Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-01-20

The Senator Defends His Position is to
Canal Treaty.

IS
----
Senator Tillman has written let
ter to the Spartanburg Journal de-
tending his position on the Panama
canal treaty. He says:
To the Editor of the Journal:
have just read your article in the
Journal of January 4, "Senator Till
man and the Canal Treaty" recog-
nize the right of any OF my constitu-
ents to take issue with me aud my
course as Senator and to oriticise
my public utterances and actions.
also know that The Journal has AL
ways been fair and usually friendly
towards me. / therefore feel that it is
due myself as well as my constituents
who agree with you to say something
in answer to the editorial in question.
AS to "personal hostility to Presi-
dent Roosevelt" / would not allow
so petty and ignoable a spirit as
that, l hope, to govern my action,
and l am surprised that you put it as
one of the excuses moving me. In
brief, L want to say that my opposi-
tion to the Panama canal treaty
arises from the fact that the actions
OF our executive leading up to it, and
the record of the transaction as a
whole is the most contemplate and
disgusting, nay, disgraceful, in all
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 govern
ment like this should engage in the
practice of sneak thief, and having
obtained a pretence for action based
on secession and then have the Presi-
dent to utilize the army and navy if
the marines fail-and they stand
ready to act when the marines fail
to coerce weak power like Colom-
bia is something l cannot endorse or
approve. There would have been
some palliation, some excuse, if we
had as nation boldly declared that
Colombia was obstructing the pro-
gress of civilization and was bar to
international commerce and then
taken possession of the isthmus
under the law of international emf
nent domain and proceeded to con-
struct the canal without regard to
consequences. But the honor of the
United 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 canal, and
whatever may be the opinion of
Democrats, Commercial" or other
wise, about ignoring the principles of
common honesty and common fair
play, l will never give vote as Se-
nator from South Carolina endorsing
this Infamous policy or making a
treaty with one man representing
nothing, and using that as an excuse
to coerce Colombia from maintaining
her sovereignty over the isthmus.
There is nothing but the shadow of
government in Panama and no one
can deny that.
This may be partizanship, but
trust at least it is common honesty
and | hope the people of South Caro-
lima after they understand, if they do
not already understand my attitude,
will commend it. I certainly know
as much about what is going on as
any one in South Carolina. Whether
they do or not / am on the ground.
| have no motive other than that of
discharging my duty as Senator here,
and l shall certainly do that with
the light before me without fear.
favor or affection. If it meets the
approval of my fellow citizens shall
be happy. If not shall be content
because as Senator from South Caro-
lima do not wish to do anything
that will reflect on those of my great
predecessors who never forgot the
rules of common honesty in dealing
with their neighbors and who loved
the honor of the republic more than
they did material advancement.
Respectfully,
B. r. Tillman.