Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-02
PANAMA IN THE HOUSE
MR.. THAYER CRITTCISES THE
PRESIDENTS COURSE.
Gen. Grosveror Declares That It Will
Make the Administrator
Live in History.

After the consideration of District bust
ness the proceedings of the House of Repre-
sentatives yesterday afternoon were enliv-
ened by spirited discussion of the Pan
anna question. Mr.. Thayer tMass.) declared
the course OF this government in Panama
to have been contrary to the provisions Of
the treaty with New Granada. Mr.. Grosve
nor (Ohio) made a vigorous defense of the
administration and said the brightest star
that shines in the pathway of the candf-
date for the republican party is his course
in the Panama canal question. He advised
the democrats to keep away from Panama
as an Issue.
Mr.. Thayer's Criticism.
The consular appropriation bin was under
consideration in Committee of the whole
when Mr.. Thayer spoke. Are We in this
miserable Panama flasco sustaining the dig
nifty. honor and glory of the American re-
pubhc?" he asked. After quoting from the
treaty Of New Granada and referring to the
dissolution of the Colombian congress on
October 81 he said: Ten days longer wait
would not have seemed an unwarrantad de
lay to any but an impetuous and oyerstren-
uous person. But our President Is not a
man to wait when there can be something
a-doing. If this matter of having a canal
at Panama was not settled before Cons ress
convened ten days later the fri ends of the
Nicaragua route and the frien,ls of other
routes might be reinforced and make more
trouble for the Panama route. Personally
the President was in favor of building the
canal at Panama and he was not unfriend-
ly with the French canal company. He
seemed anxious to impress upon the Ameri-
can people that they had strenuous nan
at the helm, who did not stop at trifies;
one who would ride any kind IF oroncho
where others more cautious dare not
tread"
Gen. Grcsvenor's Vigorous Reply.
MI Grosvenor (Ohio} replied to Mr.. 1'hay-
er in vigorous defense of the administra-
TONS course in connection with the Pan
anna situation.
Mr. Grosvener said that if ever there was
a subject worn threadbare until 1t be-
came odious to the ears and obnoxious to
the noStrils of the American people 1t mas
been this endless and internal iteration OF
lot of platitudes about recognition OF the
Panama republic"
He said he could not reconcile the insist
ence of the Presidents critics that they
favored a canal and that we must have one
with their denunciation of the President,
and added:
eft the United States was guilty of a
viola lion of international law 1t was that
violation and that alone that made any
republic or government or combine ton,
whatever 1t may be called. possible in the
Isthrnus of Panama. Therefore l point out
to the gentleman from Massachusetts that
while he condemns the United States IN I'M
measured terms of bitterness and makes
insinuations against the President or a
character 10 which l do not wish to refer,
the great nations of the world are also re-
ceivers of these stolen goods. England.
France Germany, Russia, Holland. all the
nations, all the great powers OF the world
with every South American republic. have
come in and Endorsed the action of the
United States government by the ratihca-
ton. as it were, of the recognition of this
new republic"
Popular Sentiment.
He declared that 80 out of every 100 peo-
pie in the United States of America-except
the mugwumps of Massachusetts, Qaugh-
ter)-are unqualifiedly and enthusiastically
in approval of the course taken by the
President of the United States in the matter
of the Panama canal and said that If the
President had not done just what he did
do tie minority would be resounding today
with the. abuse of the President as peing
unfit to represent great nation upon a.
81 believe that Theodore Roosevelt placed
a star in the crown of his administrator
brighter than 1t had been the good fortune
of any American President In the iaSt tnlrt !,
wears to have established. l believe II
will go down in the latest generations OF
our country's history as an administration
OF what one man or one administration can
do to redeem the character of the nation
from the possibility Of the charge OF imbe.
clity and lack of courage IN an nour Oh
extreme peril and excitement: penete
that if the gentleman will put his ear to
the ground just now and listen to the SOUNDS
that are coming from all over the United
States he will hear sound OF indorsement
Of Theodore Roosevelt in this particular
matter of the Panama question that wlii
unsettle his views as to the future posi-
bility of democratic victory in the coming
election for President.