New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-25
Colonel, Returning, Says
Colombian Policy Was
National Betrayal.
HE HITS BRYAN, TOO;
PRAISES q. w. PERKINS
Threatens to Quit Moose il
Financier Is Read Out
Meets Whitman Boomer.

hayed President wilson as tTdltot W
the United States and denounced the
pavment of the Colombian indemnity
as "blackmail"
Incidentally, the colonel defended
George W. Perkins, the chairman OF
the Progressive National EXECUTIVE
Committee. whom Amos Pinchot had
denounced as unfit because OF his con-
nection with certain big business inter-
ests TO sit in the party councils.
He also reiterated his determination
not to accept the Progressive nomina-
tion for Governor, and threw bomb
into the camp of his gubernatorlal
boomers by receiving Charles II. Duel,
ir., a Progressive, who has been ac-
lively identified with the candidacy oil
District Attorney Charles A. whitman
The Imperator arrived at Quarantine
at $3.50 o'clock, and was held there
until the customs officials could ooard
her from the revenue cutter this morn
ING. Through the courtesy of DR.. >. >.
O'Connell, Health Officer OF. the fort
of New York. however, the Colonel was
permitted to board the private yacht
of William Hamlin Childs, the Joyetta'
where he was met by Mrs. Roosevelt,
Theodore Douglas Robinson, state
chairman Of the Progressive party
George ". Perkins and Mr.. Duell.
Stands by Perkins.
In the course Of an interview with
the reporters, the Colonel vigorously
defended George w. Perkins, chairman
Of the Progressive National Executive
Committee, whose resignation was re-
Gently demanded by Amos Pinchot' on
the ground that his afiliation with cer-
tain big business interests made him
unfit to occupy a position in the bun
Moose party councils.
"When they read Perkins out OF the
party" said Mr.. Roosevelt, they VIII
have to read me out also.'
The Colonel reiterated that ne
would not be candidate for the Gov
ernorship of New York this fall.
In discussing his health. the Colonel
said that when he boarded the I'M
parator he had slight touch OF teVer
and that forty-eight hours later he
had another attack which was more
severe. The last time he had fever
Of 1O5 and was forced to remain IN his
rooms all day.
But I'm all right now" he con
tinued, land shall speak in Pittsburgh
June 80. had TO have my throat el'
amined in London because, as IS so
often the case, the after effects OF the
fever | contracted in the wilds OF
Brazil lcft its mark in my throat. This
effect will probably last for some
months. and I shall not be able 10
speak in the open air or make con-
tinuous speaking trips.
"However, / shall be able to deliver
q certain number of speeches indoors.
"Mr. Perkins" declared the Colonel,
in his reference to the national chair
man. "has been, on the whole, the most
useful member of the Progressive
party. No man has served with greater
zeal and disinterestedness He has
striven in absolutely good faith for the
principles of the party, both as regards
corporations and business generally
and as regards the group of questions
dealing with the welfare of the wage
Garner and his economic and social ad-
vance. As for reading him out Of the
party, when that is done they will have
10 read me out, too"
Raps Wilson ard Bryan.
Colonel Roosevelt issued the follow
ing prepared statement on the Colom-
bia indemnity question:
"The payment of S25,000,000 to Co
lombia, together with the expression
of what is in effect an apology for our
having secured the right to build the
Panama Canal, is merely the belated
payment Of blackmail with an apology
to the blackmailers. If this proposed
treaty submitted by President Wilson
through Mr.. Bryan is right, then our
presence on the isthmus is wrong.
ain such case Panama should at
once be restored to Colombia, and we
should stop work on the canal and
abandon the place bag and baggage.
There should be no half way measure.
II we as a nation hav- been guilty of
theft We should restore the stolen
goods. If we have not been guilty of
theft we should not pay blackmail.
"The handling of our foreign affairs
by President Wilson and Secretary
BRYAN has been such as to make the
United States figure Of fun in the
international world. This proposed Co
lombian treaty caps the climax. and, if
ratified, will rightly render US an OBJ
iect of contemptuous derision TO every
great nation. In view Of its submis-
sion TO the Congress | wish to call at
tention to exactly what was done under
my administration.
Because Of the action Of that ad-
ministration the people of the United
States acquired what they could by no
other means have acquired, the right
to build the Panama Canal. In 1903
il was still doubtful whether we would
adopt the Nicaragua or the Panama
route. The government of Colombia
was exceedingly anxious that we should
adopt the latter. and offered to ar
range, and did arrange, treaty with
US in order to prevent our going to
Nicaragua.
ut Was Our Duty"
partly in consideration of this treaty
we abandoned negotiations with Mica
ragua. We acted in good faith, and
the course Of action we thereby en-
tered upon was conditioned upon their
proposal. their promise. II was our
right and also our duty TO our own