The Saint Paul globe., 1904-10-21


Herran treaty. if not nullified by. the
unanimous vote of the Colombian sen
ate disapproving it, expired by limi-
tation upon the failure of Colombia to
approve it within the time fixed for its
ratification. He entered in detail
into the legal aspect of the matter and
said
1t is astonishing, in view of these indis-
putable 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 The entered
into the Panama treaty the time within
which he could lawfully deal with that
route had not expired. 1t IS interesting
in this connection to read the president s
message to congress, Jan. 4, 1904 lin which
he said LAS events turned out the ques-
tion of reasonable. time did not enter into
the matter at all, and yet there
had not been lapse of reasonable time
using the word reasonable, in any prop
er sense-such as would justify the ad-
ministration going to the Nicaragua
route"
Significant From Hay
Then read the following. letter from
Secretary Hay to Minister Herran, writ
ten Jan. 81, 1903, which has never be-
fore been published:
"I am directed by the president to say
to you that in his opinion the reasonable
time allowed by him by the statute to
conclude negotiations with Colombia for
the construction of an 1sthm1an canal has
come to close and cannot be extended.
He authorizes me to sign with you the
treaty of which l have had the honor to
give you a draft, with this change, that
the sum of 100000 annual payment there
in mentioned be increased to $3.50, 600. I
am not authorized to consider or discuss
any other change whatever.
while the president, in defense of his
revolutionary course. was pressing the op-
posite view on the country in his message
bates, and while public opinion upon the
question was forming, this letter was sig
nifcantly withheld even from the senate
for months, though others M upon the gen
eral subject were transmitted.
The national administration in prec1p1-
tate and guilty haste anticipated and dis
counted the time for the revolt 1t mag
nified the number and character of the in
surgents, and officers of the government
connived at subterfuge to deceive and
corrupt the forces sent to subdue the in
Surrection.
Completes SpoIiatlon
Not satisfied with these illegal, wrongful
and discreditable acts. but purposing to
complete the intended spoHation, the adj
ministration within two days recognized
the mock government it alone1created and
upheld, and within two weeks in the very
midst of actual though bloodless war it
a
French adventurer who organized the
conspiracy in the shadow OF the national
capitol. ,.4S4xs
accept it as true that the executive
officers of the administration did not
officially and publicly instigate the revolt
in Panama; but that the administration,
including the president, privately favored
and encouraged the movement, and that
this was widely known is susceptible of
demonstration and in matter of this
character it was tantamount to commit
ting the government to 1T. The move
ments of the navy in consonance with the
wishes and expectations of the conspira-
tors is inexplicable except upon the hy-
pothesis of sympathy and foreknowledge.
sentatives at Washington visited the state
department and White house, teemed
with suggestions and prophecies of Sc
cession, recognition and a treaty with
Panama, from June until November, 1903,
without objection or denial from the ad-
ministration.
Senator Culberson then read the fol-
lowing letter to DR.. Albert Shaw, editor
of the Review of Reviews, under date
Oct. 10, 1903:
Roosevelt to Shaw
1 inclose you, purely for your own in
formation, a copy of "a q, letter OF Sept Sept. o .
might interest you to see that there was
absolutely not the slightest chance of Sc
curing by treaty any ,,1i more than w, we en-
to go to Nicaragua, against the advice of
the great majority of competent engineers
some of the most competent saying that
we had better have no canal at this time
than go there-or else to take the territory
by force without any attempt at getting a
treaty. cast aside the proposition made
at this time to foment the secession of
Panama. Whatever other governments
can do the United States cannot go into
the securing by such underhand means
the cession. Privately freely say to you
that should be delighted if Panama were
an Independent state, or II 1t made itself
so at this moment but for me to say so
publicly would amount to an instigation
of a revolt, and therefore cannot say it.
From this remarkable letter." con-
tinued the speaker, 'it seems evident
that when it was written the president
was advised of the contemplated seces-
sion of Panama which eliminated Nov.
8, 1903, and it is equallyE evident that
his information came from an authori-
tative source, for he considered and
cast aside proposition to foment the
movement. While the latter in some
respects is characteristic of the frank
ness and courage for which the presi
dent is distinguished, it exhibits also
regard of the rights of others when his
purposes are involved. Writing pri-
vately to one who is publicly foment-
ing secession his restless ambition
creates a distinction between private
and public instigation OF conspiracy
and revolution, and contributes by his
name and exalted station to- the dis
memberment of a republic.