Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-01-14


Granada, Colombia or Panama matter
cd not one whit As events turned
out the question OF Reasonable time
did not enter into the matter at all
Although as the months went by Ii
became improbable that the Colon.
bian congress would ratify the treaty
or take steps which would be equiva.
lent thereto, yet all chance for such &C
ton on their part did not vanish until
the congress closed at the end OF DC.
tober; and within three days there,
after the revolution In Panama had
broken out. Panama became an indie
pendent state, and the control OF the
territory necessary for building the
canal then became obtainable. The
condition under which alone we could
have gone to Nicaragua thereby be
came impossible of fulfillment IL the
pending treaty with Panama should
not be ratified by the senate this
would not alter the fact that we could
not go to Nicaragua. The congress
has decided the route and there Is no
alternative under existing legisla
ton.
II confidently maintain that the
recognition of the republic Of Panama
was an act Justified by the interests
OF collective civilization. II ever q
government could be said TO have re
ceived mandate from civilization to
effect an object the accomplishment
of which was demanded In the interest
of mankind, the United States holds
that position with regard TO the inter
oceanic canal. Since our purpose to
build the canal was definitely nnnouno
ed, there have como from all quarters
assurances of approval and encourage
ment, in which even Colombia herself
at one time participated; and to gen
eral assurances were added specific
acts and declarations.
THAT our position as the manda
tary of civilization has been by no
means misconceived Is shown by the
promptituie with which the powers
lead In recognizing Panama Ms an In,
dependent state. Our action In reoog,
nizing the new republic has been fol.
lowed by like recognition on the part
of France, Germany, Denmark, Rus.
STA, Sweden and Norway. Nicaragua,
Peru, China, Cuba, Great Britain, Italy,
Costa Rica, Japan and Austria-Hung.
airy.
"In view Of the manifold censidera.
tions of treaty right aud obligation,
Of national interest and safety. and OF
collective civilization, by which our
government was constrained to act,
am at loss to comprehend the atti.
tude of those who can discern In the
recognition Of the republic OF Panama
only a general approval of the pr.nci.
pie OF revolution by which given
government Is overturned or one por,
ton Of a country separated from an
other. Only the amplest justification
can warrant a revolutionary movement
Of either kind. But there ia no fixed
rule which can be applied to all such
movements. Each case must be- Judged
on its own merits.
1T would be we'll for those who are
pessimistic o. to our action in peace
fully recognizing the republic OF Pan.
anna while we lawfully protected the
transit from invasion and disturbance
to recall what has been done In Cuba
where we interviewed even by force on
general grounds OF national interest
and duty. When we interfered II was
freely prophesled that We intended &c
keep Cuba and administer II for our
own interestT The result has demon
strated in singularly conclusive fash.
ION the falsity of these prophecies
q Cuba Is now an In ,>spendent republic
We governed 1t In its own interests for
few years, till II was able to stand
alone. and then started It upon rs
career of self-government and indie
pendence, granting 1t all necessary
aid.
In conclusion let me repeat that
the question actually before this gov.
eminent is not that OF the recognition
OF Panama as an Independent repub.
He. That is already an accomplished
fact. The question, and the only
question, is whether or not We shall
build an isthmian canal"