The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-25

political and partly mercenary. They
believed the opportunity was ripe for
their group to gain possession of the
government and to enjoy the perquis-
ties that they fOresaw would come
from the construction Of the canal.
Also they counted on the moral sup
port Of the United States which was
sick of the political maneuverings of
Colombia.
The French Canal company was in
the secret aid lent encouragement to
The rcvolutionists. Presumably. too,
the company let the United States gov
eminent know what was going on. In
his Autobiography" Colonel Roosevelt
says: II did not lift my finger to in
cite the revolution. The right simile
to use u totally different. I simply
ceased to stamp out the revolutionary
fuses that were already burning"
Under an old treaty With New Ora
nada-the name Of the nation that pre-
ceded Colombia-the United States had
the right to preserve order on the line
OF transportation across the isthmus.
On several occasions II had availed
itself of this right. President Roosevelt
found 1t useful at this time. He SIM
ply announced to Colombia that the
United States would not permit the
landing Of an armed force on the 18TH
mus since the fighting that would follow
would disturb railway traffic.
3 Consequently not q shot was fired.
The Coiombiaa troops Joined the forces
Of the new government. and the Repub-
lie OF Panama was established.
The United States and foreign nations
at once recognized tile new republic A
treaty was negotiated cmbodying the
terms of the original treaty with Col
Ombia. The difference was that the 10
million dollars was paid to the govern
ment on the isthmus instead Of to the
Bogota politicians.
Rooscvelt's Message.
THE government Of Colombia Pres
ident Roosevelt told congress, Though
wholly unable to maintain order on the
isthmus. had nevertheless declined to
rntify treaty, the conclusion of which
opened the only chance to secure its
own stability and to guarantee perma-
nent peace on, and the construction of
a canal across. the isthmus." In his
Autobiography" Col. Roosevelt sums
up the matter in this fashion:
I'VE did our best to get Colombia
to let us treat her with more than
generous Justice; We exercised pa
thence to beyond the verge of proper
forbearance. When we did act and
recognize Panama, Colombia at once
acknowledged her own guilt by
promptly offering to do what we had
demanded, and what she had protest
ed 1t was not in her, power to do. But
the offer came too late. What we
would gladly have done before. 1t had
by that time become impossible for US
honorably to do; for 1t would have ne
cessitated our abandoning the people
Of Panama, our friends, and turning
them over to their and our foes. who
would have wreaked vengeance on
them precisely because they had
shown friendship to US. Colombia was
solely responsible for her own humil-
iation; and she had not then, and has
not now. one shadow of claim upon
US. moral or legal; all the wrong that
was done was done by her. If, AZ
representing the American people,
had not acted precisely as 1 did. ]
would have been an unfaithful or in
ton at that crisis would have meant
not only indefinite delay in building
the canal. but also practical admission
on our part that we were not fit to