The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-05
THE PRESIDENTS PANAMA MES
SAGE.

THE PHESlDENI'S PANAMA mES-
SAGE.
The message. which the President
sent to the Senate yesterday, urging
| the prompt ratification of the Pan
anna treaty, will have the effect OF
| clearing away TO a great extent the
/ suspicious that the administration
| brought about the revolution on the
| isthmus for the purpose of securing
| canal concessions. The President re-
sents the insinuation that the revolu-
\ tion in Panama was fomented, assist
| ed and brought to a successful con-
clusion by the administration. He in
Inmates that the reason he did not
take notice of it when it was first
made in the public prints was because
he didn't think it worthy of notice.
1t must be admitted that he makes
a very good defense of the course the
administration pursued in connection
with the revolution. He reviews the
acts of the administration in its efforts
to get the canal concessions from the
time of the passage of the Spooner
gin the work of constructing a canal
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans on the Panama route. provided
he can get the requisite concessions
from Colombia, and if not then on
the Nicaragua route, to the establish
ment of the Republic of Panama.
He points out that the whole world
was, informed that there would be
revolution on the isthmus if Colombia
rejected the Hay-Herran treaty. The
newspapers published dispatches from
Panama and elsewhere early in Au-
gust last, showing that the Pana-
maians -were preparing for revolt if
the treaty were rejected. Even the
people of Colombia were informed
what they might expect if the action
of the Colombian Congress were adj
verse to the treaty. The revolution
therefore wasn't hatched in the dark.
The President says that when he be-
came satisfied that Panama intended
to declare her independence he sent a
naval force to the isthmus for the pur-
pose of protecting American interests. 4
In doing this. he says, he only follow
ed precedents.
He makes it clear that it was the
purpose of Colombia to get the entire
$50 900, 900 which the United States had
agreed TO pay for the Panama Canal
Company's property and the conces-
sions-$40, 900 900 to the Panama Canal
Company and $4,000. 900 to Colombia
and this she intended to do by grab
bing the property of the Panama Ca
nal Company. 1t is apparent from
what the President says that he hasn't
any sympathy for Colombia on ac-
count of her loss of territory and the
money she was to get from the
United States for canal concessions, |
and it is clear that he is confident that
the course the administration pursued
was the right one.
OF course he doesn't say anything
about the haste Of the administration
in recognizing the Republic of Pan
anna and entering into a treaty with
her. Assuming that the administra-
tion was in no respect party TO the
revolt of Panama, and didn't assist
her in severing her relations with
Colombia or encourage her to do so,
the administrations haste in recogs
nizing the new republic and negotiat-
ing a treaty with her seems to be less
open to condemnation.
No doubt the treaty will be the sub
ject of a lengthy debate, and it may
be that during the debate some. state |
ments will be made that will require
further explanation from the admins
tration respecting it's course in connec-
tion with the revolution, but as the
case stands at present there doesn't
seem to be any good reason for think
ing the treaty will not be ratified.