The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-11-02
LATEST BOOM FRANC.
DEMOCRATS ATTEMPT TO DIS
CREDIT THE PRESIDENT.
Letter in Regard TO the Acquisition
of the Panama Strip That Reflects
Much Credit on the Chief Executive
Cry of "Unclean" Should Stop. q

Nothing could more sharply emphasize
the poverty in initiative of the Demo-
cratic party and it's utter failure to COM
pEehend the temper OF the American peo-
pie at the opening of the twentieth cen
fury than the attempt to discredit our
acquisition of the right to dig the Pan
anna canal Having failed to make any
impression on the popular mind along
other lines, Senator Culberson Of Texas
was pushed to the front in New York
last Thursday night to spring a sensa-
tioual attack on President Roosevelt for
his alleged revolutionary course in this
matter.
Although the subject has been thor
oushly threshed out in Congress and the
public prints and the seal of legislative
approval put upon the course of the adj
mlInstration by the ratification of the
treaty with Panama, and the apprOpria
ton and payment of $50,00O,OOO to the
republic of Panama and for the acquire
ment of the rights and works of the
Panama Canal Company, the Senator
from Texas had the hardihood once more
to assail the honor and good faith of the
alministra tons acts in the premises.
Without producing one scintilla of new
evidence he flashed a private letter writ
ten by President Roosevelt over year
ago to his personal friend, DR.. Albert
Shaw, editor of The Review of Reviews
before the eyes of his audience to JUS
tfy the accusation that the President
contemplated building the canal across
the isthmus, treaty or no treaty, which
would have necessitated taking posses
sion of the canal zone by force.
Neither New Nor True.
Like every other sensation sprung in
this campaign, what was new in Senator
culberson's exposure was immateriai
and what was material was neither new
true. The letter, about which Sen
ator CulbcrsOn made such an ado as
carefully suppressed piece Of evidence
OF the President intention to do by force
what was subsequently achieved openly
and legally. was made public by DR..
Shaw nearly a year ago with the Presi-
dents consent. AS it is characteristic
of Theodore Roosevelt's frankness, both
in public and private correspondence it
is itself the best possible refutation of
the charge that he actually contemplate
ed resort to any indirect or improper
means to bring about the contamination
we all desired-the building of the inter
oceanic canal, it is herewith presented in
full:
Personal
White House. Washington Oct TO- 1903.
My Dear DR.. Shaw: l inclose you, purely
for your own Information, copy Of a let
ter of Sept. s.. from our minister to Co
lombia. think it might interest you to
see that there was absolutely not the
slightest chance of securing by treaty any
me than we underworld to secure The
against the advice of the great ma jorty of
competent .engineers-some of the most
competent saying that we had better have
no canal at this time than go there-Or
else to take the territory by force without
any attempt at getting a treaty. cast
aside the proposition made at this time to
foment the secession of Panama. What
ever other governments can do, the United
States can not go into the securing by such
freely say to you that | should be delighted
IL Panama were an Independent state or,
IL 1t made itself so at t-ls moment, but for
me to say publicly would amount to an
instigation Of "a revolt, and therefore can
not say 1t. With great regards. sincerely
yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The more of such private letters the
Democrats can produce out of their ar
senals of exploded campaign fakes the
better for Theodore Roosevelt. 1t is a
frank statement of great national prob
lem to friend. 1t tells him Of the
failure to deal with Colombia; of the
alternatives of trying the Nicaragua
petent engineers-or taking the Panama
territory without treaty; of the rejec-
ton of any proposition to foment the
secession of Panama.
Jealou. of the Country's Honor.
1t also gives an instructive glimpse of
how jealous the President was of the
honor of the United States in dealing
with what would have been an irresisti-
BILE temptation to other governments and
clearly shows how he refrained from Civ
ing any public expression to thoughts
which would have been an instigation to
the revolt
Theodore Roosevelt is master of his
impulses, just as he is master of his acts
and words. He refrained from tanning
the revolt by a single breath.
That revolt came without any hint or
pressure from Washington. The United
States joined with Europe in recognizing
the revolutionary government of Panama.
Then came the treaty the acquisition of
the rights to build the canal and finally
this declaration of the convention at st.
Louis:
The Democracy. when entrusted with the
power, will construct the Panama Canal
speedily, honestly and economically, there
by giving to our people what Democrats
oceanic canal Of transportation. and broader
and less trammelCd trade relations with the
other peoples Of the world
Now, it is scarcely credible that the
Democrats, however much they may ia
vor an isthmian canal, would consent to
dig it under fraudulent, illegal and dis
reputable title If Colombia has been
wronged by the United States it is our
duty to right that wrong by restoring to
her, not only the title to the canal strip
across the isthmus, but the sovereignty
over the whole republic of Panama.
Moreover, if Senator Culberson and
his fellow anti-imreria:ists do not SLAM
der their country the United States owes
q creater duty to itself than 1t owes to