Milford chronicle., 1904-11-04
LATEST BOOMERANG.
DEMOCRATS ATTEMPT TO DIS
CREDIT THE PRESIDENT.
letter in Regard TO the Acquisition
of the PanOma strip That Reflects
bIuch Credit on ths Chief Executive
Cry of "Unciean" Should s.Op. Is

Nothing could more sharply emphasize
the poverty in initiative of the Demo
cratic party and its utter failure to COM
preheud the temper Os the American peo-
pie at the opening Of the twentieth cen
tury than the attempt to 1iscredit our
acquisition of the right 10 dig the Pan
anna canal. Having failed to make any
Impression on rhe popular mind along
other lines Senator CulbersOn Of Texas
was pushed TO the front in New York
last Thursday night to spring a seusa-
tiOnal attack on President Roosevelt for
bis alleged revolutionary course in this
matter.
Although the subject has been thor
Oughy threshed out IN Congress and the
public prints. and the seal OF legislative
approval put upon the course of the ad-
ministratiOn by the ratification Of the
treaty with Panama, and the appropria-
ton and payment of SJ0.000000 to the
republic of Panama and for the acquire
ment Of the rights and works Of the
Panama Canal Company, tina Senator
from Texas had the hardihood once more
20 asslil the honor and good faith OF the
administrations acts in the premises.
Without producing one scintilla Of new
evidence he flashed a private letter writ
ten by President Roosevelt over a year
ago to his personal friend DR.. Albert
Shaw. editor of The Review of Reviews
before the eyes Of his audience to JUS
tify the accusation that the President
contemplated building the canal across
the isthmus, treaty or no treaty, which |
would have necessitated taking posses
sion Of the canal zone by force.
Neither New Nor True.
Like every other sensation sprung in !
this campaign, what was new in Senator :
Culberson's exposure was immatcrial /
and what was material was neither new
nor true. The letter, about which Sen
atOr Culherson made such an ado as a
carefully suppressed piece OF evidence
of the Presidents intention 90 do by force
what was subsequently achieved openly
aud legally. was made pubic by DR.,
Shaw nearly a year ago with the Presi-
dents consent. As 1t is characteristic
OF Theodore BooseYelt's frankuess, both
In public and private correspondence. it
is itself the best possible refutation of
the charge tna, he actually coptcmplat-
ed resort to amy indirect or improper
means 10 hriag about tine consummatiou
we all lesirel-the builling OF the inter-
oceanic canal. it is herewith presented in
full
CCopyl
White House, Washington. Oct 10. 1893
My Dear Dr. Shaw: I iuclose yon. purely
Tor your ewu Information. cory NJ s let
ter Of Sept. ., from our minister to On
lOmhla. think it might interest you TO
see that there was absolutely rot thc
aHghiest chance OF Securing by treaty any
more than we endeayOrcd To secure. The
alternatives were TO 90 10 N:ca.agul
against the advice Of the great u;a GRITTY OF
competent euSineers some Of the most
competent Saving that we bad better have !
else 20 take the territory by force without
any attempt at getting treaty. ! cast !
aside the proposition made at this time go
fomeut the secession OF Panama What
ever other governments can do. the United |
States can not go into the securing by such |
UndcrhaId means the CCssiou Privately !
freely saw To you that should be deIieiied
" Panama were an independent state, or. / ,
tf Il made Itself so af t-s moment, hut fGr |
me % say so publicly Woud amount To an ! e
insti1at.on Of revolt, aud the: for' / can (
not SAY 10. With great regaids, sincerely /
yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The mere of such private letters tac
Democrats can produce oCt Of their ar
=.nals Of exploded campaiEl fakes the
b. ter for TheOd0re Roosevelt; 1t is a
IA nix statement of a great national prob
.e4l TO a friend. 1t tolls him of the l.
failure 10 deal with Colombia; of the
Of trying the Nicaragua
route-pronounced ispractclble by COM
petens enGineers-or taking the Panama T.
terriory without treaty; " the reiec
bon OF any proposition to fomeut the
recession Of Panama.
jealous OF tae Couutry'a Honor.
It also gives an Instructive glimpse Of j
how jca l1us the President was of the
honor Of the Uaited States in dealing :
With what would have been an irresisti-
bic temptation to other governments and y
dearly shows how he refraned from Civ /
ng any public expression to thoughts h
which would have been an instigatiou to o
he revolt d
Theodore Roosevelt is master Of his p
impulses, just as he is master Of his acts ?
nd words. He refrained from tanning ;
he revolt by a single breath {,
That revolt came without any hint or u
ressure from Washington. The United
'tates Joined with Europe in recognizing x
he revolutionary government Of Panama. !"
hen came the treaty. the acquisition OF Il
he rights to bUild the canal and finally u
bis declaration OF the convention at St ~
,ouis: OF
The Democracy. when entrusted with the =
over, viii coEstmct the Panama Canal 81
Dcrdiiy, honestly aud economically. there | o'
y giving to orr people what Democrats | I.
ave always CoEteuded fora great inter ~,
,Cau'e cauCi Of transportation, and broader | .N
nd iess rammeled trade relations with the I IN
.her peoples OF the world 0(
Now. il IS scarcely credible that the 70
'emocrats however much they may IA pl
,r an isthmian canal, would consent to m
s it under a fraudulent. illegal and dis
parable title. IL Colombia has been es
ronsed by the United States it is our
liy to right that wrong by restoring TO
sr, not only the title to the canal strip Lei
ross the istlimIs. but the sovereignty 20
-cr the whole republic Of Panama. I'll
Moreover. il Senator Culberson and en-
s fellow anti-impcriu'!sts do not SLAM tn
n iheic country the Tuitcd States owes pa
greater duty 10 itSal; than it owes to no
')mhia to undo the act of dishunor li''
- accase it af perpetr1tns Tor It's own an
irn5ass 1t ,9cSiGliizumcat. toi
The possession of thc canal strip was
Quired honorRbly or dishonorably by
climate legal mcons or by corrupt tor eo. :s,.
I'D ! iHl