The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-01-27
DEFENDS
PANAMA POSITION.
Why He Stands With the Majority or
Democratic Senators In
Washington.

To the Editor of The Spartanburg
Journal:
L have just read your article in the
Journal of January 4, "Senator Till
man and the Canal Treaty" 1 recog-
nize the rightof any ofmy constituents
to take issue with me and my course as
a senator and to criticlse my public ut
terances and actions 1 also know that
the Journal has always bean fair and
usual j friendly towards me. l there.
fore feel that it is due myself as well as
my constituents who agree with you to
say something in answer 10 the edito-
rial in question.
As to personal hostility to Pre- .ident
Roosevelt" 1 would not allow so petty
and ignoble a spirit as that 1 hope to
govern my action and L am surprised
that you put 1t as n of the excuses
moving me. In brief 1 went to say that
my opposition to the Panama Canal
treaty arises from the fact that in my
Judgment the actions of our executive
leading up to it, and the record OF the
transaction as a whole Is the most ION.
temp ible and disgusting, nay Disgrace
full, in all of our diplomatic annals.
| favor an isthmian canal and have
no choice Of routes, rather preferring
the Panama to any other because it is
shorter; but that a just government
like this should engage in the practice
OF a sneak thief, and having obtained q
pretense for action based on secession
and then have the president utilize the
army and navy II the marines fail-and
they stand ready to act when the ma
rines fail-to coerce a weak power like
Colombia is something I cannot en-
dorse Or approve. There would have
been some paliiation, some excuse, If
we had as a nation boldly declared that
Colombia was obstructing the progress
OF civilization and was q bar to inter-
national commerce and then taken pos
session OF the isthmus under the law of
international eminent domain and pro-
ceededNto construct tho canal without
regard to consequences. But the honor
OF the Unite I'd States is dearer to me
than any benefit that may accrue to the
United States or any part of it from the
building OF such a canal aud whatever
may be the opinion of democrats, "com-
mercial," or otherwise about ignoring
the principles of common honesty and
common fair play, L will never give q
vote as senator from South Carolina
endorsing this infamous policy, or MAX
Ing a treaty with one man represent
ing nothing and using that as an ex-
cuse to coerce Colombia from maintain
ing her sovereignty over the isthmus.
There is nothing but the shadow of q
government in Panoma and no one can
deny that.
This may be partizanship but I trust
at least 1t is common honesty and I
hope the people of South Carolina af.
ter they understand, If they do not
already understand my attitude, will
commend it. Icertainly know az much
about what is going on as any one In
South Carolina. Whether they do or
not ! am on the ground. have no mo-
tive other than that of ~discharging my
duty as senator here, and 1 shall GER.
tainiy do that with the light before me
without fe lr, favor or affection. If 1t
meets the approval Of my fellow citi-
zens, I shall be happy. If not 1 shall
be content because as senator from
South Carolina 1 do not wish to do any
thing that will reflect on those OF my
great predecessors who never forgot
the rules of common honesty in deal
ing with their neighbors and who
loved the honor of the republic more
than they did material advancement.
Respectfully,
b. II. TILnMAN,
United States Senste, Washington, d.
c.. JAN. q. 1904.