The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-01-15
Roosevelt Not SwOrn TO Execute
Imaginary Mandates OF Civ
iliZaiiDn, but the Laws
OF the United
StaieS.
Declares the President Has Juggled
With Words and Has Used High
handed Methods to "Play
to the Galleries -


Carmack opened the proceedings Wit
a set speech IN pointed criticism of tn
President course. The Senator sal,
there should be limits to opposition II
politics He wished Senator Lodg,
could understand that there should b.
limits to tie zeal OF Administration
supporters in Congress and that INN
was reached when thoy were called on
to applaud 1t for violating the law
they themselves had made.
the spirit of the English peasant
who boosted that he had been kicked
by duke had no proper place IN the
American Senate. If tue Senator were
less of partisan he could not try to
make It appear that demand for
binding the canal as the law d.
rected was opposition to the canal.
The Democrats were not trying to
make the canal an ISSUE, but the Issue
was whether the President could SUBJ
stitute mis- will for the law. Demo
craIs had voted for the canal bill In
full faith that if the President should
fail to make treaty with Colombia
he would obey the statute and 20 to
Nicaragua. The partIsanshi p was in
the PRESIDENTS refusal to execute the
law rather than bulld the canal along
the route favored by the Democratic
party. Such partisanshlp was too
dangerous to be called contemplate.
He thought this matter ought to be
discussed Ill open Senate and not In
secret session. Every step taken by
the President violated the Constitu-
ton, the statute ana the law of ma
tions. Where could any precedent be
found Qualifying the swift recognition
of that hldeous abortion called the Re-
public Of Panama9 Tue rule laid
down by all cur Presidents, incluoing
Mckinley, was that new nation
should not be recognized AZ independent
until it had established Its lndepend-
ence as fact. We had followed that
rule in dealing with the revolving
colonies of Spain and did not recognize
them until Spain herself had virtually
a bandoned the struggle.
Contrast Drawn.
He contrasted Roosevelt's action
with that of Andrew jackson in the |
Ease OF Texas. Houston and Crockett, |
rom Jackson's State. were III that |
great struggle and Texas had already |
lske1 Admission to the Unlcn. Yet
Jackson said because of the very fact
hat we had so great an interest we
hould follow more closely stablished
principles that no unworthy suspicion
night attach to our conduct. He
would take Andrew jackson rather
han Roosevelt for his guide and he
Id not fear the result in that proud
Id State in whose bosom slept the
shes of Old Hickory. The President
imself was forced to admit that hi
onduct was not III accord with the
rinclples that govern recognition and
loaded the law of necessity. He {
Iaimed an extraordinary condition [
'hicn required heroic action and that !
9 had received mandate from civil {
alton. There was no condition that [
rs not foreseen anu provided for by '
w. The President was not sworn to j
xecute imaginary mandates of civil I
cation, out the laws of the Unit, d 4
tates. The law authorized HIM to 4
,quire a canal site from Colombi by
eaty. and If he could not do that in
reasonable tlme, to go to the v
icaragua route. The only thing c
'cessary to secure the canal was for v
Q President to obey the law. Il
1e President Juggled With Words "
Mr.. Carmack said the President hau
led to juQgle with the words Of the
atute ana claimed that he had
time to secure the Panama a
ute by any method, but this was an M
terthought. He quoted from Secre-
" Hay statement that IT the y
ATTY with Colombia should fan the
esldent was bound to 60 to NiCara-
a. The President had excused his
III handed methods by pleading that Is
ire had beer unreasonable delay,
{ wren asked why ne did not go to nt
ne claimed thcre had not al
an lapse of reasonable time. The
esident had never intended to obey
s provision. In his message he
d there were two alternatives II
omuia did not ratify the treaty,
, to dig the canal without her
lsent, the other to take advantage
IN insurrsction on the lstnmus. he !
'er considered for moment the
lpie plan OF obeying the PLAIN man.
Q Of the law.
here had never been anything that
ervAd the name of popular insur.
ton In Panama. The facts were
I seven men entered into rnis con-
racy aided and advised oy Col. ter
ok, an officer of the United States da
~. There was 20 appeal 10 the 3,
pie. but the Municipal Council of en-
town Of Panama had assumed to vii
for the whole State Inc Munich Go
Council of Colon had followed suit, FIR,
this same Col Black was chosen Jot
raise the tiag of the new republic. Dec
President had never condemned
act and Col Black knew ne was be
~ the will of the administration. 90
President had admitted that he he,
expecting this insurroction as q Fo
ms of accomplishing HIS purpose. pro
re was the additional fact that an che
or of the American army was In qus
There was the addi- Civ
al fact that the conspirators were tina
,uding upon the and OF American viii
ships. as they freely declared, and tail
final fact that the warships we're
0 TO play their part In the insur- r.,
ION. Tue President said they we're NJ
. to protect the transit, but they