New-York tribune., 1904-10-22

HE USED OLD LETTERS.
President and Secretary Hay Made
Them Public Long 4gO.
lEEoM -HE TRIBUNE BUREAU.


lEEoM -HE -R1s-sgE RUnESv.
Washington. oct 2t.-Scnator CCibeTson's
studied effort TO deceive the public by seasa-
tionaI presentation Of some very ordinary las-
ters. both OF which were made pulHc months
ago and which were nos os especial significance.
IS regarded here as more amusing than serious.
and many persons attribute the yellow political
move made by the Texan last might TO desire
70 achieve personal game and attract attention
rather than to any hope that be could Greats
partisan capital o- help his party 5y an attacS
on policy wnich was approved by half the
Democratic membership OF thu senate last VIM
ter.
The letter writtea by the President 70 Dr.
shaw last August was furnished q Washing
ton newspaper man. with permission to make
it public. 5y che President nuonths ago although
the correspondent saw it TO omit the last para
graph The letter OF Secretary Hay TO DIR.
Herran was forwarded the Senate last WIN
ter. and the copy used by Sir. CuIberson was
furnished to him by Secretary bay recently as
it would have been furnished To any one eIss
who asked for IT,
That revolution on the IsthInus OF Pana.
mas was brewing months before IL occurred
was well known in Bogota even better TRAN
in Washington is well established THAT
the Colombian Congress listened to the powerful
lobby which sought to prevent ratification
rather than TO President MarrOquin. who warned
it that the Reputation Of the treaty would re-
suit in the loss of Panama. is equally weI4
known The lobby persuaded the BOgota polite
clans that by deferriug an agreement with tbs
United States until after the franchise OF tbs
Panama Canal Company had expired Colombis
could forfeit the franchise and demand the $40.
100000 the United States had agreed to pay for
IT, The prospect of additional $4O.OOO,OOO tn
be divided at BogOta outwelghed all saner and
safer COUNCILS, and Colombia, grasping for mores
lost all.
PANAMA REVOLUTION JUSTIFIED
That there was general desire IN the United
States that Panama should assert her rights and
separate herself from the United States OF CO.
lombia is unquestionably true. That this desirs
was shared by President Roosevelt. although
he was constrained by the responsibilities OF his
position from expressing it other than privately
Is also true. That desire emanated from higher
motives than mere anxiety to construct the in
teroceanic canal 1t was amply warranted By
the history Of Panama.
Up to 1880 Panama was q sovereign State
She hard her own legislature. and enacted her
own laws for domestic administration She was
a sovereign member of a confedsracy OF States
union. She. with her sister States. had
delegated certain powers TO the central govern
ment at Bogota the President, The Cabinet and
the Congress, out LWO-IulfNS OF tue states Htiti
the power to overrule any action of the Con-
gress She chose her own Governor and other
officials. She enjoyed home rule.
With 1856 came complete cE3nge IN hcr
foreSnes. Dr. Nunez. then IrssiJent. see aside
the constitution. ard made and put in force
new one in the making OF which PanaInt h7d
no part or voice. and under which Nuuez be-
came a practical dictator. Through tault Of
her own. with no pretence Of riSht, and by sheer
force Of might. Panama lost the home rule she
had enjoyed since the federation of 1858 lost the
power TO IegisIate for the wants and needs Of
her own people. and became province. o de-
desDOtisn of government 500 miles ;-vvSy, nav
ing nothing in common with the people oG
Panama, and from that day 10 the day ~ her
revolution she suffered every injustice tu1C
could he perpetrated or an outraged Sta-e by &.
tyrauuical government. Of the Si5e0Cee9 paid
10 the government at BogOta for the canal fran
Chise Panama received no share. save the SO
600 a year, which was paid direct Co Panama
by the canal company and the railroad company
over $1,000. GOO loaned 20 the government 3r
regulated. and innUmerable other acts OF f',-
Justice and oppression might be cited.
All these facts in the history OF Panama are
we'll known They have been set forth IN de-
bates by Senators SpOoner. Lodge and Others.
and they readily account for the sst-iSfaction ot
the people Of the United States when they
learned that the Panama revolution was am ac-
cOmplished fact. they did for the conviction
OF the Panamans of the justice OF their cause
Perhaps. TOO. they largely account for The 1sct
the Panama treaty was taken sixteen Demo
cratic Senators declared themselves in favor o.
ratification. against seventeen who opposed