Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-01-08
DID NOT INCITE REVOLT
PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS
ABOUT PANAMA MATTER.

PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS
ABOUT PANAMA MATTER.
He Hopes Colombia viii Not Declare
War, but We Must Stand by Pana
ma-Democratic Leaders Meet At
New York.
With the reassemblng of congress at
Washington Monday after the holiday
recess President Roosevelt transmitted
to the senate and house of represen-
tatives special message reviewing
in detail the part taken by this govern
ment in recent affairs ON the isthmus
of Panama. He quotes many official
dispatches as well as reports made by
newspaper correspondents, and denies
emphatically that the United States in
any way melted the revolution in Pan
anna Following are some Of the prin-
cipal points of the message:
The general rule that a new State
should not be recognized as independ-
ent till it has shown its ability to
maintain its independence is subject to
exceptions There are three clear and
| imperative reasons why a departure
from it was justified and required Our
treaty rights; our national interests
and safety, and the interests of collec-
tive civilization.
Long before the Hay Herran treaty
was concluded it became evident that
the Isthmian canal must be built by
the United States or not at all. Private
enterprise was utterly inadequate and
it was morally impossible that the
work should be undertaken by Euro
pean powers.
In all the range of our international
relations, | do not hesitate to affirm
that there is nothing of greater i'm
portance than the construction of an
oceanic canal. Reasons of convenience
have been superseded by reasons of vi
tai necessity which do not admit of
indefinite delays.
1t is earnestly to be hoped that there
will be no unwise conduct on our part
which may encourage Colombia to
embark on a war which cannot result
in her regaining control of the 18TH
mus, but which may cause much blood
shed and suffering.
| hesitate to refer to the injurious in
situations which have been made of
completely by this government in the
revolutionary movement in Panama. /
They are as destitute of foundation as /
of propriety.
If the pending treaty with Panama /
should not be ratified by the Senate /
this would not alter the fact that we l
could not go to Nicaragua. The Con-
gress has decided the route, and there +
is no alternative under existing egis
lation.
The naked meaning of the Colom-
bian canal committees report is that
Colombia proposed to wait until, by
the enforcement of forfeiture repug
nant to the ideas of justice which OBJ
tain in every civilized nation. the prop
erty and rights of the new Panama
Canal Company could be confiscated.
| will not for one moment discuss
the possibility of the United States
an act of such baseness as
to abandon the new republic of Pana-
ma.
The president declares that ii was
,nly the GOODNESS and gallantry of the
little band of American marines at
Colon under Commander John Hub S
,ard, who landed on the isthmus when |
he lives of American citizens We're q
threatened Nov 4, and faced ten times q
heir number Of armed foes, bent on (
arrying out the atrocious threat of the
Colombian commander, that prevented
murderous catastrophe" Commander j
hubbard refused TO permit the Colom- :
ian troops to use the railroad and get
nto a position where the fight could I
axe place. 1T thus clearly appears g
hat the fact that there was no blood I
he'd on the isthmus was directly due
nd only due-to the prompt and firm
by the United States of [
IS traditional policy" II
After his review of the matter the o
resident reminded congress that fall Y
re to ratify the treaty will not undo e
that has been done, or restore Panama /,
D Colombia, or alter our obligation to n
eep the transit open across the 18TH
nus The only question is, therefore
nat of the ratification of the treaty; =
neither or not we shall build an 18TH J,
han canal. III