Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-05
Former Senator Makes a vi
cious Attack on the Repub-
lican Candidate
TALKS OF THE PANAMA MATTER
Recounts the Events Leading Up to
the Ratification of the Canal Treaty
and Thinks it May Seriously En-
barrass Our Diplomatic Relations in
the Future.

Albany, N. Y, Oct. 5.-Former Unit
ed States Sentaor David B. Hill, made
his first speech in the democratic cam
paign here last night before the AL
bany Constitution Club in the humane
society hall. The Young Mems Demo-
cratic club marched to the hall in
body and there was a large attendance
of Albany democrats. The speech was
devoted to an attack upon the course
pursued by President Roosevelt in con-
nection with the Panama canal treaty,
and the revolution which resulted III
the secession Of Panama from the re
public of Colombia. Senator Hill said
in part:
MIR. Hill after briefly discussing other
issues said that the subject he partic-
ularly proposed to discuss was THE
Lawlessness of President Roosevelt
Displayed in the Panama Affair" He
declared that the republican platform
adopted at Chicago did not commend
the big stick" diplomacy of President
Roosevelt. 1t merely said that the pos
session of route is now an accom-
plished fact, and that work on canal
sis at last begun and is due to the re-
publican party"
The essence of the reproach of Pres
ident Roosevelt made in the democrat
ic national platform, the speaker con-
tended, is that he has, as president.
been "lawless" in the sense of Amer1-
can law and of international law. The
democratic platform intended to assert
that President Roosevelt did, on the
Panama affair, violate plain treaty OBJ
legations, plain international usages
and the constitution of the United
States.
Dips Into History.
The former senator recOunted the
events leading up to the revolt which
gained Panama her independence. AT
that time, he said, the alternative be-
fore President Roosevelt was either to
treat Panam, as an integral part of
Colombia, e. aid her as a province
rightfully in revolt, or soon to be in
revolt. He chose the latter. He repu-
dated the treaty of 1886. He confessed
to congress, that without consulting it.
he did, on November 2, 1908, when cit
was evident that the outbreak was inn
minent," send orders to our naval
forces not to permit any Colombian
armed force to come with a hostile
intent" at any point within fifty miles
of Panama" and to prevent the land
ing of an armed force by Colombia
in defense of her sovereignty, which
the treaty Of 1916 bound the president
to respect. There orders were executed.
"The revolt of November 4, 1903, was
of course, successful. President Roose-
welt upheld it and so created Panama
as an independent state; two days
thereafter he recognized as indepen-
dent the state he had created by an act
of war, and fourteen days later made
a treaty with the new state for the
excavation of ship canal, which
the newly created state ratified on
December 2, 1908.
half of such extraordinary conduct he
set forth in his special message to con-
gress of January 4, 1904. Therein and
in another special message to congress
fourteen days later, which contains
correspondence between General Reyes,
special commissioner of Colombia, then
in Washington, and Secretary Hay,
whose utterances are to be assumed as
expressing the presidents views, any
one can discern whether or not the
accusation Of lawlessness made in the
democratic platform IS well founded.
The issue can by the democracy be
safely rested on those two documents"