Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-06
N INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE
Used Authority of His Great Office
for Benefit of All.
DID NOT EvADE HIS DUTY
Would Have Been Easy to Shrink
the Responsibility
IsTHMUs Is NOW PEACEFUL
IL lie Now EnjOyinE Its First Real
Prosperity and the Canal Is Being
Built Instead of BeinE De-
Inyed Indefinitely.

NEW YORK, oct. b-Theodore Roose-
welt has an article on How the United
states acquired the right to dig the
Panama canal" in the current number
of the outlook. Mir. Roosevelt discusses
statements which have been made from
time to time that he acted in an uncon-
stitutional manner and usurped authority
in connection with the Panama project
and he uphblds the regularity of the
proceedings throughout
Mr.. Roosevelt says that his MESA ses TO
congress set forth in full and in detail
every essential fact connected with the
various phases of tho acquisition OF the
Panama canal. He adds
The simple fact was that when the
interest of the American people i'm
peratively, demanded that a certain act
should be done and l had the power to
do 1t, | did it, unless It was specifically
prohibited by law instead Of refusing
to do IT unless / could find some provi-
sion of law which rendered it imperative
that l should do 1t. In other words l
gave the benefit of the doubt TO the
people OF the United States and not to
any group OF bandits. foreign or domes-
tic, whose interests happened to be
adverse to those of the people Of the
United States.
Lesson of History.
In my judgment, history had taught
the lesson that the president has very
great powers If he chooses to air those
powers but that, II he is a timid or
selfish man. afraid of responsibility and
afraid of risks, he can, OF course manu-
facture ingenious excuses for failure TO
exercise them. A. a great crisis In
American history Mr.. Buchanah had
shown himself to belong to the latter
type of president: Mr.. Lincoln had repre-
sented the other type-the type which
gave the people the benefit of the doubt,
which was not afraid TO take response
bility. which used in large fashion for
the good Of the people the great powers
of a great office.
In October and November, 1908, events
occurred on the Isthmus of Panama
which enabled me, and which made It
my highest duty to the people of the
United States. to carry out the pro-
visions OF the law of congress. l did
carry them out and the canal is now
being built because of what / thus did.
Did Not EVade Responsibility.
1T is also true, that II 1 had wished
to shirk my responsibility, II had
been afraid OF doing my duty 1 could
have pursued a course which would have
been technically defensible, which would
have prevented criticism of the kind that
has been made and would have left the
United States no nearer building the
canal at this moment than 1t had been
for the preceding half century. If
had observed a judicial inactivity about
what was going on at the isthmus, II
had let things take their course and had
then submitted an elaborate report
thereon to congress l would have
furnished the opportunity for much
mastery, debate in congress which would
now be going on, and the canal would
still be fifty years In the future
The interests of the American people
demanded tnat l should act Just exactly
as ] did act; and ! would have taken the
action | actually did take even though
had been certain that to do so meant
my prompt retirement from public life
at the next election; for the only thing
which makes it worth while TO hold
big office is taking advantage Of the
opportunities the office offers to do some
big thing that ought to be done and is
worth doing"
Opposition of Colombia.
Concerning the opposition of Colombia,
Mr.. Roosevelt says:
y felt very strongly that the position
that the one time Secretary OF State
Cass had taken nearly fifty years be-
fore, was the proper position and that
the United States would be derelict in
its duty II it permitted Colombia to pre-
vent the bulding of the Panama canal.
] was prepared, II necessary to submit
10 congress a recommendation that we
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