The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-01-06
CLARksBURG, W. VA, JAN. Q. 1904
DEMOCRACY FATALLY WRONG.

Some OF the leaders OF the Democratic
party, notably Senator German and rabid
party men who are anxious to find some
thing to work off as one OF the issues in
the coming presidential campaign, ar,
ranting against the Republican admin
istration regarding the Panama cana
treaty concluded ad referendum with tn,
rev republic of Panama by Presiden'
Roosevelt. The very that the presiden
favors Secession" that he had no
the right to conclude the treat,
With Panama as he did, that hi,
action was unwarranted and unprece
denied, THAT public sentiment wa
against the treaty from beginning I,
end and that his conduct was ''unwise
precipitatc and iniquituous." They sa.
also that there is u moral side OF the issu
which the administration, and more e.
pecially President Roosevelt, Tashly IN
impetuously unheeded. This moral sd
Of the issue, they claim, is that the ac
tion has violated ceutury-old tradition
Of national fair dealing; that the Unite
States greedily and selfishly ooprcsse.
u veal; nation, and that the government
has tried to obtain the canal wron.l
ard dishonorably.
In the first place the matter is not a
issue or an act Of the Republican party
even though done by a Republican pres
ident. 1t is national transaction, an
one with which party lines have not a.
iota of connection. Party fealties hay
nothing to do with it, 1t is the Unite
States government, and not the Republi
can party.
Patiently and forbearingly did til
United States endeavor to successful.
negotiate a treaty for an inter-oceani
canal. The war with Spain taught tlE
country an object lesson that will neve
be forgotten until after such water
way is completed. Colombia, not salts
fed with reasonable offers, liberal con
cessions and the courtesies and indu
gencies accorded her, greedily and ava
raciously demanded a gross eNtortio
from the United States. She was buoy
cd UP by the fancy that she had rio
government where she wanted it, am
could replenish her depleted Golfers an.
wax fat in the lap of unusual and pt
culiar circumstances. Then n portion o
the people, resenting the selfish and vora
cious actions OF the oligarehy which oven
voiced them, rose mp in righteous wrat
AMI Indignation, overthrow their govern
ment and instituted a new one of thei
own.
The president acted promptly in sue
an emergency and, desiring to conclud
treaty as the Representatives Of tn
people had instructed him, and to ayoi
bloodshed in an unnecessary revolution
warily, prudently, cautiously and de
ereetly, with the department of stat,
did his duty.
The president had a right to do a
he did. In the act of congress. approve
june Is, 1902, providing for THE con
struction of a canal connecting the wa
tiers of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
tine president was "authorized to secur.
for the United States the property o
the Panama Canal company and the per
petnnl control Of strip six miles wild,
across the Isthmus of Panama" 1t wa
further provided that "sliould the pres
ident be unable TO obtain for the Unite,
States a satisfactory title to the prop
erty OF the New Panama Canal company
and the control of the necessary terri
tory of the Republic of Colombia
within reasonable time and upor
reasonable terms, then the president
should endeayor to provide for cana
by the Nicaragua route The languag,
defines with exactness and precision what
was 30 be done and what, as a matter
Of fact. has been done. The action OF
the president was, therefore, warranted.