The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-07-22
Roosevelt Desires to Go Before
Senate Committee and
Talk About Pana-
ma.
STONE IS OPPOSED
n Former President Has Anything
New to Offer, He Can Write
Few Let
ters.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.l
WASHINGTON July 22.-Assuming
full personal responsibility for all acts
in connection with the acquisition OF
the Panama canal zone, former Pres1-
dent Roosevelt today asked that he
be given hearing before the senate
foreign relations committee on the
Colombian treaty proposing repara-
ton.
II am solely responsible for what
was done," says Roosevelt.
Colonel Roosevelt's letter Is as fol-
lows:
'sSir-If there is any intention OF
your committee to act favorably on
the proposed treaty with Colombia by
which we are to pay Colombia $780,
900, 900 and to express regret Tor the
action taken in the past, respects
fully request to be heard thereon. i
was president throughout the time OF
the negotiations with Colombia and
then with Panama by which We ac-
uuired to build the Panama canal.
Dvery act of this government In con-
nection with the negotiations ana
with other proceedings taking posses
sion of the canal zone and beginning
of the building OF the canal was taken
BY my express direction, or else IN
eut q course, OF conduct, I,
rs president, had laid down .sI had
full knowledge Of everything OF any
Importance that was done In regard
thereto by any agent of the govern
ment and am solely responsible Tor
what was done. The then head OF
state, John Hay, who is now dead,
had almost complete first hand
knowledge Of what occurred but no
man now living except myself has
this first hand knowledge and no man
living or dead shared with me the re-
sponsibility for the action took, save
in a wholly minor degree. '
~ request to appear before you 70
make a full statement Of exactly what
I did and what was done by my or
ders to state the reasons therefor anu
to answer any questions that your
body or the members Of your BODY
choose to put to me.
Every respectfully yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
No action was taken by the foreign
relations committee on Roosevelt's re-
quest, a quorum not being present.
senator Stone said he had replied
that approval of the committee must
be secured before his request could
be granted. Stone plainly Indicated
that he personally opposed hearing
Roosevelt.
"I see no reason" he said, Tor
turning the foreign relation commit
tee into town hall meeting II
Roosevelt has anything new to say on
this situation that ought to be known
by the president, by the secretary OF
state or the senate, let him communl-
cate these facts to them in writing. 1
am speaking for myself alone, as
there has been on action by the COM
mittee, but personally I see no neeo
OF Roosevelt coming before them.
What happened ten or twelve years
ago is not of great moment in the
present treaty with Colombia. Some
time there was talk about summonins
him and asking him for some history
leading UP to the Panama revolution
bv which the United States acquired
the right to dig the canal despite op-
position of Colombia. This talk died
down, however, with the loss in in
terest in the two treaties by the SEN
ators. Until the receipt Of the letter
from Roosevelt 1t had practically
been decided that there would be no