The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-27


Labor Commission has performed pro-
digious amount of valuable labor peace
and prosperity abound within our Doruefs'
We have as honest intelligent and moor
ruptible a set of state officers as ever
served the people. not in their own interest,":
but never forgetting the highest welfare OF
those they serve. and no reason can be con-
ceived in the widest sweep OF fancy why
there should be change or analrs III ouI
State. Here, as in the Nation, let US keep
on letting well enough alone.
Panama Canal.
Will our opponents in the approaching
political struggle contest with US, in the
forum of public opinion, our position on
the questions relating 10 the Panama canal?
Gentlemen. what those questions?
undertake to say that to-day there are /
none; they are settled. every one settled.
forever settled and settled by the Repub-
lican party.
That the two oceans would one day be
welded by canal across the isthmus has
been the dream of civilization for four hun
dred years. Trade has sought ii, COM
MERGE has demanded il. parliamentS have
discussed it, scientists have agitated it,
companies have been organized TO attempt
it, nations have taken steps TO construct IT.
in the history of the world, any other
project has been so generally desired, so
universally believed i'll, and yet so long de-
trend of history the directing hand of
Providence can answer. Ii was reserved
for America to construct it-and when
After we, had, as result If war for hu-
manity, annexed Porto Rico, bound Cuba
to us by hooks of steel and taken posses
sion of the most valuable islands in the
Pacific ocean. Then. and not until then,
was the time ripe. and then, and not until
then, did the occasion arise.
1t will not be forgotten that the House.
twice voted for the Nicaraguan route, but
IT will also be recalled that, at both these
times, the Panama Canal Company had
vested rights i'll that country which our
people then did not dream of acquiring 1t
will also be remembered that the President
appointed commission TO investigate and
report upon the question of route. and that
commission, without making any formal
recommendation of any route, yet stated
such facts as to lead to the inevitable con-
clusion that the Panama route was the
best and most feasible one If it could be
obtained They further said that the Pan
anna canal people wanted S100,00O,000 for
their rights, but that, In their judgment
they were not worth more than 100000
This really left none but the Nicaraguan
route open for discussion. 1t was at that
time that the House took its second vote in
favor of that route.
Before any action by the Senate, however.
the Panama canal people notified the world
that they would sell their rights for S40,-
Uo'Vo: This was a startling revelation
and the commission was called together
to vote squarely on the proposition as to
which route was the most desirable one
under the new conditions They unani-
fnOuSly reported In FAVOR or the Panama
route. though one of its members seems to
have qualified his acceptance of that prop
ositfon. Then that genius of the practical,
Marcus A. Hanna with his matchless judg-
ment and good sense, threw himself into
this controversy. In q two-days speech
in the Senate he demonstrated to the entire
satisfaction of all fair-minded men every
where that it was our plain duty to dig
that canal across Panama. The Senate so
voted, leaving no discretion in the Presi-
dent to the location, and the House read
c0ncnrrpd 10 q TbQn
followed the Hay-Herran treaty with
Colombia, of which Panama was then n
part That treaty was accepted here, but
after most unexampled record of intrigue
and infamy, was rejected in Colombia.
Then Panama revolted, organized a repub-
lie and stepped out upon the highway of
history and in the race of nations. Did
she have just cause? For half century
she had suffered and endured almost with
out parallel. Her people were burdened
with the most exorbtant taxes ever
fastened upon men. They were made the
victims of the most outrageous system of
oppression ever enacted in South America.
Many times they threatened revolt, but
often were they suppressed and the gall
ing yoke was fastened all the tighter upon
their necks: Those people were more than
patient amidst it ALL because they hoped.
they dreamed, that some day a canal con-
Meeting the two oceans would be construct
ed across their country and then the world
would open up to them and all their wrongs
would be righted. Inspired with this hope
they bore with fortitude all the oppression
which Spanish cunning combined with
beheld the Infamous attempt of the Colon
bian Legislature to deliberately hold UP the
United States; when they beheld them
enter upon campaign of extortion; when
they saw that treaty beaten and felt that
their hopes of years were blasted then they
revolted. Do you wonder at it? They re-
VOTED many times before and their revo-
buttons would have succeeded had aot the
United States jackies been present to
help maintain the sovereignty OF
the hour struck. and our country
amazed at the cupidity of Colombia, refused
longer to interfere and prevent the right
eous wrath of people from being ex-
pressed in revolution and Panama stepped
| forth a sister republic. The free flag of
America blushed forth and signaled sis
! ter star. Then what? The President Of
| the United States recognized the independ-
ence of that little republic. Did he do
wrong? assert. and l defy contradic-
ton, that in this great deed he acted in
| accordance with our treaty obligations,
with our laws, with Constitution, and
| in strict keeping with every principle of
right and justice. And then we had the
| deep shame and the profound humiliation
| to find that the Democratic party proposed
| to pursue its ancient tactics and venom
! ously attack the chief executive of their
] country in the midst of this trying ordeal
| for the purpose of making political capital
for the approaching campaign. But they
| as they always will fail when they stand
in the way of human progress and of the
| advancement of the race. and attempt to
| silence the voice of honor and of truth
Our President made a treaty with Pan
| anna by which the canal will be dug, and
| some Democrats in the Senate sought to
defeat it, But it could not be done. Cor
man tried il and failed. When he began
| this unpatriotic crusade he was the most
| likely candidate for the presidency of his
| party. To-day he is not even mentioned
| for the place. The people had an oppor-
| tunity to take his measure In the Panama
| affair and they found he wasn't big enough
| to fill that chair. 1t takes man the size
/ of William Mckinley to do that. 1t takes
| a man of the dimensions of Theodore
| Roosevelt to do that. And no Democrat
| who stands in the way of new republic
| in the world or who opposes the digging
| of the Panama canal will ever be President
| of the United States. The vision of the
| centuries is about to be made real. The
| hone of the ages is about to be fulfilled.
| The canal will be built; that narrow
| boundary to a mighty trade will be cut:
| our relations with South America will be
| multiplied and strengthened; the time-hon-
ored and world-respected Monroe doctrine
| will never again be questioned, and all this
| hemisphere will, under the gracious favor
| of Almighty God. be finally dedicated to
| the universal liberty of man.
Rural Free Delivery.
| What practical thing, therefore. has the
| Democratic party done to entitle it &c
| mower? Can they claim any credit for
| rural free delivery, that great system which
destroys the isolation of the farmer and
which is such an unmixed blessing to the
rural population of the country? In 1s9;
/ eran