The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-05
Specific Denial that This Govern
mCnt Planned the Revolution
on the ISthmuS.
-$-

der negotiations with Colombia imprac-
ticable. IL is plain that no nation could
construct and guarantee the neutrality
Of the canal with q less degree OF con-
troll than was stipulated Tor IN the Hay
HeTran treaty. A refusal TO grant SUCH
degree of control was necessarily q re-
iusal TO make any practicable treaty az
'.That the canal itself WIS eagerly de
manGed by the people OF the locality
through which &c was to pass, and that
the people of this locality no less eagerly
ionged tor its construction under Amer
lean control are shown by the unanimity
of the action In the new Panama Tepub-
lie. Furthermore. Colombia, after hay
protests and warnings when il was in
her power to accept il. has since shown
the utmost eagerness TO accept the same
treaty, II only the status quo could pc
restored one of the men standing high
est in the official circles Of Colombia. on
Nov. s addressed lhc American minister
at Bcgota, saying that if the government
OF the United states would land troops
to preserve Colombian sovereignty and
the transit the Colombian government
would declare martial law; and, by viz
tue of vested constitutional authority,
when public order is disturbed. (WOuld)
approve by decree the ratification Of the
canal treaty as signed; or. if the govern
menC OF the United States prefers.
(W0Uld) call an extra session of the con-
gress-With new and friendly members
next Nay to approve the treaty
Settled by Congress.
Third Finally, the congress definitely
settled where the canal was to be built.
II was provided that d treaty should be
made for building the canal across the
lsthmus of Panama, and it, after Tea-
sOnabie time. il proved impossible TO Sc
cure such treaty. that then we should go
10 Nicaragua, The treaty has been made
the intent Of the congress was TO insure
a canal across Panama
The president relates the delay of the
colombian government IN taking action
on the treaty and the breaking out of the
revolution three days after that BODY
ended its session in October without pass
ing upon the document Panama he
says. became an Independent state and
the control OF the territory necessary for
building the canal then became obtain
able The condition under which alone
we could have gone to Nicaragua thereby
became impossible of fUlffllme0t- If the
pending treaty with Panama should not
/ be ratified by the senate this would not
alter the fact that we could not go 10
Nicaragua The congress has decided the
route and there is no alternative under
existing legislation.
rhe president says that Secretary Hay
had repeatedly warned Colombia that
grave consequences might follow from
1 her rejection of the treaty. and although
the administration had special means Of
knowledge. no such means were neCes5a-
ry in order 10 appreciate the possibility
OF a revolutionary outbreak. Quotations
from the daily papers. says he could
be indefinitely multiplied to show this
state of affairs and the president
quotes dispatches sent by special CORE
sp0ndeuts to Washington and New York
papers under dates extending over a pc
Rod from Aug. q to Oct. e. telling OF
I the stirred condition Of affairs.
On General Relief.
The president had also. on Oct. %, at
the request OF Lieutenant General Young,
seen Captain II. b. Humphrey and Leu
tenant GraysOn Mailet-PrOvOst Murphy,
who had Just returned from a four
months tour through portions OF Nene-
zEeia and Colombia. They had informed
him that il was the general belief that
NE revolution might break out at any
"In view Of all these facts" says the
president Il directed the navy depart
ment to issue Instructors such as would
reach Of the isthmus in the event of need
arising"
Then on Nov .. when it was evident
the outbreak was imminent. instructions
lad been sent 70 the commanders of the
BostoG, Nashville and Dixie 10 main
tain free and uninterrupted transit. If
interruption Is threatened By armed force,
occupy the line OF railroad. Prevent
intent. either government or insUrgent. at
any point within fifty miles of Panama. -
on Nov. Commander John Hubbard
or the Nashville had reported to the navy
department that 400 Colombian troops
from Cartageua had landed IN Colon and
that the situation was most critical The
president then quotes from Commander
HubbaTd'S report on Nov ) TO the navy
department III whiCa the commander
said the occurrences Of Nov had
amounted 20 practically the making OF
war against the United States By the Of
ficers in command Of the Colombian
troops in Colon
The United States consul had received
notice from Colonel Torres To the effect
thai il the Colombian officers. Generals
Iobal ana Amaya. who had been seized
in Panama on Nov. 10y the independents.
were not released by o'clock ne CTOTrcsl
would open fire on the town OF Colon
and Xiii every United States citizen in
the place. Commander Hubbard then
relates the landing Of the forty-twO ma
TlneS- under command of Lieutenant
Commander WitZel. as told in the press
dispatches at the time. and the threaten
ing attitude Cf the native soldiers while
the United states marines were en-
trenehed I'm the railroad compau-s shed.
where our citizens had taken refuge,
Commander Hubbard told also of retus-
ing 20 allow superintendent Shaier Of the
Panama railway 20 transport troops for
either side.
Too Much Delay.
The president continues: This plain
official account Of the Occurrences or
Nov. I shows that instead Of thee having
been too much provision by the AmerI-
can government for the maintenance of
order and the protection of life and prop
erty on the isthmus, the orders for the
movement IF the American Warsnips mad
been too long delayed. so long. ia fact
THAI there were but ferty-tWo marines
and sailors available 10 land and protect
the lives 90 American men and women.
Tt was only the Co0luess and the gal
lantry with which this little band of men.
wearing the American uniform, faced ten
times their number Ct armed foes bent
on carrying out the atr0cious threat of
the Colombian commander. that prevent
"a q murdeTOus catastrophe. At Panama.
when TIC revolution broke out there was
Io American man-0f-war and no Ameri-
can troops or sailors At Colon COM
m8uder Hubbard acted with entire inn
purti8lity toward bOth sides. presenting
any movement. whether by the Colon
hians or the pauami8ns. viii would
tend To produce blOoGsheG.
The president chem quotes from an ar
ticlc in the New York Evening Post un-
der date Of Panama. Dec 3, in which IN
an interview a native Panamian u quoted
as saying.
we were willing TO encounter the Co
10mbian troops at colon and fight 10 out.
but the commander Of The United States
cruiser Nashville forbid Supe-iute nGent
Shaler a. allow the railroad to transport
troops Tor either party.
Was No Bloodshed
"It thus clearly appears. says the
president. "that the TACT that tnere was