New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-22

ing Just after the treaty OF 1846 ratified,
and before there was a railroad across the
isthmus: 1T is the duty of the government TO
secure these avenues against all danger OF in
terruption." meaning the highway which then
existed across the isthnus. Summing up Mr..
Piatt said that where international highway
or passage existed. and any nation undertook TO
block the path Of progress and prevent the use
Of this natural highway by the nations of the
earth. II became the duty OF some government TO
prevent such selfish proceeding. In this in
stance. the isthmus being in the Western Henri
sphere. that duty devolved on the United States.
If there were no tenet of international law
which would precisely fit this case it was be-
cause similar instance had occurred in his
tory. but now there international law, es-
tablished precisely as had been all the principles
Of international law, law made by precedent
The United States had performed its duty and
had been commended for doing by the ma
tons OF the earth. which to the number OF al
most twenty have recognized the Republic OF
Panama.
NO ACT OF WAR COMMITTED.
Mr. Platt defended the President against the
charge OF committing an act Of war. or even OF
intervention denying that his course in connec-
ton with the Panama revolt amounted TO
either 1T is easy" he said. Ito make charges
and talk in an excited way. We want speclnca-
tions. and It IS time for Senators who talN OF
acts Of war and of Intervention to tell us "hae
an act Of war is. and what act of the President
in this case amounts TO war or Intervention II
is acts Of which we are speaking. and we are
not concerned with what the President thinks
wants
The charges that the President knew Of the
revolution and had connived at it placed him in
a position he ought not TO be placed in and IN
a position which it necessary TO deny said
Mr.. Platt. 1t amounted to national disgrace
that such charges were made. One thing ABOUT
the President that the people believed him
honest; that he was a man who made no con-
cealnent Of his views and acts He was man
who did what he believed TO be right
The President had met the charges and in
situations III a message to Congress. Had he
been President said Mr.. Platt. he would not
have done it, but the President decided to rest
his claim with the American people. He then
read the part of the message which denied the
charges and said he would take the word Of the
President against that of any newspaper article.
signed or unsigned.
Mr. Plat said that rights on the isthmus
We're superior to those of any treaty. President
Roosevelt had the constitutional right to
send ships TO and land marines at Panama to
protect American interests and American lives
ana property as PRESIDENT Mckinney Hau 10 SEM
troops to Picking for the relief of the American
Legation. He held that Independent OF the
treaty Of 1916, the United States had the right
TO protect transit across the !sthmus even
against Colombia. Indeed. We were bound not
only 10 protect our own interests the isthmus,
but to protect the interests of the civilized world
TT" said he, the President had not taken the
steps he did, the protest we now hear would
have been mere zephyr compared TO the storm
We would have heard"
Mr.. Tillrnan asked if the attitude of the Colom-
blan forces was not in the nature OF "a dicker
or badger to increase the price of going
Mr.. Plat replied that Mr.. Hubbard and his
forty-two men had nothing to do with the buy
ing and the departure OF the Colombian troops.
He added that he had seen the newspaper re-
port that the American Vice-Consul, who was
not an American citizen. had supplied money TO
secure Torress departure Even If that were
true it did not involve completely by the govern
nent Of the United States. The act of Colonel
Black in raising the flag of the Panama nation
was defended on the ground that he was en-