Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-01-13
Presidents Canal Message
.s....s

/ the lsthmian canal, The Presidents ar
| gument may be summarized as follows;
Colombia's refusal to ratify the Hay
| Herran treaty was part of a scheme to
! conaseate the property OF the French
canal company and so obtain the
$40,000,000 authorized by the act Of Con-
gress OF 1902 to be paid for the property
Of that company. in addition TO the COM
pensation to be paid by the United States
for the privilege of completing the canal.
| This was not only contrary 10 the inter
ests OF the United States, but it would
have involved Colc.nbia with France,
| friendly nation. against whose interior
ence we should have been compelled by
the treaty OF 1876 TO interpose thus in
viting a serious war As Colombia was
thus acting in bad faith with MS, we
were no longer bound to act in good faith
with her.
As a matter Of fact, hewever, we did
keep faith with Colombia as long as II
was possible to do so. Under the treatS>
Of 1916 our sole duty was TO guarantee
the neutrality of the isthmus and to keep
interoceanic traffic free and uninterrupt-
ed, and In landing troops on the isthmus
during the revolution that is all we did.
AS between the Colombians and the rev.
| olutionists our troops maintained strict
| neutrality.
The general rule Is sound that new
| state should not be. recognized as indie
| pendent till ii has shown its ability to
| maintain its independence. But there are
! exceptions, and this was one of them.
Our departure from the rule was justi-
| fed by three reasons-viz., our treaty
rights, our national interests and safety,
| and the interests of collective civilization.
After discussing these reasons in elab-
crate detail. the President says;
an my opinion no disinterested and
falr-mnded observer acquainted with
the circumstances can fail to feel that
Panama had the amplest justification for
separation from Colombia under the con-
Gitions existing, and moreover that its
action was in the highest degree bene-
| fetal to the interests OF the entire civil
lied world by securing the immediate op-
portunity for the building OF the inter
oceanic canal"
But, says the message in effect, what
ever may be thought of the action taken
by the administration. Whatever was
done has been done and cannot be I'M
done. Meanwhile, the only question now
before us is the ratification OF the treaty.
''.The question, aud the only question,
says the President, 'is whether or not
we shall build an isthmian canal"
The Me,saG> in Detail.
The message begins by recalling the act
of Congress ITO provide for the construc.
ton OF a canal connecting the waters OF
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans" approved
June Is, 1902. This act provided that me ne
President should obtain the property OF
the Panama Canal Company and the per
petuaI control of a strip six miles VIDE
across the isthmus OF Panama. THIS CON
troll" says the message. has now oeeh
obtained. the provision Of the act mas oeen
complied with" Then are quoted again
the words Of Secretary Lewis Cass In 1888
quoted in the last annual message, TO the
effect that the LEGAL government OF the
| fsthr1us has no right to CLOSE the gates of
| intercoU-ss on the great highways OF the
world by the pretension that
| these avenues of trade and travel belong 10
/ them" Quotation is also mace OF tue SEN
ate resolution, passed In 1850, when II VS.
| proposed that France should guarantee the
bonds Of the canal company, that the
| government OF the United states VIII IooK
| with serious concern aud dlsapproyaI upon
any connection Of ans European govern,
| ment with the construction or control OF
| any ship canal across the lsthmus OF
| Darien or across Central America, and
| must regard any such connection or con-
| troll as Injurious to the just rights and
| interests Of the United States and as
menace to their welfare"
Treaty Was TOO Generous.
Under the -Paunccfote treaty" the
message continues, 1T was explicitly pro-
| vIded that the United States should con
| t-.l police and protect the canal which
| was to be built, keeping II open FOR the
| vesseIs of all nations on equal terms. Inc
| United States thus assumed the position OF
Ruarantor Of the canal and Of Its peacefui
use by all the word, The guaranty IN
| cuded as a matter OF course the building
Then follows an elaborate defense Of the
| Hay-H erraa treaty, showing that II erred
| on the side of overgenerosity 10 Colombia,
| and that 1t was, indeed. so fine thing for
| Colombia that after having rejected the
| treaty In spite Of our protests and warn
| lngs when 1t was In her power to accept It.
! Colombia has since shown the utmost eager
/ ness to accept the same treaty II only the
| status quo could be restored" Then fol-
| lows n significant sentence. II pass by
| the question as TO whaa assurApee we have
| that they would now Keep their pledge
| and not again refuse to ratify the treaty
| IL they had the power, for, of course,
will not for one moment discuss the posi-
| bIlity Of the United States committing an
| act Of such baseness as TO ABANDON the
| new republic Of Panama"
Anticipating the Revolution.
! Now the message shows that It Is no
| longer possible. under existing legislation.
| 10 consider constructing the canal on the
1
| nothing. Such being the case, when 1t be-
| came apparent that Colombia was not GO
| ing to ratify the treaty. the President In
| tended ito consult the Congress as to
| TO announce that the canal was to be dug
| forthwith; that we would give the terms
/ that we had offered and no others. and
/ that II such terms we're not agreed to we
| would enter into an arrangement with Pan
| ame direct, or take what other steps were
| nee .ln order to begin the enterprise"
The revolution In Panama, of course.
! made this unnecessary, but the point Is
| that revolution or no revolution, the Presi-
| dent was prepared to take such action.
| This fnct, "a the President hints. Is proof
| presumptive that the administration had no
| hand In bringing the revolution about. He
| says that, Of course, the government had
! knowledge Of the state Of feeling In Pana-
| ma, but that Of the plans for revolution
| Il had no Information that WAS not pro
| cured by the newspapers and was, there
| fore, q matter Of common notoriety. Here
| come numerous citations OF newspaper dis
patches, published In August, September
| and October all announcing that revolu-
tion was at hand. On Oct. 10 the PTesi-
dent interviewed two American army OH
GERS who had Just returned from Panama.
and their recital confirmed the newspaper
Now the President quotes Instructions
sent 10 our naval officers In the vicinity 10
maintain free and uninterrupted transit.
Before any step had been taken By our
trooas to restore order after the uprising
had actually occurred, "the commander of
the newly landed Colombian troops had In
dulged ia wanton and violent threats
against American citizens, which created
serious appre hension." These threats came
from Colonel Torres, and they were 10 the
| effect that he would open IRE on the city
OF Colon and kill every American citizen
ever, and little later Colonel Torres Eek
| messed himself as most friendly TO Ameri-