The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-05
!, B, HILL BOASTS
 THE PRESIDENT Attacks RooseveIt's Course in
 Panama Matter HAS VIOLATED TREATIES Mir. HllI Makes First Speech of tho Campaign Before the Albany
 Constitution Club of
 New York.
l HAS VIOLATED TREATIES

Albany, N. Y., october 4.-Forner Unit ed States Senator David B. Hill made | his first speech of the democratic cam
 paign here tonight before the Albany | constitution club in the humane society | hall
 The speech was devoted to an attack l upon the course pursued by President l Roosevelt in connection with the Panama | canal treaty, and the revolution which | resulted in the cession of Panama from | Colombia.
 MT. Hill. after briefly disc ussng other l issues. said that the subject he partic- ularly proposed to discuss was the law l lessness of President Roosevelt, display 1 ed in the Panama affair. He declared I that the republican platform adopted at l Chicago did not commend the big SUCK I diplomacy of President Roosevelt. IL merely said that the possession of d | route now is an accomplished fact, and 1 that work on the canal lis at last begun. | and 1t is due to the republican party. l The essence of the reproach of Presi-
 dent Roos svelt made In the democratic | national platform, the speaker contenoed' l Is that he mas as President. been law | less" in the sense of American law, and | l platform intended to assert that Presi- l dent Roosevelt did on the Panama affair violate plain treaty obligations plain international usages, and the constitu- | ton of the United States,
 Fixes By Treaty.
 l When MT Roosevelt became president, | the relations of Colombia and the United | States to Panama had been fixed by the | of Whfph then in full | vigof.
 President Roosevelt in his special mes l sage to congress of January IA. 1904. 1 strove for the interference that the treaty 1 was made on the initiative of MT, Polk, I and that its purpose was above alf' | to secure the construction of an inter-
 oceanic canal. He told congress Tt was l the opinion of eminent international ju- l rists" that Colombia could not under the engagements of 1S46. refuse to enter into | proper arrangement with the Snited | States for building canal but he failed
 to mention the names of the Jurists, and I to send ths:r opinions to congress, and to 1 explain that Colombia was entitled to l have opinion regarding the propriety Of | any arrangement. It was on the day af- | ter the date of the Presidents message | that Secretary Hay wrote that 1t Is true
 that the treaty uS46) did not require Co., | lombia to permit such a passage to be | constructed"
 Feared European Governments.
 Why did New Granada propose to us such a treaty? Secretary Hay answers l that it was because New Granada feared | certain European govers sments and par | ticularly Great Britain, would by some
 means get possession of the transit route. Her object was to obtain a pledge by
 the United States that 1t would maintain for Colombia her sovereignty and proper | ty. and the neutrality of the isthmus Of Panama To secure that object she prom ised to the United States a free and open l transit The treaty was negotiated, signed
 and ratified on the theory that New Gran ada had a right In law to close if she | saw fit against the United States and | all nations a transit across the isthmus.
 or to open It on her own terms.
 The former senator recounted the events | leading up to the revolt which gained
 Panama her independence.
 Alternative Before President.
 At that time he said the alternative be- | fore President Roosevelt was whether l to treat Panama as an integral part of | Colombia or aid her a province right
 fully in revolt or soon to be in revolt. He chose the latter. He repudiated the
 treaty of 1s46 He cofessed to congress that without consulting 1t he did. on No
 yember g. 1903. when fit was evident thst
 the outbreak was imminent" send orders
 to our naval forces not 10 permit any Colombian armed force to come with any
 hostile intent at any point within fifty | miles of Panama. and to prevent the landing of any armed forces by Colombia | l fCoatI uuad on Sacond pa0aI