The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-04
CANAL MESSAGE.
President Lays Facts and
Figures Before Congress.
Recites History OF Recent Events
on the Isthmus.
TO DIG OR NOT TO DIG.
That Is Now the Only Question
at Issue.
The Republic of Panama Is an
Accomplished Fact.
70 DIG OR NOT TO DIG.


following message on the Isthmiau
canal situation;
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
lay before the congress for its in
formation a statement of my action
up to this time in executing the act en-
tied "An act to provide for the con-
struction of canal connecting the
waters of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans approved June %, 1904
BY the said act the president was
authorized to secure for the United
States the property of the Panama Ca
nal company and the perpetual control
of strip six miles wide across the
lsthmus of Panama. It was further
provided that should the president be
unable to obtain for the United States
a satisfactory title to the property OF
the New Panama Canal company and
the control of the necessary territory
of the Republic of Colombia with
in a reasonable time and upon reason
able terms, then the president should
endeavor to provide for canal by the
Nicaragua route. The language quoted
defines with exactness and precision
what was to be done. and what as. .
matter of fact has been done. The
president was authorized to go to the
Nicaragua route only II within a reas-
sonable time he could not obtain Com
troll of the necessary territory of the
Republic of Colombia" This control
has now been obtained; the provision
of the act has been complied with; it
is no longer possible under existing
legislation to go to the Nicaragua route
as an alternative.
This act marked the climax of tie
effort on the part of the United States
to secure, SO far as legislation was
concerned, an interoceanic canal across
the 1SthmuS. The effort to secure a
treaty for this purpose with one of the
Central American republics did not
stand on the same footing with the
effort to secure a treaty under any or
dinary conditions. The proper position
for the United States to assume il ref
erence~ to- this canal, and therefore to
the governments of the isthmus, had
been clearly set forth by Secretary
Cass in 1858 In my annual message
have already quoted what Secretary
Cass said; but I repeat the quotation
here, because the principle it states is
fundamental:
While the rights of sovereignty of the
America) should always be respected we
shall expect that these rights be exer-
and the wants. and circumstances that
have arisen: Sovereignty has its duties
local governments, even If administered
with more regard to the just demands of
be permitted in a spirit of eastern isola-
ton, to close the gates of intercourse on
justify the act by the pretension that
these avenues of trade and travel belong
them, or what is almost equivalent, to
cucumber them with such unjust rela-
tions as would prevent their general
use
The principle thus enunciated by
Secretary Cass was sound then and it
is sound now. The United States has
taken the position that no other gov
ernment is to build the canal. In 1889,
when France proposed to come to the
aid of the French Panama company by
guaranteeing their bonds, the senate
of the United States in executive ses-
sion, with only some three votes dis
senting, passed a resolution as fol-
lows:
That the government Of the United
and disapproval upon any connection of
any European government with the con-
struetion or % control OF any ship canal
Central America, and must regard any
such connection or control as Injurious
to the just rights and interests of the
United States and as menace to their
welfare.
The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.
Under the Hay-Pauncefote treaty il
was explicitly provided that the United
States should control, police, and pro-
tect the canal which was to be built,
keeping it open for the vessels of all
nations on equal terms. The United
States thus assumed the position OF
gUarantor of the canal and of its peace
full use by all the world. The guaranty
included as a matter of course the
building of the canal. The enterprise
was recognized responding to an in
ternational need; and 1t would be the
VerieSt traveSty on right and justice to
treat the governments in possession Of
the isthnus having the right, in
the language of Mr.. Cass, t.to close the
gates of intercourse on the great high
ways of the world, and justify the act by
the ppetension that these avenues of .
trade and travel belong to them and
that they choose to shut Them
When this government submitted to
Colombia, the Hay-Herran treaty three
things were, therefore, already settled.
One was that the canal should be
built. The time for delay, the time for
permitting the attempt to be made by
private enterprise, the time for permit
ting any government of anti-socfal
spirit and of imperfect development to
bar the work. was past The United
States had assumed in connection with
the canal certain responsibilities not
only to it's own people, but to the civil
lied world, which imperatively demand
ed that there should no longer be delay
in beginning the work.
Second. While it was settled that
the canal should be built without un-
necessary or improper delay, it was ne
less clearly shown to be our purpose ta
deal not merely in spirit of justice
but in a spirit of generosity with the
build it. The Hay-Herran treaty. If IL
erred at ALL erred in the direction Of an
generosity towards the Colon-
bian government. In our anxiety to be
fair we had gone to the very verge in
Welding to a weak nations Aemlnd5
what that nation was helplessly E1able
to enforce from us against our VIII.
The only criticisms made upon the ad-
rafnistration for the terms of the Hay
Herran treaty were for having granted