The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-06-26

| the rest of the world to exact the
performance of this promise.
For four hundred years there had
! Leen conversation about the need OF
Panama canal The time for further
conversation has passed-the time 10
translate words into deeds has come
If | had followed President Wilson's
policy of 'watchlul waiting it would
have insured half century of addi-
tiOnal conversation, and the canal
stlll would he in the dim future. And
it is only because the then admins
tration acted precisely as it did that
We nov have the Panama canal"
Betrayal Of Honor Charged,
Colonel Roosevelt said that until
the present treaty negotiations were
entered into he did not believe it pos
sihle that an american administra-
tion would thus betray the honor and
interest of the American people By
submitting to 1lackmail."
The colonel said he had made it
plain that the Colombian government
was in error when it INDUCED in
such a supposition about my admins,
tratlon."
Colonel Roosevelt says he has no
quarrel with 'he people of Colombia
and does not question their fine pri-
yate qualities
But" the statement continues,
unfortunately in international af-
fairs nation must be judged by the
government that speaks for it,"
Colonel Roosevelt, mentioning the
proposal of the Colombian govern
ment to confiscate the property Of
the French government in Panama,
for which the United States has Of
fcred to pay SiO,OOO,OOO, said it sim
ply was a scheme on the part of Co.
lombia to "get $iO,OOO,OOO from us"
"Incidentally," Colonel Roosevelt
continued, Il would call the attention
Of President Wilson and Secretary
Bryan to the fact that this $4,000, 600
represents the exact sum which Co.
lCmbia lost when the United States
government of that day refused to
submit to blackmail. They now only
propose to pay $25,000,00 blackmaiL
They had better make the job thor
ough white they are about it and
give the whole forty millions. Other-
wise they will still leave an opening
t,ation of similar mushy ability tc-
ward foreign powers that have sought
TO wrong us. There is no earthly
reason why we should not throw in
the extra fifteen millions if We pro-
pose to pay the twenty-five. Colombia
has exactly as much right to one sum
as to the other
Declined to Permit BiackmaiI.
AS president, | declined to allow
Uncle Sam to be blackmailed. Presi
don't Wilson now desires the black
mail to be paid. His attitude can be
illustrated by a hypothetical case
The present administration has, with
regard to Mexico pursued course
watering between peace and war, eX
Quisitely designed to combine the
disadvantages of both and feebly
tending first toward one and then to
ward the other. Usually it has per
mittcd the free neress of arms into
Mexico both from this country and
, from others. occasionally. however, il
has undergone spasms Of understand
ing that these arms might ultimately
be used against our own troops.
f 1t has then prohibited the landin-
, of arms. some times wabbling bach
: again to It's original position as wher
= it took Vera Cruz to prevent th'
;. landing of weapons and munitions o
4 war and shortly afterward permitted
' the very same arms and munitions Il
o be landed Well. if some future ad
u n.mistration of similar views on in
- tcrnational relations should offer Mex
% leo s25.OOO.OOO as atonement for inter
# mttently refusing to allow the land
: ing of arms that might be use
4 against our own Teople, it would b
p behaving precisely and exactly a
. President Wilson's administration /
\. behaving about Colombia.
p. The conduct of the United State
d government throughout the entir
N proceeding which resulted in the a,
Il. duisition Of the canal was open an
ir straightforward, absolutely in ACCORD
s., - ,.-;, ,,,1,- nf IL. ric