The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-21
Senator CuIberson and Other Prominent Democrats Speak
TALKS ON PANAMA CANAL
DiscIoses the Bad Faith Shown By Mr. Roosevelt In Tacitly Aiding In the Secession From Co.,
 Iombla.

Under the auspices of the reform club a democratic mass meeting was held here tonight a tCarnegie hall at which Senator Charles A Culberson of Texas, Governor J. Montague of Virginia and Borough President Martin W. Littleton of Brook lyn were speakers. Paul Fuller of the Reform club presided. MT. Fuller intro dueed Mr Culberson.
 Senator Culberson devoted the greater portion of his remarks to a discussion of the Panama canal. going into details with the revolutions by which Panama be- came an independent state, and the sub seauent negotiations which resulted in the canal treaty. Abiding to what he termed the spirit of lawlessness which led the president in this disgraceful af- l fair" he declared that the transaction | above all others in his career, striking | ly typified his contempt of all legal re- straint and his unsuitable passion for per sonal and arbitrary government" | Continuing Senator Culberson said:
 Respects No Legal Bounds. | "ChoosIng an occasion on which he can appeal to the avarice of the people, and l
 usurpation, he respected neither legal
 bounds nor national good faith and IS
 the incident serves to illustrate not only
 his lmperious and despotie nature but the
 danger to the country which is involved
 in his election. it is well to understand
 it. for besides a want of general informa- ton upon the subject, important facts
 have been deliberately withheld from
 the public"
 He then sketched the course of events iD | the passage by congress of the bill known
 as the "Spooner law authorizing the canal, and charging lne president in his course with Colomhia as def siy vfolfs 4I ing both it's letter and spi
 He claimed that tbe HaY-Herran treaty
 if not nullified by the unanimous vote
 of the Colombian senate, disapproying
 if, expired by limitation upon the failure
 of Colombia to approve 1t within the time
 fixed for ratification. He entered with
 detail into the legal aspect of the matter
 and continuing, said;
 Makes Startling Defense.
 Tt is astonishing in view of these in-
 disputable facts that the defense of the
 president with reference to this statute
 should be placed by himself and his party
 upon the ground that when he entered
 into the Panama treaty, the time within ! route had not expired
 It Is interesting" added Senator Cul-
 person. Fin this connection to read the
 presidents message to congress January
 l. 1904. in which he said:
 e'As events turned out, the question of
 reasonable time did not enter into the
 matter at all. And yet there had not
 been a lapse of a reasonable time-using
 the word reasonable in any proper sense
 such as would justify the administra-
 ton going to the Nicaraguan route
 Then" he continued, read the follow
 ing letter from Secretary Hay to Minister
 Herran which has never before been pub
 lished;
 Letter to MT. Herran. Department of State, Washington, Jan uary 21 1903.
 '' Dear MT. Herran-I am directed by the President to say to you that in his : opinion that the reasonable time talowed l him by the statute to conclude negotia- 3 tions with Colombia for the construction r of an isthmian canaD has come to
 close, and cannot be extended. He au-
 thorzes me to sign with you the treaty
 of which 1 have had the honor to give d you d draft, with this change, that the d sum of $100000 annaul payment therein t mentioned be increased to S2500o. am t. not authorized to consider or discuss any n other change whatever
 q Signed. JOHN HAY. d While the President continued the L. speaker, eln defense of his revolutionary r. course was prescribing the opposite view r. on the country ln his message and by n his partisans in congressional debates, h and while public opinion upon the ques- IS tion was forming this letter was signin- If cant1v withheld even from the senate r. for months. though others upon the gen i'd eral subject were transmitted. -e ''rhe character of this occasion neces- 2 sarlly precludes an extended discussion s of the details of the fabricated rebellion d in Panama or the legal questions which
 pertain to fl. It must suffice to say that
 the national administration in precipitate
 and guilty haste, anticipated and dis
 counted the time for the revolt. IL mag l. nifed the number and character of the e insurgents and officers of the government d connived at a subterfuge to deceive and - corrupt the forces sent to subdue the in- F surrecton Not satisfied with these ile- | gal and wrongful and discreditable acts, - | but purposing to complete the intended | spoliation the administration within two Il days recognized the mock government il alone created and upheld and within tive , weeks in the very midst of actual though
 boodless war, it accepted a cession Of the territory from French adventurer whe
 organized the conspiracy in the shadow : of the national capitol.
 n Not Officially Responsible. g T accept it as true that the executive = officers of the administration did not off f cially and publicly instigate the revolt n 1 in Panama. but that the administration, e including the President, privately favored | | and encouraged the movement, and that d this was widely known Is susceptible Of
 demonstration. and in matter of this
 character 1t was tantafnount to commit-
 ting the government to it.
 'rhe very atmosphere of Washington d was charged with this belief The move n | ments of the navy in consonance with the { wishes and expectations of the eonspira- c tors is enexplicable except upon the hy- s pothesis of sympathy and fore knowi- l. edge The press of the country whose
 representatives at Washington visited tns h state department and White House dai- r. ly, teemed with suggestions and prophe-