Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-03
LATEST BOOMERANG.
DEMOCRATS ATTEMPT TO DIS.
CREDIT THE PRESIDENT.
Letter In Regard 10 the Acquisition
Of the Panama Strip That Reflects
Much Credit on the Chief Executive
Cry of "UncIeann shouId Stop. Il


the poverty in initiative of the Demo
cratic party and its utter failure to com
prehend 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 CuIberson of Texas
was pushed to the front "a New York
last Thursday night to spring a sensa-
tiOnal attack on President Roosevelt for
his alleged revolutionary course in this
matter.
Although the subject has been thor
onghly threshed out in Congress and the
public prints, and the seal Of legislative
approval put upon The course of the ad-
mnistration by the ratification of the
treaty with Panama, and the appropria-
tion and payment of $5O0O0000 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
administrations acts in the premises
Without producing one scintilla of new
evidence he flashed private letter writ
ten by President Roosevelt over a year
ago to his personal friend, DIR. Albert
Shaw, editor Of The Review OF Reviews,
before the eyes of his audience to JUS
tify 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.
n, ~ A.
this campaign, what was new In Senator
Culberson's exposure was immaterial
and what was material was neither new
nor true. The letter, about which SEN
ator Culbcrson made such an ado as a
carefully suppressed piece Of evidence
OF the Presidents intention to do by force
what was subsequently achieved openly
and legally was made public by DR..
Shaw nearly year ago with the Presi-
dents consent. As il 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 desircd-the building of the inter
oceanic canal, it is herewith presented in
full;
Personal.
White House. Washington, Oct 10 1908
My Denr DR.. Shaw; | inclose you, purely
for your own information. q copy of let
ter OF Sept. ., from our minister to Co.
lomhla. | think Il might interest you TO
see that there was absolutely not the
slightest chance Of securing by treaty any
more than we cndeuYurU<l to secure. The
alternatives were to go to Nicaragua.
against the advice Of the great majority 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 NJ getting treaty. | cast
aside the proposition made at this time to
foment the secession OF Panama. what.
ever other governments eau do, the United
States can not 20 into the securing by such
underhnnd means the ccEs,on. Privately. |
freely say to you that should be delighted
II Panama were an independent state, or,
u II made Itself SO ut tbs moment, but for
me to say 50 publicly would amount TO nm
instigatlon OF u revolt, ana therefore | can
not say It, With great regards, sincerely
yours, THEODORE RooSENELT
The more of such private letters tne
Democrats can produce out Of their ar
senals of exploded campaign fakes the
better for Theodore Roosevelt. 1t is Il
frank statement of Il great national prob
lem to friend II tells him of the
failure 10 deal with Colombia; OF the
alternatives Of trying the Nicaragua
toute--pronouuced impracticabe by COM.
peteut engneers--or taking the Panama
territory without a treaty; of the rejec.
ton of any proposition to foment the
secession OF Panama
JeaIou, Of the Couutry's Honor.
IL also gives an instructive glimpse OF
how jealous the President was of rhe
honor of the United States IN dealing
with what would have been an irresiSti.
bile interpolation to other governments and
clearly shows how he refrained from Civ,
ing any public expression to thoughts
Which would have been an instigation Il
the revolt.
Theodore Roosevelt l. master of his
impulses, just as he is master of his act'
and words lie RETAINED from flaming
the revolt 10y single breath.
That revolt came without any hut oI
pressure from Washington. The United
States joined with Europe in recognizing
the Evolutionary government oc Panama
Then came the treaty, the acquisition al
the rights To build the canal aud finally
this declaration Of the convention 1t 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
have always Coutended fur-a great utter
oceanic Caual Of trauSp0rtutiOp. and broader
and less trammeled trade relations with the
other peoples Of the world
Now, il is scarcely credible tIit the
Democrats, however much they may IA.
vor an isthmian canal, would ,NnSeat 2,
dig il under fraudulent. illegal and dis
reputable title. Ii Colombia has been
wrouged by the United States it is our
duty TO right that wrong by restoring Il
her. not only the title to the canal strip
across the isthmns. but the sovereignty
over the whole republic OF Panama.
Moreover. il Senator Culherson and
his fellow anti-inperiahsts do not Sian
der their country the United States owes
a greater duty TO itself than IL owes to
Colombia 10 undo the act Of dishonor
they accuse il OF perpetratinS for its own
purposes OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The possession OF the canal strip was
acquired honorably or dishonorabg. by
legitimate legal means or by corrupt. tor
tuous aud fraudulent methods. The par
~ which believes that there was any