Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-05

pdHldSeOuS position Oh claiming no
merely the compensation TO be paid
by the United States for the privilege
OF completing the canal, but also the
forty millions authorized by the act
of 1902 to be paid for the property
of the New Panama Canal company,
That the attempt to carry out this
scheme would have brought Colombia
into conflict with the government OF
France can not be doubted; nor could
the United States have counted upon
immunity from the consequences OF
the attempt, even apart from the in.
definite delays to which the construc.
ton Of the canal was to be subjected,
On the first appearance Of danger to
Colombia, this government would
have been summoned to i~nterpose, in
order to give effect to the guarantees
of the treaty OF 1916; and all this
in support Of a plan which, while char
acterized In its first stage by the wan
ton disregard Of our own highest In
~terests, was fifty to end in further In
jury to the citizens Of a friendly ma
ton, whose enormous losses In their
generous efforts to pierce the isthmus
have become q matter Of history.
In the third place. | confidently
maintain that the recognition Of the
Republic Of Panama was an act justi.
fed by the interests of collective civ
ilization. II ever q government could
be said to have received q mandate
IRON civilization to effect an object the
accomplishment Of which was demand
ed in the interest Of mankind, the
United States holds that position with
regard to the interoceanic canal.
Since our purpose to build the canal
was definitely announced, there have
come from all quarters assurances Of
approval and encouragement, in which
eve Colombia herself. at one time,
participated. and to general assuran-
ces we're added specific acts and dec
~larations. In order that no obstacle
might stand in our way, Great Britain
renowned important rights under the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty and agreed to
its a~hrogation, receiving in return no
thing but our honorable pledge to
build the canal and protect 1t as an
open highway.
That u position as the manda-
tory OF civilization has been by no
means misconcelved Is shown by the
promptitude with which the powers
nave, n after another. followed our
lead in recognizing Panama as an in
dependent state. Our action in rec.
ognizing the new republic has been
followed by like recognition on the
part of France, Germany. Denmark,
Russia, Sweden and Norway. Nicara-
qua, Peru. China. Cuba, Great Britain.
Italy, Costa Rica, Japan and Austria
Hungary.
Instead OF using our forces, as we
were invited by Columbia to do. for
the twofold purpose Of defeating our
own rights and interests and the In.
terests Of the civilized world, and OF
compelling the submission of the peo-
pie of the isthmus to those whom they
regarded as oppressors, we shall, as
In duty bound, keep the transit open
and prevent Its invasion. Meanwhile,
the only question now before us is that
of the ratification OF the treaty. For
1t Is to be remembered that q failure
to ratify the treaty will not undo what
has been done. will not restore Pan
anna to Columbia, and will not alter
our obligation to keep the transit open
across the Isthmus, and to prevent
any outside power from menacing this
transit.
In conclusion let me repeat that
the question actually before this gov
eminent is not that Of the recogni-
tion Of Panama as an independent re-
public. That is already an accom-
plished fact. The question. and the
only question. is whether or not we
shall build al Isthmian canal.
! transmit herewith copies or the
latest notes from the minister OF the
Republic Of Panama to this govern
ment, and OF certain notes which have
passed between the special envoy OF
the republic Of Colombia and this gov
eminent
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House, January 4, 1904.
-o----
Revolution Imminent.
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