The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-01-05
PRESIDENT TELLS OF OUR
RELATIONS WITH PANAMA

lis behASs utHhfhu VI ItHulrlnk
eession Or colombIa's soyereignity over
the canal strip. expressly Acknowledged,
confirmed and preserved her sovereign
ny over Il The treaty In this respect
simply proceeded on the lines on which
alt negotiations leading Up to the pres
ent situation have been conducted.
"fDuelng the years OF negotiations
AMI discussion that preceded the con-
slusioE Of the Hay Herran treaty. Co
ioinhIa never intImated that the re-
auirement by the united States OF con-
trol over the canal strip would render
an,itainable ME construction Of a canal
by way Of the isthmus OF Panama: nor
were we ad ,ised, during The months
when legislation OF 1909 was pending
before the congress, that the terms
which u embodied would render me-
gotiat;ons with Colombia impracticabie.
II is oiaii, that no nation could COM
struct and guarantee the neutrality Of
the canal with less degree OF contro
than wns stipulated for on the Hay
Iieiran treaty. a refusal to grant such
degree OF control was necessarily a re-
fnsal to make any practicable treaty
'nt all.
"That the canal itself was eagerly
demanded by the people Of the locality
through which 4 was to pass, and that
the people OF this locality no less eag-
ely for Its construction under Amcri-
can aontrol, are shown by the unan-
unity OF the action In the new Panama
republic. Furthermore. Colombia, after
having rejected the treaty In spite OF
our protests and warnings when Il wa
IN her power to accept IT, has since
shown the utmost eagerness 10 accept
lie same treaty II only the status quo
cou,d be restored, One OF the mer
standing highest In the official circles
OF Colomih.a, on November 6, addressed
the American minister at Bcgota, say
Ing that II the government Of the
United states would land troops to pre-.
serve Colombia sovereignty and tbs
transit the Colombian government
would declare martial law: and by vir-
tue ~ vested constitutional authority
when public order Is disturbed, would
approve by decree the ratification OF
TIE canal treaty as signed: or, II the
government OF the United states would
Ell extra session Of the congress with
new and friendly members next May to
approve the treaty.
"Thlrd--Finally the congress delinlt-
ely settled where the canal was to be
bnnt. II was provided that treaty
should be made for building the canal
across the isthmus OF Panama; and II,
after reasonable time. Il proved impos-
shle to secure such treaty, that then
We should go to Nicaragua. The treaty
has b. en- made; for It needs no argu-
ment 10 show that the intent of the
congress vas to insure canal across
Panama"
'rhe president relates the delay of the
Colombian congress in taking action
on the treaty and the breaking out of
the revolution three days after that
bouy ended its session In october with
ont passing upon the document,
Panama" he says. became an in
dependent state and the control of the
territory necessary for building the
canal then became obtainable. The
condition under which alone we could
have gone to Nicaragua thereby be-
came impossible Of fuifllment. II the
pending treaty with Panama should not
ratified by the senate, this would not
alter the fact that we could not 20 to
Nicaragua, The congress has decided
the route and there is no alternative
under existing legislation,
The president says that Secretary
Hay had repeatedly warned Colombia
that grave consequences might follow
from her rejection of the treaty, and,
although the administration had spec
ial means of knowledge, no such means
were necessary In order TO appreciate
the possibility of a revolutionary out
break.
Quotations from the daily papers"
says he, could be indefinitely multi
piled to show this state Of affairs" and
the president quotes dispatches sent by
special correspondents to Washington
and New York papers under dates ex-
tending over a period from August 81
TO October 26, telling OF the stirred con-
ditlon Of affairs.
The president had also. on October
lb, at the request Of Lieutenant
erai Young, seen CAPTAIN H, B,