4il Iiiib H! 'Vii7
munication viii, California. against any
and all corners.
Buchanan's Mcssagc.
In his annual message. Of lS5s Presi-
dent Buchanan said the transit ueross
the isthmus was ii highway whict,
must be open 10 The world" and THAT
the commerce of other nations is not
to stand still and await the adjustment
of such petty controversies rs those
which Nicaragua had raised. The
government Of the United States expect
no more than this he added. and they
will not he satisfied with less
These were brave and true uttcranccs.
but no Democratic administration ever
did anything to make them good. Still
less did the Democratic party ever at
tempt to apply them TO the construction
of an interoceanic canal. 1t was left
for a Republican administration to do
that. President RooScvelt's Panama
Canal policy has moved steadily and
firmly towards assuring the construction
of the canal. and his methods have not
savored of a deficient diplomacy as much
as did those advocated by the Demo.
cratic party in 1886.