Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-25
OUR PANAMA CASE.
Ex-Secretary Root Expounds
and Justifies It.
Our Recognition Of Panama Right
eous Decision.
columbia's DupIieity and Tyranny
Forcibly Exposed.

for some time has attracted more gen.
eral attention throughout the country
than the mastery one of Ex-Secretary
Root before the Union league club at
Chicago recently. 1t showed con-
clusiyely how utterly flimsy and I'M
tenable is the ground upon which GER
tain desperate seekers after political
capital have undertaken to criticise
President Roosevelt in connection with
the Panama matter. Mr.. Root SAID:
On the Sd of November, 1903, the
people of Panama revolted against the
Government of Colombia, and pro-
claimed their independence. On the
18th of November the United states
recognized the independence of the
Republic of Panama, by receiving
Minister from the new Government,
and at the opening of the regular
session of Congress in December the
President asked the consent OF the
Senate to a treaty negotiated between
our Secretary of state, Mr.. Hay, and
the Minister of Panama, Mr.. Varilla,
providing for the construction by the
United States of a ship canal across the
Isthmus to be kept by us open, neutral
and free upon equal terms for the use
of all mankind. After long and ex-
haustive discussion that treaty is about
to be confirmed. In the meantime, the
Senate by a great majority has APP
proved the recognition of independence
by confirming the nomination OF
William !. buchanan as Minister from
the United States to Panama. The
revolutionary leaders have submitted
their action to the people of Panama,
who have. by a popular vote, given it
their unanimous approval, and have
elected a constitutional convention.
framed and adopted a Constitution.
chosen a President and Congress, and
established a republican government
according to the forms which find their
model in the Constitutions of our own
country. In the meantime. also, many
other Governments have followed the
United States in receiving the new
republic into the family of nations. On
the 18th of November, five days after
our recognition, France recognized the
Republic of Panama; on the 22d. China !;
on the 9th. Austria; on the 3Oth,
Germany, and following them Dem
mark, Russia, Sweden and Norway,
Belgium, Nicaragua, Peru. Cuba, Great
britain, Italy, Switzerland, Costa Rica,
Japan Guatemala, Netherlands,
Venezuela, Portugal, in the order
named.
The independence of Panama, the
grant to the United States of the right
to construct the canal across the
Isthmus, and the assumption by the
United States of the duty to construct
the canal and to maintain it for the
equal benefit of mankind are ac-
complished facts. Nothing can do
away with them, unless it be some
future war of conquest waged against
the liberties of Panama, and at the
same time against the rights of the
United States held in trust for the
commerce of The world.
The conduct of the United States
Government in recognizing the in
dependence of Panama, in making the
treaty, and in exercising police power
over territory traversed by the Panama
Railroad and the partly constructed
canal during the period of the revolu-
tiOn has been severely criticised by
some OF our own citizens. who have
said, in substance, that in this business
our Government has violated the rules
of international law, has been grasp
ing and unfair. and has by the exercise
of brute force trampled down the rights
of a weaker nation, in violation of
those principles of justice which should
control the conduct of nations as of
men.
In considering these charges, we may
we'll thrust aside as carrying no weight
OF authority the expressions of those
Et,f h. NI,rn -
Of our Government, are in favor of
the treaty. They curiously reverse the
Divine rule. and seem to hate the
sinner while they love the sin: and
their adverse criticism may fairly be
ascribed to the exigencies of the pend
ing Presidential campaign. Some of
them may be sincere, but upon that
question they naturally Invite the
comment made upon Lady Macbeth.
that "she might be n lady, but she did
not show it by her conduct"
We need not pay very much heed,
either. TO that class of temperamental
and perennial fault-finders whom we
have and always will have with us, as
an incident of free institutions. who
are against every government of which
they do not personally form part, and
in whose eyes everything done by
Others Is wrong. This class of our
citizens. with slight changes in per-
sonnet. would have condemned any
course of conduct by our Government,
whatever it was, and their con-
demnation Of the particular course
followed merely announces their ex-
istence.
Nevertheless, there remain good and
sincere men and women who have
thought our course to be wrong, and
many others, whose character and
patriotism entitle them to the highest
respect. are troubled in spirit. They
would be glad to be sure that our
country is not justly chargeable with
dishonorable conduct. May the time
never come when such men and women
are wanting. or are constrained tC
remain silent, in America. May the
time never come when the conscience
or America shall cease to apply the
rules of upright conduct to national as
we'll as TO personal life, when our gov.
ernments feel absolved from the obi
cation to answer in that forum for con
formity to the rules of right, or whe1
material advantage shall be held to ex