The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-10-21

auspices of the Reform club, a
Democratic mass meeting was held
mere tonight at Carnegie hall at which
Senator Charles A. Culberson of Texas,
Governor Andrew J. Montague of Vir-
Elnia, Congressman John Sharp Will
Jams of Mississippi and Borough Pres-
dent Martin w. Littleton of Brooklyn,
were the speakers.
The Panama Deal.
Senator Culberson devoted the great
e. portion of his remarks to ii discus
sion of the Panama canal, going into
detail with the revolution by which
Panama became an Independent state
and the subsequent negotiations which
resulted in the canal treaty. Abiding
10 what he termed the spirit Of law
lessness which led the president in this
diSgTaceful affair" he declared that
theitransaction. above all others in his
career. striKingly typifies his contempt
of all legal restraint and his Unsuitable
passion for personal and arbitrary gov
eminent"
Continuing, Senator Culberson said:
Choosing an occasion upon which he
could appeal to the avarice of the peo-
pie and thus temper their spirit of re-
slstance to usurDatiOn. he respected
neither legal bounds nor national good
faith. and as the incident serves to il
luStrate not only his impericus and
'NSpptiG AdiuIcs DuL the danger TO the
country which is involved in his cleo
lion, it is well to understand it. for, be-
side want of general information
upon the subject, important facts have
been deliberately withheld from the
public"
Spooner Law Violated.
He then sketched the course of events
I'm the passage by congress of the bill
known as the "Spooner law" aUthoriz-
ing the canal, and charged the presi-
dent III his course with Colombia de
family violated both its letter and
spirit" He claimed that the Hay-Her-
ran treaty. if not nullified by the unan-
imOus vote of the Colombian senate
disappearing ii, expired by limitation
upon the failure of Colombia to APP
prove il within the time. fixed for its
ratification. He entered with detail
into the legal aspect of the matter and
continuing. said:
Presidents Weak Defense.
1T is astonishing. in view of these
indisputably facts. that the defense of |
the president with reference to this !
statute should be placed by himself |
and his party upon the ground that |
when he entered into the Panama /
treaty the time within which he could /
lawfully deal with that route had not /
expired"
1T is interesting" added Senator |
tulbersOn. lin this connection to read /
the presidents message to congress /
Jan. f. 1904. in which he said: AS (
events turned out the question of rea- /
SOnable time did not enter into the /
matter at all and vet there had |
not been a lapse OF reasonable time [
using the word reasonable in any prop !
er sense-sgch as would justify the adj /
miuistrdtion going to the Nicaragua |
route
Hay to Herran.
Then" he continued read the FOL /
lowing letter from Secretary Hay to /
Minister Herran, which has never been !
published:
Department Of state. Washington. |
ID. g.. Jan. Il. 1503.-Dear Or. Herran: |
j am directed by the president to say
L. you that i'm mis- opinion the reason |
able time" allowed by the statute to
conclude negotia lions with Colombia
for the construction Of an Isthman
canal has come TO a close and cannot /
be extended. He authorizes me TO sign
with you the treaty of which I have
had the honor 10 give you draft. with
this change, that the sum of 500. 900
annual payment therein mentioned be
increased tn S250.000- I am not author
iZcI To consider or discuss any other
changed whatever.
(sisned JOHN HAY"
Intended to Deceive.
The president" continued the speak
CT. lin defense of his revolutionary
course was pressing the opposite view
on the country In his message and by
his partisans in congressional debates,
and While public opinion upon the ques-
tion was forming this letter was sig
nihcantly withheld. even from the sen
ate, for months, though others upon
the general subject were transmitted.
The character Of this occasion neces-
sarily preciUdes an extended discussion
of the details Of the IA briCated rebel
lion IN Panama. or the legal questions
which pertain 10 IL. II must suffice
10 say tEat the national administration
IN precipitate and guilty haste antici-
pated and discounted the time for the
revolt. II magni6ed the number and
character of the insurgents and Of
ficers of the government connived at
n subterfUge 10 deceive and corrupt
the forces sent TO subdue the insur-
recton. Not satisfied with these IL
legal and wrongful and discreditable
acts. but purposiag 20 complete the in
tended spoilatiOn, the administration
within two days recognized tie mock
government il alone created and up
held. and within two weeks in the
very midst of actual though bloodless
war il accepted cessiOn of the ter
r1tOrY from a French adVentuTer who
organized the conspiracy in the shadow
Of the national capitol.
Engaged in the Conspiracy,
Il accept it as true that tie execu-
tive officers OF the administration did
not officially and publicly instigate the
revolt i'm Panama; but that the adj
ministration, including the president,
privately favored and encouraged the
movement. and that this was widely
known is susceptible of demonstration.
and in a matter of this character il
was tantamOunt TO committing the
government TO il. The very atmosphere
of Washington was charged with Inis
belief. The movements Of the navy.
il cCnsonance with the wishes and eX-
pectations of the conspirators. are in
eXplcable except on the hypothesis of
sympathy and foreknOwledge. The press
of the country, whose representatives
at Washington visited tie state de-
psrtment and White Houac daily.
teemed with suggestions and pruDhe- I
Cies of secession, recognition and
treaty with Panama. from June untilt
November 1903. without objection or
protest or denial from the adminstra-
ton
Not Officially, But Privately.
Senator Culberson then read the fol-
lowing letter TO Dr. Albert Shaw, edi- Z