The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-03

consideration of this right and other
privileges the sovereignty of the gov
eminent of Panama. By the transfer of
sovereignty on the island to the republic
of Panama the obligation to guarantee
her sovereignty against foreign agrees
sion rests upon the United States.
Will obtain Concessions.
If the new treaty with the republic of
Panama is ratified by the senate the
United States will obtain adequate con-
cessions rights and privileges for the
| construction and perpetual maintenance
of an isthmian canal.
Mr.. Fairbanks was followed by Mr..
/ Clark of Arkansas, who made a speech
In support of the treaty. Mr. Clark lost
no time in declaring his absolute adher-
ence to the policy of the President The
question of the wisdom of building an
isthmian canal is no longer. he said, a
question for discussion, and this declara-
/ ton was followed by another statement
| in endorsement of the treaty, whose
| terms, he said, were most liberal. He
also contended that the recognition by
the president of the republic of Pana ma
has been in all respects regular and in
| accord with presidents. This action, he
considered final, and in none of Its as
! poets could 1t be altered by review of
Mr. Clark expressed regret at not being
able to agree with those of his democratic
colleagues who opposed ratification. but
he called attention to the fact that many
of those who oppose the treaty have them
selves been earnest friends Of an isthmian
canal. He could not find himself willing
to obstruet an enterprise in which his
state. as we'll as all other parts of the
country, is interested by any acts of the
President which might not in all details
meet approval.
lie disclaimed. however, any intention
to critcise the President in any respect
for he felt the provocation was such that
Mr. Roosevelt, like Warren Hastings.
might congratulate himself in doing so
little when there was opportunity to do
so much. lie found so much provoeation
in the dealings of Colombia that he did
not wonder that a man of the President $
temperament had taken the position he
had. and Mr.. Clark expressed surprise
that more encouragement had not been
given to the Panama uprising.
Announced His Disagreement.
Mr. Clark also announced his disagree
ment with the senator's who contende1
that the President should have turned to
the Nicaraguan route after failing to Sc
cure Colombia's ratification of the canal
treaty. His principal reason for this posi-
tion was announced to be his belief that
we should have only a sea-level canal
which was possible on the Panama route.
and not possible ON the Nioaraguan route.
He did not believe that any but sea-
level canal would pay expenses.
lie declared his satisfaction over the
fact that the public expression given IN
favor of the canal had come from demo
cratic states, and he added that demo
cratic votes would make the ratification
of the treaty certain. The republican
party could make no such claim and the
President had received no assurances OF
support from the republican party at
large.
President Is Central Figure.
Continuing his discussion of the present
feature OF the canal controversy and ex-
tending his contention that the President
was without support I'm his own party
Mr.. Clarke declared that the president
is now the central figure in Belshazzar' S
feast, waiting for some friendly Daniel to
Interpret the handwriting on the wall
prophesizing for his whether the chair
man of the republican national committee
will fish or cut bait
He also declared that popular support
of the Presidents course in his own party
was so luke warm as to cause great re-
joeng over the announcement that the
three principal federal office holders in
Boston We're for the nomination of Mr.
Roosevelt and to cause the announce
ment that Alaska was for him to blazoned
forth in boxcar letters.
But Notwithstanding this lethargy." the
senator predicted the nomination of the
President. saying that while the dem
ocrats were in doubt as to whom to in
struct for the republicans knew for whom
they must instruct. Icidentally he made
vigorous appeal for the consideration
of the canal question Independent of par
tisan bias.
Reviews Governmental Conditions.
Mr.. Clarke reviewed governmental con-
ditions in Colombia, saying that its rulers
are men who find in warfare their most
profitable and congenial calling. Those
men are for the canal. he said, simply be-
cause they see a prospect of getting ten
millions of dollars out of Ii and not be-
cause they care anything about the Unit
ed States. or even the welfare of their
own country.
Mr.. Clarke also saw in the treaty of 1916
justification for the attitude of the Unit
ed States. He insisted that if Colombia
itself could not build the canal it was
bound because of the attitude of the
United States toward it. to permit this
country to build 1t. He then declared
that as the republic of Panama is an ac-
oomplished fact, 1t would be IAN act of
foolhardiness for the United States to re-
fuse to deal with it,
"Our acts of friendly supervision" he
said. should have convinced Colombia
of the determination of the United States
TO do right under all circumstances, and
the Colombian people should have known
that they weres asking too much when
they accepted our protection under the
Monroe doctrine for eighty years. and
then demanded the right to be treated
as an equal power with the United
States
Course of Double Dealing.
Instead of maintaining a friendly at
titude. the government of Colombia, he
said had begun course of double deal
ing and bad faith. even before the Co
lombian congress had begun considera-
ton of the Hay-Herran treaty, and this.
he asserted. had been continued to the
time of the Panama secession.
He contended that the Colombian au-
thorities knew perfectly well that the
revolution was imminent and there was
no foundation for the charge that the
Panama revolt had been invited since
the adjournment of the Colombian con-
gress 1t was not to be denied that the
United States knew what was going on
in Panama, and If it was necessary to
show that the President was unaware
of the state of affairs in order to estab-
fish his integrity that must be done at
the expense of his intelligence, and even
of his performance of official duty Pos
sibly in some matters of detail, the
President had been rash. but Mr.. Clark