Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-09
DON'T BlUNDER!
Continued from Page Onel

| The attitude OF newspapers and SEN
| ator Foraker said he received Il cali
| from him one Sunday morning and
he "seetncG distressed and discouraged"
| He adds that tue idea was that,
with tie c2ua! constructed at cost
| of hundreda 81 milIion of dollars, No
| one would cvtr question our right to
| Ia whatever might ne necessary in
,ur judgment To uphold our authority
ailu protect our property and Commcr-
ci,'l rights
He showed Senator Foraker a letter
from Lord Lansdowne indicating that
il would not be worth while to make
an effort To negotiate another canal
treaty unless provision was made
therein fer the settlement of pending
controversies between the United
States and Canada. Mr.. Hay regarded
such a treaty as impossible and
thought 1t barred further progress with
respect to the canal Delving into
general discussion of the whole sub
ject Senator Foraker and Sec. Hay. il
appears, agreed that it would be idle
to undertake to secure The. ratification
fortiiication by the United States or
involved this government i'll any obli-
CATION to consult any other government
as to the protection of its own prop
erty. Senator Foraker suggested sew
eral changes from the convention and
g me tranSpositonS that would soften
the effect. They included the following
provision:
The canal shall never he blockaded:
nor shall any right uf war be exercised
nor any act Of hostility be committed
within il. The United States. however.
shall b" ri liberty to maintain such
military police along the canal as may
De necessary to protect ii against law
essncss and disorder.
Senator Foraker said that he mark
ID these changes in "A copy Of the first
lay Pauneefote treaty which Was
handed to him by Mr.. Hay. who took
/ away With hila. and in the fall OF
he same year. on Aug. 70. 1901. wrote
o the senator In confidence that he
'opcd 10 conclude a new treaty with
England in line with AL the sugges-
ions which yous kindly made to me"
That treaty WAS negotiated and sent
the Scnatc in December, 1901 and
vas ratified without amendment and
due time was ratified by Great
Britain and became a binding agree
1en..
In his letter to the President SEN
tor Foraker shows that he had no
'ouht that the United States was re-
serving the right to fortify the canal.
rom the treaty provision for the es-
abiishment of a military force or the
canal, Senator Foraker says it would
ollow as matter OF course that such
l military force would have a right to
do whatever was necessary in tn way
If entrenching itself. or. In palmer
words. terrifying itself against attack
Quoting that tine Spooaer law. pro-
viiing for the construction of the
canal and from the treaty with Pan
anna. Senator Foraker shows it to have
been set forth clearly that it was
the intention of the United States tu
protect the canal and harbors. The
Panama treaty uses the words Tho
United States shall have the right to
establish fartilleatons. He cites the
fact that TIE British government did
not raise any question as to the Spoon
er law or the Panama treaty being
III contravention With tire treaty. He
said thGt he supposed. and lie thought
other senators were Of the same upin-
ion thai the british government rec.
ognized and understood that when tile
second HayPauucefGte treaty was
ratified, II was matter left wholly
to the discretion Of the United States
ITO determine to what eXtcat VT
would employ military power and re
sort to Notifications to protect our
rights
Senator Foraker said further:
AN explicit stipulation to this eff
feet was not insisted upon because
silence "n the subject of itself left
us free to do as we might see lit
| Nj. Foraker closed Ibis letter with the
| following:
There were IA number of senators
| and "a great many people who Wer"
of the opinion then. and are probably
| still OF the o2irion that il might b.
| good policy for the United States not
| 20 fnrtfy or do anything else that
/ y oulI Invite an attack on the canal
or make that a theatre of hostilitieS
| in case of war, but. however. that
| may be. it WAS. | know. the purpose
| of the great majority of the Senat>
| and as to the second treaty. at least,
| the purpose of Mir. Hay also, To- pre-
| serve to the United States ar UNI
| questioned right 10 do with respect T.
all such matters whatever in its Judge
| ment it might at any time think its
| best interests required"
| -