Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-01-07

attitude was most threatening, It being
seemingly their purpose TO provoke an
attack. Happily our men were cool and
great no shot was fred. At about S:1i
D. m. Col Torres came into the building
Tor an interview and expressed himself
as most friendly ID Americans, claiming
Senson ' and H that % he would d like to send
the alcalde OF Colon to Panama to see
Gen. Tobal and have him direct the dis
continuance OF the show OF force. A spe-
cial train was furnished and safe conduct
guaranteed. At about $50 D, m. Col
Torres made the proposition Of withdraw
ing his troops to Monkey Hill, II would
withdraw the Nashville's force and leave
the town In possession Of the police until
the return Of the alcalde on the morning
OF the 5th. After an interview with the
United States consul and Col Shaler as
to the probability Of good faith in the
matter, / decided to accept the. PROPOSE
disparity in numbers between my force
and that Of the Colombians nearly ten
to one, making me desirous Of avoiding
conflict so long as the object in view.
the protection Of American citizens. was
not imperiled.
"I am positive that the determined at
| titude Of our men. their coolness and evi-
| dent intention OF standing their ground,
had a most salutary and decisive effect
ne teD *. ana was the
I
Of Colon by these troops and their return
| to Cartagena the following day.
| II feel that 1 cannot sufficiently strong
| ly represent 10 the department the gross
ness Of this outrage and the einsult to our
| dignity. even apart from the savagery Of
the threat"
In view Of the reports of the various
naval officers in Panama waters the presi-
dent concludes that, instead Of there hav-
ing been too much provision by the Amer
lean government for the maintenance of
order and the protection of life and prop
erty on the isthmus, the orders for the
movement of the American warshipB had
been too long delayed; so long In fact,
that there were but ~ marines and sailors
available to land and protect the lives of
American men and women. II was only the
GOODNESS and gallantry with which this
uniform faced ten times their number Of
armed foes, bent on carrying out the afro
cious threat Of the Colombian command
er. that prevented murderous catastro-
phe. At Panama, when the revolution
broke out. there was no American man
of-war and no American troops or sailors.
At Colon Commander Hubbard acted with
entire impartiality towards both sides
Colombiansl or the Panamans, which
would tend to produce bloodshed On No
vember 8 he prevented body Of the rev.
olutionists from landing at Colon"
No Completely in Revolution.
Referring to the charges Of completely
Of this government In the revolution the
president says;
II hesitate to refer to the injurious In
situations which have been made OF COM
plicity by this government in the revelu-
tionary movement In Panama They are
as destitute of foundation as ofspropriety,
The only excuse for my mentioning them
,stske tai esfo Tor ess tRe silence Of
mere self-respeet I think proper 10 say,
therefore, that no5ofe ed With this
government had any part IN pneparing,
IN u II and st saSs
ffom the feS45rte Of 0ni military and naval
onicers, given above, no ore connected
with this government had any previous
knowledge OF the revolution except such
nary Intelligence who read the newspa-
pers and kept up a current acquaintance
with public affairs"
After thus treating extensively the
luton the president refers to the recogni-
ton Of the new government by the United
States and In this connection he says: Il
by the unanimous action OF Its peo-
pie. without the firing Of q shot-with .
unanimity hardly before recorded In any
similar case-the people Of Panama de-
lic Their recognition by this government
was based upon a state Of facts In no
our action In ordinary cases. l have not
denied, nor do wish to deny, either the
validity or the propriety Of the general
rule that q new state should not be rec
its ability to maintain lis Independence:
This rule 10 derived from the principle Of
nontntervention, and as corollary OF that
principle has generally been observed by |
from which Il is deduccd The m rule is sub
1ect to exceptions; and there are In my
opinion clear and imperative reasons why
q departure from It was justified and even
required In the present instance. These
reasons embrace, first, our treaty rights;
second, our national interests and safety;
natisn."
Reasons for Ratification.
He reviews these reasons at considerable
length and justihes the speedy recognition
on either and all OF them. He refers to
precedentS to show that treaties concluded
with one nation are binding upon the sue
cessors OF that nation, thus the treaty Of
1S40 with New Granada was transferred
FIRST to Colombia and now 10 Panama. OF
II second reason he says:
This recognition wa6, in the second
place, further justified by the highest con.
siderations OF our national interests and
lafety. In all the range Of our interna-
tional relations. do not hesitate 10 al
Arm that there 10 nothing Of greater or
more pressing importance Than the con-
struction OF an interoceanic canal. Long
to be essential TO our com
mercial development, It has become, as
the result Of the recent extension OF our
territorial dominion, more Ihan ever eS-
,ential to our national self-defense. :.
In the light Of our present situation, the
Of easy ard speedy COM
by sea between the Atlantic I
md the Pacific presents itself not simply
v something to be desired, but a. an OBJ {
Iect TO be positively and promptly at- =
aimed Reasons OF convenience have been
superseded by reasons Of vital necessity,
which do not admit Of indefinite delays
In the same connection he charges Co ,
ombia with attempting TO SO delay the
'atification OF any canal treaty as 10 7
'lace that government In a position not
Dnly to secure the $4,000 900 offered II as I
by this government, but 10
ecure the so, ,Ooo.0o0 promised the Panama Q
ANAL company for its franchise aud
ighs as we'll By waiting until Octo-
'er 81. 1904. the franchise OF the Panama
ompany would have expired, and the .
colombian government be In position a
o seize its property and rights on the
and then be in a position TO de- A
nand OF the United States the payment
o that government OF both sums. In
his connection be says;
Such u the scheme 70 which Il was !
ropoaed that the United States should
e invited 70 become a party. The con- '
truction Of the canal was 70 BE- rele- Z,
ated 10 the Indefinite future, while Co
1mbia was BY reason Of her own delay, a
D Be placed in the more advantageouS'
osition Of claiming not merely the com o
D. the privilege Of completing the canal, q
ut also the fl0000ooe authorized BY the
ct Of ion 10 b paid for the property OF q