The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-04-21

such tar-reaching ami lasting import
ance as the Panama canal. Never
before has work OF this kind OF So
colossal scale been attempted
Never has any work OF the kind. OF
anything approaching the size. been
done with such efficiency. with such
serious devotion to the well-being OF
the innumerable Workmen. and with a
purpose at once SO lofty and 50 prac-
teal. No three men in the service OF
any government anywhere represent a
higher, more disinterested and more
efficient type than the three men now
at the head of this work-the secre-
tary OF war, Mr. Stimson; Col Goe-
thals, the man who is doing the
digging; and DR. Gorgas, who has
turned one of the fostering pestholes
of the world into what is almost a
health resort. In Is months or so the
canal viii probably be in shape
that will warrant sending small yes
sells through it to test its actual
working. Under these circumstances
it is worth while to remember just
how it was that America won for it.
self and the world the right to do a
world job which had to be done by
some one, and the doing of which by
anyone else would have been not
merely u bitter modification but a
genuine calamity to our people
on December z, 1903, and again on
January 4, 1904. as president of the
United States, in messages to the
two houses OF congress, 1 set forth
in fun and in detail every essential
fact connected with the recognition
of the republic of Panama, the negO-
tiation of a treaty with that repub-
lie for building the Panama canal,
and the actions which led up to that
negotiation-actiOns without which
and would not now have been even
begun. Not one important fact was
omitted, and no fact of any import
ance bearing upon the actions or ne
gotiations of the representatives. of
the United States not there set forth
has been, or ever will be, discovered,
simply because there is none to dis
cover. 1t must be a matter of pride
to every honest American, proud of
the good name of his country, that
the acquisition of the canal and the
building of the canal. in all their de-
tails, were as free from scandal as
the public acts of George Washing
ton and Abraham Lincoln.
Followed LincoIns Example.
The facts were set forth in full at
the time in the two messages to
which ! have referred. can only
recapitulate them briefly and in
condensed form. OF course there was
at the time and has been since, much
repetition of statements that I acted
il an unconstitutional" manner,
that l "usurped authority" which was
not mine These were the statements
that were made again and again in
reference to almost all I did as pres
ident that was most beneficial and
most important to the people of this
country, to whom ] was responsible /
and of whose interests I was the
steward. The simple fact was, as I
have elsewhere said. that when the |
interest of the American people i'm /
oeratively demanded that a certain /
act should be done, and I had the !
power to do it. ] did it unless it was /
specifically prohibited by law, in
stead of timidly refusing to do it UNI
ess I could find some provision Of
aw which rendered it imperative
hat ] should do it. In other words,
gave the benefit of the doubt to the
people of the United States, and not
% any group of bandits. foreign or
DOMESTIC whose interests happened
o be adverse to those of the people
# the United States. In my judg
nent, history had taught the lesson
hat the president has very great ;
lowers if he chooses to exercise ;
hose powers but that if he is {
imid or selfish man, afraid Of re- 4.
and afraid of risks. he t
an of course manufacture ingenious {
xcuses for failure to exercise them. {
It a great crisis in American history {
1r Buchanan had shown himself to {
elOng to the latter type of president; y
IT. Lincoln had represented the other s
ype, the type which gave the people {
he benefit of the. doubt which was !
OF afraid to take responsibility, i
hitch used in large fashion for the 9
God of the people the great powers
f a great Office. I very strongly be- {
eyed that Abraham Lincoln had set
he example which it was healthy for 7
he people of the United States that q
heir president should follow {
For many years prior to 1903 om c
overnment had been negotiating i
nth foreign powers to provide for the c
uilding of a Panama canal. BY 1902 =
n the conclusion of the Hay Paunce- c
ote treaty we had cleared the way {
Efficiently to enable congress to pass y
n act actually providing for the con- {
truction of a canal across the 18TH {
lus BY this act the president was {
uthorized to secure for the United I
tates the property of the French {
anama Canal company and the per- s
etual control Of a strip of territory /
cross the isthmus of Panama from S