Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-01-04
SPECIAL MESSAGE
SENT TO CONGRESS
President Roosevelt Transmits a special
Message to Congress Dealing with the
Panama Canal Other Matters Consi=
dered .<

- f.'E"tf r" y -'r'-'" "
complaint that 1t did not In the fullest and
amplest manner guarantee to Colombia
sserything that she could by any color Of
title demand. -',1> -
DEMANDS OF coLoMsIANs
! GENEROUSLY RESPONDED TO.
Nor is the fact to be lost sight Of that
the rejected treaty, while generously re-
sponding to the pecuniary demands of Co
lombfa, In other respects merely provided
Tor the construction Of the canal In con-
formity with the express Requirements Of
the act Of the congress of June 49, 1902.
BY that act, as heretofore quoted, the
president was authorized to acquire from
Colombia. for the purposes of the canal,
perpetual CONTROL Of certain strip of
land; and it was expressly required that
the control thus to be obtained should
include Jurisdiction to make police and
sanitary regulations and to establish such
judicial tribunals as might be agreed on
for their enforcement These were condi-
tions precedent prescribed by the congress;
and for their fultillment suitable stipula-
lions were embodied In the treaty. It has
been stated In public prints that Colombia
objected to these stipulations on the ground
that they involved q REIMBURSEMENT of her
''sovereignty;" but In the light of what has
taken place this alleged objection must be
considered as an afterthought. :. In reality
the treaty, instead of requiring a cession
Of Colombia's sovereignty over the canal
strip. expressly acknowledged, confirmed
and preserved her sovereignty over 1t. The
treaty In this respect simply proceeded on
the lines on which all the negotiations
leading up to the present situation have
been conducted. In these negotiations the
exercise by the United States, subject to
the paramount rights of the local sovereign,
Of substantial control over the canal and
the Immediately adjacent territory, has
been treated as a fundamental part Of any
arrangement that might be made. 1t has
formed an essential feature Of all our plans
and its necessity Is fully recognized in the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty. The congress, in
providing that such control should be Sc
cured, adopted no new principle, but only
Incorporated in it's legislation a condition
the Importance and propriety of which
were universally recognized. During all
the years of negotiation and discussion that
preceded the conclusion Of the Hay Herran
treaty Colombia never iptimated that the
requirement by the United States of con-
troll over the canal strip would render un-
attatnahle the construction of canal by
way of the isthmus of Panama; nor were
We advised. during the months when legis.
lation Of 1902 was pending before the con-
gress, that the terms which it embodied
would render negotiations with Colombia
impracttcable. 1t Is plain that NO nation
could construct and guarantee the Neutral
ity Of the canal with a less degree Of con-
troll than was stipulated for In the Hay
Herran treaty. A refusal to grant such
degree of control was necessarily refusal
tn 1n o%S1
Such refusal therefore squarely raised the
question whether Colombia was entitled
to bar the transit of the worlds traffic
across the isthmus.
That the canal itself was eagerly de-
manded by the people Of the locality
through which it was to pass, and that the
people Of this locality DO less eagerly
longed for it's construction under Ameri-
can control, are shown by the unanimity
of action In the new Panama republic
Furthermore, Colombia, after having re-
jected the treaty IN spite of our protests
and warnings when it was in her power
to accept it, has since shown the utmost
eagerness to accept the same treaty If only
the status quo could be restored. One of
the men standing highest In the official
circles Of Colombia, on Nov. 6, addressed
the American minister at Bogota saying
chat If the government of the United
States would land troops to preserve Co
lomblan sovereignty and the transit the
Colombian government would declare mar
tial law; and, by virtue Of vested constitu-
tional authority, when public order is dis
turbed, [would] approve by decree the rati.
dcation Of the canal treaty as signed; or,
Is the government of the United States
prefers, lwculll call extra session Of the
congress-with new and friendly members
next May to approve the treaty." Having
these facts in view, there Is no shadow Of
question that the government Of the
United States proposed treaty which was
not merely just, but generous to Colombia,
which our people regarded as erring, il at
all. on the side of over generosity; which
was hailed with delight by the people Of
the immediate locality through which the
canal was to pass, who were most con-
cerned as to the new order Of things, and
which the Colombian authorities now rec
ognize as being SO good that they are
willing to promise its unconditIoia al ratif-
cation II only we will desert those who
have shown themselves our fri ends and
restore to those who have sho' En them
they did. pass by !. the question as to
what assurance we have that they would
now keep their pledge and not again res
fuse to- ratlfy the treaty IL they had the
power; for. Of course, III will not for one
moment discuss the possibility Of the Unit
ed States committing an act Of such base
ness as 70 abandon the new republic Of
Panama. 81 i}E S& Esss s " I'll
LOCATION Or E CANAL VI
DEFINITELY DECIDED ON.
y Third. Finally the congress- dennitely
settled where the canal was to be bnilt
It was provided that q treaty should be
made FOR building the canal across the