The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-04
SENATOR FAIRBANKs's SPEECH.

The most striking features of Senator
Fairbanks's speech on Panama affairs were
it's effective grouping of salient points
without encumbering them with details;
the skillful manner in which its strength
was emphasized by moderation instead Of
being lessened by exaggeration or intem-
perance of statement, and the entire alb
sence of political clap-trap. The whole
subject was treated from broad, rational
point of view. and the result was master
ly vindcation of the policy of the admin
istration. or, it might well be termed,
the American policy, in the recent dealings
with Colombia and Panama regarding the
canal.
Near the close Of his speech the senator
said he had only attempted to deal with
what appeared to him the controlling fea-
lures of the case. and he showed a lawyers
skill in grasping and calculating its strong
points. Without actually charging bad
faith and double dealing on the Colombian
Congress-for Senator Fairbanks is never
undiplomatic-he made it plain that Colon
bia herself was wholly to blame for the fail
ure Of the Hay-Herran treaty and the
threatened failure of the Panama canal,
and was therefore responsible for the rev.
olution in Panama. He showed how Pan
ama's hopes of redemption and prosperity
had been blasted by Colombia's refusal to
ratify the treaty which had already been
ratified by the United States Senate, and
that Panama's only salvation lay in revolu-
ton and independence. When. after long
term of misgovernment and oppression,
they saw the canal project imperiled by
the action of Colombia they turned as last
resort TO revolution. The senator said:
What more natural than that the people
of the isthmus, in view of their past his
tory, and the recent action at Bogota,
should seek TO throw off their allegiance to
the parent government? What else was
there left for them to do? Every sentiment
OF self-interest commanded them to take
the step when they saw that the treaty was
doomed to defeat. They took counsel of
their own future welfare; they laid careful
ly their plans; there was no division of SEN
timent among them, and on the Cd of
November, 1903, they moved as by COM
mon impulse. They took possession of their
own country and set up their own indie
pendence. They were guilty of no barbara
ties; they avoided bloodshed and treated
their oppressors with rare forbearance and
kindly consideration.
The senator repealed as unjust and untrue
the insinuation that the administration was
in any way responsible for or privy to the
revolution, and reminded opposition SEN
ators that they had no more right to ques-
ton the honor or the motives of the ex-
ecutive branch of the government than they
had those of the judiciary. He justified the
action of the President in recognizing the
independence of Panama and declared that
recognition of foreign governments and
new governments is an executive function
which it is entirely within the discretion of
the President TO exercise. AS to sending
ships and marines to protect American
property and lives the senator said the
President would have failed in his duty had
he not done so. eff loss and damage had
ensued because of the Presidents having
failed to adopt reasonable measures for
their protection. a heavy moral response
! bility would have rested upon him.
AS to all the phases of the situation in
which the President had discretionary
power to act, the senator maintained that
it was not for the Senate to question his
motives or set limits to his discretion. HE
had no guide except his own conception of
executive duty" said the senator. What
others had done before, or what others
| might do in the existing. situation afforded
no absolute criterion to him. He must be
governed by his own view of responsible
| ity"
The press report of the senator's speech
was not much more than an outline of his
| argument, and it omitted altogether the
historical facts by watch he supported his
positions. The speech is the strongest vim
] dication of the Presidents action in the
whole Panama affair that has been made,
and If the question should become an is
sue in the next campaign it will make an
j lox,A .icr., d1,I.,,