Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-06-23

the Endorsement of President Wilson
and Secretary Bryan. Just what the
consideration for this large sum of
money is to be the public is left to
infer. So far as appearances go it
is merely matter of Glove and af-
lection"
i When we come to get below the
surface we find that the Colombian
States government feels that when
Theodore Roosevelt was president of
the United States he caused the Sc
cession of the state of Panama and
afterward acquired the canal zone
and so much of the canal work as
had been performed by the old
French company. The Colombian
government did not feel strong
enough to fight the United States,
therefore submitted to this alleged
great wrong"
Let us recall history little. The
congress of the United States dele
gated the power to the president to
build the Panama canal. The presi-
dent was authorized to build it
across the Isthmus of Panama if he
could. His second choice was to be
Nicaragua. A treaty was suggested
to the Colombian congress by which
our government was to pay the old
French company forty millions of
dollars and also to pay the govern
ment of the Colombian States ten
millions of dollars. The treaty had
been ratified by the United States.
The Colombian congress supposed
that the United States government
was compelled to build the canal
across the Isthmus of Panama and
compelled to do the will of the Col
ombian States. Therefore the Col
ombian congress rejected the treaty.
1t was then supposed that the men,
bers of the Colombian congress were
playing for time and for "divide"
of some money. President Roosevelt
was fully aware of the situation. He
preferred the Panama route and he
waited little while. The business
men of the city of Panama knew
that if the canal were built else
where that the state of Panama
would be forgotten and that the city
of Panama would not even be port
of call. Therefore the business men
of the city of Panama got up re-
bellion. We need not tell the story
of this rebellion, but for many days
we listened to the story as it was
told by Colonel Shaler, then superin-
tendent of the Panama railroad,
who was one of the principal actors
in the comic opera revolution, The
revolution triumphed because Presi-
dent Roosevelt said that the United
States had signed a treaty by which
our government was compelled to
keep the peace. He said there must
be no war on the Isthmus. Which
meant that the Colombian govern
ment could not subjugate the state
Of Panama. The result was that the
rebellion triumphed and our govern
ment got the canal zone and canal
and a first-class treaty with
the little new Republic of Panama.
Our government did not have to buy
the Colombian congress. But our
government paid the French COM
pany forty millions and the new Re-
public of Panama ten millions. Our
government received a perpetual
right of way for the canal and
agreed to pay $250,O00 year taxes.
The world remembers the speed
with which these events were pulled
off. The state of Panama became a
''republic' with a provisional gov
81 duu was
ed by the United States and by Great
Britain and France.
These events made the Panama
canal possible. And few living men
could have done what Theodore
Roosevelt did.
The Panama canal will be Theo- |
lore Roosevelt's greatest monument. |
But the conspirators in the Col
)mbian States feel that they have
an opportunity to get some Of the
money which they did not get from
President Roosevelt. They think
hat Colonel Bryan hates Colonel
Roosevelt. They think President
Wilson would like to smirch Colonel
Hence the present pro-
,eedings.
We do not believe the senate of
he United States will ratify any
reaty proposing to pay the Colom-