The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-02
STANDS ON RECORD.
Senator Fairbanks Defends Gov
eminent In Panama Affair.

Washington, Feb. 2-The senate to-
day witnessed the unusual spectacle of
religious service conducted by a
Protestant minister and a Jewish rabbi.
The daily prayer was delivered by
Rabbi David Philipson, a professor in
the Hebrew college at Cincinnati, who
spoke of this country as 1.-The promised
land, the new Canaan, the exemplar of
Justice, the protector of the, weak, the
foe Of unrighteousness, the sanctu-
airy of liberty, the haven of peace"
The service was concluded with the
Lords prayer by Chaplain Hale. The
business proceedings of the day
were begun by adopting a resolution
the committee appointed to investigate
the charges against Senator Dietrich
to employ &. clerk, to send for witnesses
and to take other steps necessary to
carry out the orders of the senate.
The Bacon resolution looking to the
arbitration of the claims of Colombia,
against the United States, on account
of the Panama revolt was laid before
the senate. Mr.. Fairbanks was recog-
niezd to speak His remarks were de-
voted largely to a discussion of the
question of whether the United States
was in completely with Panama in the
revolt of last November. He spoke of
the Importance of showing this charge
to be without foundation, saying:
while we greatly desire an inter
oceanic canal we are far more anxious
that it shall be constructed without
any faint whatever of national dis
credit He concluded, however, that the
record made by the government must
supply conclusive proof on one side or
the other of the controversy.
by it and by it alone" he said, 1.-The
administration must be judged, ad-
ding that for himself he would accept
1.-The record as it has been made by
/ the legislative department and submit
ted to the congress unless it is impeach-
! ed by something more conclusive than
vague suspicion, unsupported asser-
! lions, and wild conjecture. We must
proceed upon the assumption that the
/ legislative department within its con-
stitutional prerogatives is actuated by
proper motives and that it is as re-
/ gardful of the good name of the coun-
/ try as either the legislative or the jul
dicial department. Who shall determine
what steps should be taken to make
/ sure peace and protect our people from
/ harm upon the line of transit across
/ the isthmus. A determined revolution
| was at hand under circumstances dis
/ imilar to any that had preceded it
| Bloodshed was apparently imminent
and interruption to the highway across
/ the isthmus was among the reasonably
many probabilities. Manifestly the
| duty devolved upon the chief executive
| to take such steps as in his judgment
| were necessary to preserve the lives oil
Americans and to maintain unbrokeH
peace. = We are not left in I'M
certainty as to what was done by the
United States in connection with thu
Panama revolt for Secretary Hay says
| emphatically in his note to Genera
Reyes, January 1, 1904:
Amy charge that this government
or any responsible member of it, helc
intercourse, whether officially or unof
ficially, with agents of revolution il
Colombia, is utterly without justifica-
ton.
Equally so is the insinuation tina
any action of this government prior tt
the resolution in Panama was the re
suit of completely with the plans of th'
revolutionists. The department sees Fl
to make these denials and it make,
them final
This is a complete REPUTATION of tn,
charge that this government had an,