Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-10-27
Makes HOT REPLY
TO COL. ROOSEVELT
CONSUL GENERAL OF COLOMBIA
TAKES EXCEPTIONS TO STATE
MENTS MADE BY TEDDY.
ATTACKS THE LANGUAGE USED
Senior Francisco Escobar Does Not
Like Article on "How the United
States Acquired the Right to
Build Panama Canal"

New York City.-The following
is a copy of letter addressed to
Former President Roosevelt by Senor
Francisco Escobar, consul general OF
the republic of Colombia, in reply to
his article, by Mr.. Roosevelt, in The
Outlook on "How. the United States
Acquired the Right to Build the Pan
anna Canal" The letter has just been
made public here:
Has Nothing Against Citizens.
ITO Theodore Roosevelt, contribu.
ting editor to The Outlook, New York
City.-Sir: Former presidents of the
United States have stepped down
from the highest position attainable
by mortal man, to again become prf-
vate citizens of this great republic
and have carried with them into their
retirement the dignity of their office
and the respect of their fellow coun-
trymen. You have elected different
course and, by capitalizing your presi.
dental prestige as the paid employe
of weekly journal, have forfeited the
consideration due to the high Office
you once held You can now pretend
only to such respect as you as a man
deserve. / say this to make it quite
clear that l am addressing you as an
individual and not wish to reflect
either upon the government or the
people of the United States for whom
have the deepest respect and regard.
In a signed article, purportins to show
how the United States acquired the
right to build the Panama canal, you
use language which any decent news.
paper would have hesitated to print
sN-I IL l.AI ut,
herself utterly incompetent to perform
the ordinary governmental duties ex.
pected of a civilized state You refer
to the government of Colombia as
government by succession of bandittf
and as archaic espotism-inefficien
bloody and corrupt and in summing
up your actions as president, you de.
clare, we did harm to no one save as
harm is done to bandit. by police
man who deprives him of his chance
to blackmail.'
Claims Teddy lnsulted.
"In default of argument, such is the
unseemly language you use to justify
the rape of the isthmus and refute the
oft repeated charges that you dealt
unfairly with Colombia; that you vio-
lated public treaty in which the Uni
ted States had pledged it's honor as a
nation to guarantee the sovereignty of
Colombia over the isthmus; that you
recognize the fake republic Panama
In defiance of the accepted principles
of international law so as to permit
your friends who were interested in
the Panama canal company to put
through their $4,000, 900 deal with the
United States; that you prostituted
the navy of the United States to the
same ends; that you-but why con-
tinue the long list of unanswered
charges? Instead or answering them
you hurl insults and ISLANDERS at the
unfortunate country you robbed of her
most valuable possession. When you
speak of blackmailers and bandits, Mr..
Roosevelt, have you forgotten the ul-
timatum you sent to Colombia threat
ening her with dire results If her SEN
ate did not ratify without amendment
the treaty written by the attorney
for the Panama canal company? Have
you forgotten the American marines
landed by Admiral Glass and sent into
the Atrato region to Yavisa and Real
mailer and the bandit then? Who has
told the truth about this matter all
along?
Appeals to People.
WAS it you when you told congress
that the people of Panama rose liter
ally as one man? Was it you when
you boasted that you took Panama and
let congress debate? Or was it you
when you wrote that your actions in
this matter were as free from scandal
as the public acts of George Washing
ton and Abraham Lincoln, and that
every action taken was not only
proper but was carried out in accord.
ance with the highest, finest and
incest standards of public and gov
ernmental ethics? think Colombia
can safely leave these questions to be
answered by the conscience of the
American people.
FRANCISCO ESCOBAR,
CONSUL General of Colombia"