Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1904-01-09
President Roosevelt Presents Case
Fully TO Congress.
REASONS ARE GIVEN FOR ACTION
The President Shows Why the Inde-
pendence OF Panama Was RecOg-
nized-The Matter Fully Discussed.

Washington. Special-The Presi- !
dent sent the following message |
20 Congress at 12.3 30 Monday on the !
Panama Treaty.
To the Senate and House of Reprcscn- I
tatives.
Law before the Congress for it's In 7,
formation a statement OF my action /
ton mp 10 this time in executing the /
act entitled An act 20 provide for the
construction OF a canal connecting he
waters OF the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans" approved June %. 1902
BY the said act the President was
authorized TO secure FOR the United
States the property OF the Panama
Canal Company and the perpetual
control OF n strip s miles wide across
the Isthmus OF Panama. It was further
provided that should the President be
unable 10 obain for the United States
n satisfactory title 10 the property OF
the New Panama Canal Company and
the control OF the necessary territory
of the republic OF Colombia with
in a reasonable time and upon reason
able terms. then the President should
endeavOr 20 provide for canal by the
Nicaragua route. The language quoted
defines with exactness and precision
what was 10 be done. and what as "a
matter Of fact has been done. The
President was authorized 10 go 90 the
Nicaragua route only n within a rea-
sOnable time he could not obtain con
troll OF the necessary territory OF the
Republic OF Colombia" This control
has now been obtained. the provision
OF the act has been complied with: it
IS no longer possible under existing
legislation TO go 20 the Nicaragua
route as an alternative.
This act marked the climax of the
effort on the part Of the United States
30 secure. so far as legislation was
concerned. an interOccaniC canal
across the lsthmus. The effort 90 Sc
cure a treaty for this purpose with one
OF the Central American republics did
not stand on the same footing withthc
effort 20 secure a treaty under any or
binary conditions. The proper position
Tor the United States 20 assume I'm re-
ference 20 this canal and therefore 20
the governments OF the lsthmus. had
been clearly set forth by Secretary
Cass in 1858. In my Annual Message
have already quoted what Secretary
Cass said. but / repeat the quotation
hero. because the principle it states is
fundamental.
while the rights OF sovereignty OF
the states occupying this region tCen-
trail America) should always be re-
spcctcd. we shall expect that these
rights bc exercised in a spirit BETTING
the occasion and the wants and cir
cumstanccs that have arisen. Sever
eighty has its duties as we'll as its
rights. and none OF these local govern
ments. even II administered with more
regard 20 the Just demands OF other
nations than they have been. would
2 80
isolation. 10 close the gates OF inter
course on the reat highways OF the
world. and Justify the act by the pre-
tension hat these avenues OF trade and
travel belong 10 them and that they
choose 10 shut them. or. what is al
most equivalent. 10 cucumber them
with such unjust relations as would
prevent their general use"
The principle thus enunciated by
Secretary Cass was sound then and Is
sound now. The United States has
taken the position that no other Gov
eminent is 20 build the canal In 1888
when France proposed TO come TO the
aid OF the French Panama Company
by guaranteeing their bonds. the Sen
ate OF the United States in executive
session. with only some three votes
dissenting, passed a resolution as fol
lows:
That the Government OF the United
States will look with serious concern
and disapprOval upon any connection
of any European government with tn,
construction or control OF any shiI
canal across the Isthmus OF Darien O
across Central America, and must re
gard any such connection or control al
injurious 20 the just rights and liner
ests OF the United States and as
menace 20 their welfare.
Under the Hay PauncefOte treat,
II was explicitly provided that thl
United States should control. polio
and protect the canal which was TO b.
built. keeping il open for the vessel
OF all nations on equal terms Tn
United States thus assumed the pos
ton OF guarantor of the canal and o
ats peaceful use by all the world. Tn
guaranty included as a matter O
course the building OF the canal. Tn
enterprise was recognized as RI
spending 20 an International need
and Il would be the veriest travest
on right and justice 10 treat the GOV
ernments in possession Of the isthmu
as having the right, in the languag
OF Mr.. Cass. ito close the gates OF IL
tercourse on the great highways OF IN
world. and justify the act by the pre-
tension that these avenues of trad
and travel beong 20 them and tia
they choose 70 shut them"
When this Government submitted {
Colombia the Hay Herran treaty thre
things we're, therefore. already settle,
One was that the canal shoId b
built The time for delay. the time fc
permitting the attempt TO be made b
rNrivafa aDfQrnrico the time for Dprmf