The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-02

ereignty over her most valuable prov
lnce which we had pledged our ma
tlonal honor by solemn treaty obliga-
lions to maintain Is the highest inter-
national morality. the lowest must be
amazing. and 90 per cent. of the people
who know the facts will support this
view.
France would have seized the
1sthmus' and the canal would never
have been dug II | had not acted rs
| did" says Mr.. Roosevelt. Nothing
of record proves either statement. both
hre guesscs, and both are simply null
tlplying suggestions By imagination.
wanted u. =. to Dig Canal.
II is n matter of record that Colom
hia never seriously intended to seize
the French company's property, and
everybody knows that Colombia
wanted the canal dug. and wanted the
United States to dig it, and had urged
1t for nifty years.
Col Roosevelt unfortunately feels
that the new treaty dlscredits his Ad-
ministration In an act which he con-
sders the most important Of his life.
No self-respccting man will tolerate
for a moment the thought that a single
act of Col. Roosevelts Useful life was
inspired 10y tainted motives, but no man
is always right. In the Panama incl
dent, while doing what he believed to
be a great thing for mankind and In
accordance with the principles of the
highest International morality, he did
a bad thing for Colombia.
He put himself in the position of the
dentist apprentice who pulled the wrong
tooth; he cannot put 1t back and he
does not want his employers to realize
his mistake.
Col. Roosevelt says that acting
President Marroquin was an absolute
and uncontrolled DICTATOR He was a
h..piess and hapless old man placed
in the midst of great national unrest
and disorder at tho close of the most
disastrous civil war in the history Of
Colombia.
lie WAS not in accord with the Con-
gress. and the Congress was alive with
dlscord, and 100000 Of innocent and
hapless people saw the true interests
Of their country destroyed by the sell
fish disputes OF less than 100 men.
Says situation Was Not Realized.
II Theodore Roosevelt had realized the
true situation In Boguta at that hour he
would nave reinforced his pa.ienc. with
sympathy for that helpless people VINO
had been for 100 years our best friends
south OF the Rio Grande
But ne was badly informed, and cabled
to Bogota. The treaty must not be modi-
ned or amended "a right belonging l.,
every natOn), and then, placing the last
straw OH the back OF Colombian pride,
cabled again. "Raufy the treaty or you
VIII regret IT,"
The Colombian Congress- amazed and
indignant, adjourned without considering
the treaty. Within short time the
United States was urged by Colombia to
reopen negotiations. but col Roosevelt
concluded that 1T was after the fair"
and Immediately took Panama" com
menced digging the canal and let Con-
sress debate the Incident at leisure.
He now opposes the new treaty on the
ground that 1t discredits his act and he
thAAs IL a hidNhIlldliAllS d%lttlHfuk.
Let us IL this be true.
In my Instructions. lreIarcd by the
Taft Administration, the most sCrupulous
care was exercised not to impugn the
motives OF President Roosevelt in tax
ing Panama. Those instructions refused
to give Colombia something for nothing,
as that would acknowledge that he had
done wrong, so | was instructed to give
Colombia SlO,O00,OO0 for the perpetual
lease (amounting to a sale) OF two
Islands, whose future value TO the United
States would have been iuestimable and.
in addition. | was requested to secure an
unlimited option to build canal through
the old Atrato route when the commence
VI the world demanded II.
The Instructions were drawn with 81
much regard for Col RDOsevelt's feelings
that / orally informed the Dcpar.m MT
that l might as well try to ny to heaven
in a battleship as To 20 to Bogota with
those instructions and expect to succeed
and SO 1t was
Answer of CoIombia's President.
When In a preliminary and informal
conversation with President Restrepo
suggested the Atrato concession and tn,
perpetual lease of the islands. he said very
firmly in effect. president Roosevelt
took Panama, our richest asset, and now
you are sent here to take our Islands and
the only canal route we have left. Is Their,
anything else that the Northern colossus
would like to separate us FROM
Col Roosevelt also feels that the VII,
son Administration has intended TO dis
credit his taking Of Panama Thi,
grave difference with Colombia must b,
settled some time.
Owing TO the tender regard for ex
President Roosevelt contained in my in
structons | failed. The Wilson Admins
tration has taken a hroadcr and NOR.