The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1904-10-01
ALL Nov PRAi e Him
PANAMAIANS COMMEND WISDOM
OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.

FANAMAIANS COMMeNO "tSOSNt
OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
Democratic Charge that the Chief Ex-
ecutivc Was Hasty, ReGuted by Re-
cent Developments in the 18th m ian
3Republic-His Election Desired.
THERE is NO BETTER 'ARGU-
.MENT IN REPUTATION OF THE
DEMOCRATIC ALLEGATION THAT
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT is HAS
TY. AND INCONSIDERA IN HIS
ACTIONS THAN THE ACTUAL De
VELOPMENT OF EVENTS IN THE
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA. A few
weeks ago, and even recently. many Of
the leading Democratic newspapers IN
the United States have ASSERTED that
Panama was demonstrating against the
administration of the canal zone as or
1ered by the President. and that iii in
rcriaHstic policy was being pursued by
him in his treatment of the Panan:liaus-
The Democratic critics took advantage OF
Il state Of local unrest in Panama and
u protest on its part against tle inter
probation of the treaty ut th" hands Of
the canal commission as an evidence that
the President was treating the Panama
ians with autOcratic sway.
What are the facts? 1t seems that
when the President gave his orders in
June last to Gen. Davis. as Governor of
the zone, to organize the strip controlled
by the United States. the President ell
deavored in every way to act in strict
accordance with the wording Of the
treaty. and for the best interests Of
Panama as we'll as the zone. 1t happen
cd. however. that Il CERTAIN GROUP
or POLITICIANS IN PANAMA
WHO HELD no OFFICES. AND
WHO ARE THE OUTS" LIKE THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THE
UNITED STATES, WE'RE LOOKING
FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
TROUBLE. Without consulting care
fully the treaty. they Immediately made
Il severe attack on the United States gov
ernment and the President. proel'iming
i'll 'iltanifestoS and in their newspapers
that the Presidents orders to Governor
Davis were against the spirit and letter
OF the treaty. and that he was Disregard
ing tlagrantly the rights and interests of
Panama. thus crushing out it's indepen-
.lencc! They agitated their position 50 Wig
erously that they not only aroused Il con-
siderable element of the Panama popula-
ton. BUT PROVIDED THE BACK
GROUND FOR SENSATIONAL
NEWSPAPER STORIES TO BE
SENT TO THE UNITED STATES.
No Cause for the Furry.
At the moment when the situation was
somewhat critical in Panama. the new
American minister, John Barrett, arriv-
ed Oh the scene with special instructions
from the President to demonstrate to
the Panama government and people that
the President was determined that NO
STEPS. SHOULD, BE TAkEN, IN
VOLVING THE RELATIONS OF
PANAMA PROPER AND THE
CANAL ZONE. WHICH WERE NOT
WITH THE TREATY
AND WITH THE TRUE INTER-
ESTS OF BOTH PANAMA AND
THE UNITED STATES. After the
minister had cal1cl the excitement to
Il great extent by his assurances of fair
dealing and after he had given the Pan
anlaians abundant opportunity to file
with him all the complaints they had in
mind. he showed them. in a respectful
but diplomatic way. tint THE VERY
POINTS on WHICH THEY so Sc
VERELY CRITICISED PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT HAD ALREADY.
BACK IN JANUARY or THIS
YEAR. BEEN EXPLICITLY EN-
planned BY THEIR OWN ENVOY
PLENIPOTENTIARY. MIR. tNAU-
VANILLA. IN Ills STATEMENT TO
SECRETARY HAY Or HIS INTER-
PROBATION OF THE TREATY.. In
other Words the minister proved 10 thc
Panama government and people that
their own representative. Mr.. Hunau-
Varilla many months before. had. Oh
their behalf. given the United States alb
solute control Of the two ports at the
respective entrances of the ca!al. THUS
COMPLETELY DlSAEMiNG THE
CONTENTIOUS OF TIE CRITICS
OF THE PRESIDENT TINT. in es-
Publishing these ports by his orders to
Governor Davis. he had di~resarIel the
sovereignty and rights Of the PaYama
government. In addition to this! the
minister also explained to them that in
view of the great responsibility which
the United States owed to the rest OF
the world in constructing such gigantic
waterway. there could be no possible di-
vision of authority, and that the United
States had already. by a liberal gift Of
ten million dollars. paid for those very
sovereign rights which they now Ques-
toned If they had not agreed to this
arrangement, they might never have got
the canal. and they would probably have
lost their independence.
President Was Right.
What now is the result? In COMPARE
son with the situation few weeks ago
when the editorials in the local news
papers the discussions in the public
p!azas. and the kilograms to the Demo-
cratic papers in .he United States, all
criticised the President and said that
he, was acting arbitrarily. WE NOW
SEE THE LEADING MEN. NOT
ONLY OF THE GOVERNMENT
PARTY BUT OF THE OPPOSITION.
ACKNOWLEDGING . THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS RIGHT: we hear peo
pie in the plazas and public meetings
commenting the United States; we note
the editorials in the Panama press pray
ing for the election Of President
Roosevelt. and at a banquet given on
Sept. 5 in the American legation by
Minister Barrett in honor of the Minister
of Foreign Affairs, this latter official.
Don Tomas Orias, one Of the ,ablest and
most influential men in Panama. toasted
in eloquent terms the health Of President
Roosevelt and expressed the earnest
wish, on behalf Of his government and
his people, that THE PRESIDENT
WOULD BE TRIUMPHANTLY
ELECTED IN. NOVEMBER, SAYING
THAT THE BEST INTERESTS OF
PANAMA. AS WE'LL As THOSE OF