Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-04
MIS- DUTY WAS PERFECTLYCLEAR
Colombia 10 Dealing With the United
Stateg Was Neither Frank
Nor Explicit
REGARDING THE REVOLUTION.
No One Connected With American Gov
eminent Took Any Part in melting
Or Encouraging the Same.

washington, Jan. 4,--The president
today sent the following message on
the Panama question TO Congress-
President Roosevelt says that he lays
before Congress statement Of his ac-
,Ion M 10 the present time on the act
anproved June 2S, 1902, by which the
presIden, was authorized to secure FOR
me United States the property OF the
Panama Canal company and the per-
petual control Of strip six miles wide
across the isthmus OF Panama 1t was
further provided that should the pres
ilent be unable TO obtain for the Unit
ed States a satisfactory title 10 the
property of the new Panama Canal
company and the control OF the neces-
sary territory Of the republic Of ColOm-
Ria within reasonable time and upon
reasonable terms, then the president
should endeavOr to provide Tor canal
by the Nicaragua route.
WHAT WAS TO BE DONE.
"The language quoted" says the
president. defines with exactness and
precision what was to be done. and
what as matter Of fact has been
done. The president was authorized TO
80 10 the Nicaragua route only II with
in reasonable time he could not obtain
control of the necessary territory of
the republic Of Colombia" This control
has now been obtained the provision
Of the act has been complied with; 1t
Is no longer possible under existing cir
cumstances to go TO the Nicaragua
route as an alternative.
This act marked the climax OF the
effort on the part Of the United States
to secure. so far as legislation was con-
Cerned, an inter-oceanic canal across
the lsthmus. The effort TO secure
treaty for this purpose with one Of the
Central American republics did not
stand on the same footing with the ef-
fort 10 secure a treaty under ordinary
conditions
PROPER POSITION OF UNITED
STATES.
The president then quotes as he did In
his annual message, what he terms was
the proper position of the United states
to assume in reference to this canal
and therefore to the governments OF
the lsthmus, as set forth by Secy. Cass
IN 1893. He says the United States has
nEen the position that no other gov.
eminent is to build the canal and cites
the action of the senate in 1889, In pass.
ing resolution declaring that 1.-THE
government OF the United States will
look With serious concern and dis
approval upon any connection of any
european government with the con-
NIucton or control OF an yship canal
across the isthmus of Darien or across
central America"
HAY-PAuNCEFoTE TREATY.
Under the Hay -Pauncerote treaty"
hyS the president, 1T was explicitly
provided that the United States should
wn'Ioh police and protect the canal
Nhlch was to be built, keeping 1t open
TOT the vessels of all nations on equal
terms. The United States thus as
sumcd the position Of guarantor of the
,.enal and Of It's peaceful use By all
me world The guaranty included as
matter OF course the building Of the
.shaL The enterprise was recognized
Nv responding to an international need.
'Nu II would be the veriest tTayesty
VI right and justice to treat the gov
ernnents IN possession of the isthmus
~ having the right, In the language Of
Hr' CasS' TO close the gates Of inter-
course on the great highways of the
Norl0, and Justify the act by the pre-
tension that these avenues of trade and
uavel belong to them and that they
onoose to shut them
THREE THINGS SETTLED.
Inc president says that when this
government submitted to Colombia the
my herran treaty, three things were,
,WeIelQre already settled. one was
suat the canal should be built. The
.eoohd' that II should be 'our purpose
~ ueal not merely In spirit Of justice
IVY N q spirit Of generosity with the
people through whose land we might
pulu H. The Hay-Herran treaty"
GUYS The president NJ It erred at all
erred In the direction Of. over generosl.
~ toward the Colombian government
~ our anxiety to be fair we had gone
W tne very verge in yielding TO a weak
hhgl9h $ demands what that nation was
nuP'oSsly unable TO enforce from US
asalnst our WILL The only criticism
,uaue upon the administration for the
W.us ot the Hay-lIerran treaty was
~ having granted too much TO Colom-
W. not for failure to grant enough,
nyI,ner IN the Congress nor In the
auo'lc press, at the time this treaty
was formulated, WAS there COMPLAINT