The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-09-02
THE PANAMA CANAL.
DEMOCRACY DESERVES NO CRED,
IT FOR PROPOSED WATERWAY.
Its Declarations Are Incorrect In AZ
Least Two Particulars Strenuous
Policy Advocated in Platform on
Which Made His Race.

The Democratic platform undertakes
to make the party the guardian of ma
tional and international honor by attack
ing the administrations Panama Canal
policy. The platform says: 4
Our party having long and earnestly adj
vocated the construction OF an inter
oceanic canal for the purposes OF national
defense and m between the States
ana with foreign nations, we favor the
early completion Of the isthmian canal.
But, while making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
ana reversible fact, we cannot too forci.
biy express our disapproval Of the meth
DDS by which, In disregard Of the usages
and obligations of International law and
treaty obligations, the canal route has been
acquired, or too soiemnly record our hope
that this precedent of defiant diplomacy
may never be used against US to our hu-
initiation and injury :,
1t the Democratic party has ever ad-
vocated the construction Of an isthmian
canal its advocacy has been purely aca-
denic. No Democratic administration
has ever taken a step or lifted a finger in
that direction.
Democratic Platform of 1855.
AS to the question of methods the
party is on record in favor of the most
strenuous policy for the establishments
and maintenance of isthmian transit.
The Democratic platform of 1856, ON
which James Buchanan was nominated,
contained the following:
Resolved, That the great highway
which nature, as well as the assent Of
States most Immediately interested In its
maintenance, has marked out for FREQ
communication between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans, constitutes one OF the most
important achievements realized by the
spirit OF modern times. In the unconquer-
able eeergy OF our people; and that re-
suit would be- secured by a timely ana
efficient e%xertion OF the control which we
nave the right to claim over it.; and no
power on earth should be suffered to Inn
pede or clog its progress by any inter-
ference with relations that may suit our
policy to establish between our govern.
ment and the governments OF the States
within whose domlnions 1t lies; we can I'M.
der no circumstances surrender our pre-
ponderance in the adjustment Of all Queo-
lions arising out Of IT.
When the resolution was adopted the
question of an isthmian canal was not
being agitated, as it never was in any
practical way by the Democratic party.
The resolution refers TO the maintenance
of overland isthmian transit, which had
been interrupted by Nicaragua under a
p~retense that her sovereignty was being
The resolution virtually asserts
the paramount right Of the United States
" did shG AAo cAtO
which was an important part of COM
munication with California, against any
aud all corners
B~uchanan's Message.
In his annual message of 1858 Presf-
dent Buchanan said the transit across
the isthmus was "a highway which
must be open to the world" and that
the of other nations is not
70 stand still and await the adjustment
Of such petty controversies" as those
Nicaragua had raised. The
government of the United States expect
40 more than this" he added, and they
will not be satisfied with less"
These were brave and true u~tteraucea,
)ut no Democratic administration ever
lid anything to make them good. Still
ess did the Democratic party ever at
to apply them to the construction
IF an interoceanic canal. 1t was left
'or a Republican administrat to do
President Roosevelt's Panama
Canal policy has moved steadily and
irmly towards assuring the construction
If the canal, and his methods have not
of a deficient diplomacy as much
Is did those advocated by the Demo-
party in 1856.