The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-01-08
SPECIAL MESSAGE
ON PANAMA CANAL
President Roosevelt Transmits His
Views to Congress-.
TREATY SHOULD BE RATIFIED
says There Was No Com plicity ON Part
Of This Government I'm Revolution
Charges Colombia with Greed
All Interests Demand Canal.

1ubtect Oh the Panama CANA treaty tredts
largely OF the Panama rebellion. the In.
eidents leading up to It and the parton
the United states in it.
He refers to the previous legislation au-
thorizing the PRESIDENT conclude q
treaty with Co.omoia Tor the building or
the canal, and II alter reasonable lapse
the necessary territory from Colombia TO
revert to the Nlcarasuan route tor the
construction OF the canal. The later
a. the control OF the necessary territory
ut Panama has been secured. Re.errlns
% the rejection OF the treaty with Co
TINS act marked the Climax OF the Ell
fort on the part OF the United. States to
seSnes aD Ial oe eanai across the
lsthnaus. The effort to secure a treaty
for this purpose with one OF the Central
American republics did not stand ON the
Same footing with the effort to secure
treaty under any ordinary conditions
Under the .-Hay-Pauncefote treaty i
states Should centroi. police and protect
the canal which was to be built. Keeping
open Ter the vessels 81 al ,bna on
6umed the position of guaranior OF the
canal and OF Its peaceful use by all the
ter of course the building Of the canal
The enterprise was recognized as re-
spending to an international netI; and 1t
would be the veriest travesty On right and
Justice to treat the governments in pos
session OF the isthmus as having the right
TO close the gates or anS f En ife
.anes of trade and travel belong to them
and that they choose to shut them.
Position of United states.
when this government submitted to
Colombia the .Hay-Herran treaty three
things were. therefore. already settled;
built. The time for delay. the time for
permitting the attempt TO be made by
WAri val "a
any government Of anti-socid spirit and
Of Imperfect DEVELOPMENT to bar the work.
IN connection with the canal certain re-
'spon sibuities not only to its own people
but to the civilized world. which impeIa-
longer be delay In beginning the work
'Second-W lille 1t was settled that the
canal should be built withou. 1ass
S.r SdSTn in % spirit Of justice but in Split
whose Hii and We might buil se Il. The Hay
Herran treaty, If 1t erred at all. erred In
the direction of an over-generoSty to-
anxiety to be fair We had gone to the very
verge in yielding to q weak nations de-
mands what that nation was heiPiessiy
will The only criticisms made upon the
administration for the terms Of the Hay
much to Colombia. not for failure to grant
enough. Neither in the congress nor In
the public press. at The time that that this this
plant that 1t did not In the fullest and
amplest manner guarantee to Colombia
everything that she could by any color OF
Nor is the fact to be lost sight of that
the rejected treaty, while generously re-
lombia, In other respects merely provided
for the construction Of the canal in con-
sSrrnty with the express TeqYirem 81 soS OF
BY that act, as heretofore quoted. the
president was authorized to acquire from
perpetual control Of a certain strip Of
the control thus to be obtained should
sanitary regulations and to establish such
judicial tribunals as might be agreed on
Cor their enforcement These were con con
-stipulations were embodied in the treaty.
ea been tn tsass
on the ground that they involved relin-
punishment, of her sovereignty. but in the
objection must be considered as an after
t9ought In reaiity the he treaty; instead an
acknowledged, confirmed, and preserved
her sovereignty over 1t; The treaty In this
which ali the Negotiations leading up to
the present situation have been conducted.
In those negotiations the exercise by the
fights of the local sovereign. of sub
stantial control over the canal and the
immediately adjacent territory. has been
Tangement that might be made. It has
formed an essential feature OF all our
plans and Its necessity Is fully recognized g da
gress. In providing that such control
should be secured, adopted no new pr.nci-
zion a condition the Importance and pro-
Driety of which were universally recog-
mixed; During all the years OF negotiation
and discussion that preceded the conc.u-
sion of the Hay-Herran treaty, Colombia
never int:maSed that the requirement by
the United States of control oy ~ the ca
nal strip would render unattainabie the
construction of a canal by way OF the
lsthmus of Panama; nor were we advised,
was pending before the congress, that the
terms which 1t embodied would render ne
eotiations with Colombia impracticabls
and guarantee the neutrality OF the canal
with q less degree of control than was
to 1917 grant Such degree Of eoesro
was necessarily refusal to make any
practicable treaty at all; Such refusal
whether Colombia was entitled to bar the
transit Of the worlds traffic across the
asthmus.
THAI the canal itself was eagerly de
nandcd by the people OF the locality
through which It was to pass, and that
the people Of this locality no less eagerly
1can csltrol. are shown by the unanim-
aty of action In the new Panama repub-
he. Furthermore, Colombia. after having
rejected the treaty In spite Of our pro-
tests and warnings when 1t was In her
power to accept 1t. has since shown the
utmost eagerness to accept the same
treaty II only the status quo could be re-
Ntored- One of the men standing highest
IN the official circles of Colombia, ON No
Vember 6, addressed the American min
1ster at Bogota, saying that II the gov.
eminent of the United States would land
troops to preserve Colombian sovereignty
and the transit. the Colombian govern
ment would declare martial law: and.
1ty. when public order II disturbed.
(wouldl approve by decree the rat
a. the government Of the United States
prefers. Iwouldl cali extra session OF the
6ers-next May to approve the treaty.
Having these facts In view. there Is no
shadow OF question that the government
which was not merely just but generous