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Tbm Commoner.
NOVEMBER IS, 1803,
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To Take What We Need."
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In the light of Panama's revolt from Colombia,
It Will -bo interesting to read an article sent in
August last to tne Chicago Record-Herald by
Walter Wollman, the Washington correspondent
for that newspaper. Although Panama's revolt
camo as something of a surprise to Americana
generally, it will be seen that Mr. Wellman pre
dicted the situation practically as it exists today
and boldly announced that it would be done prac
tically with the sanction and aid of the Roose
velt administration.
In the dispatch to the Racord-Herald, printed
during the early days of August, Mr. Wellman
said that Mr. Roosevelt had no sympathy what
ever with the Niparaguan idea and no intention
3f having recourse to that route. He declared then
that if the then pending treaty finally and com
pletely failed, Mr. Roosevelt would look about
lor other means of acquiring the necessary rights
of Panama and ho said that a number of the
president's advisers were urging him bluntly "to
take what we need."
Mr. Wellman said that probably there Is not
another first class nation in the world that would
hesitate for a moment to seize the isthmus for the
purpose of conferring upon it and the world th
toon of a canal connecting the two principal
-Cceans of the world; and then Mr. Wellman ex
plained that "only mawkish sentiment and fine
spun moral considerations stand in the way of tho
United States, and these obstacles are likely to
oo swept away if the little band of boodlcrs at Bo
gota continue to block the path of progress."
Mr. Wellman then declared that "before tho
time comes when Mr. Roosevelt will be called
upon to demonstrate whether or not he has enough
nerve to solve the problem with a man-of-war
jand a battalion of marines, there, were various
possibilities In the situation which must be per
mitted to work out
1. The Colombian congress may ratify
the treaty without amendment in order to
' avert the danger of the threatened secession
of the states of Panama and Cauca. 2. If tho
Colombian legislators are not sufficiently im-
"" pressed by that hazard, a million or two of
French money, contributed by the stockhold
ers of the new Panama Canal company, may
open their eyes. Unofficial information re
ceived here indicates that the Panama stock
holders are watching the situation very care
fully, and that they have an agent at Bogoto.
Rather than lose the chance to sell thoir prop
erty to the United States they would prob
ably be willing to give up a million or two
of the $40,000,000 purchase money to tho Co
lombian recalcitrants, and unless the states
men of Bogota are much maligned, a mil
lion dollars would buy their entire congress,
bag and baggage. 3. If the treaty is amended
and then ratified there is a possibility that tho
United States senate may accept the amend
ments. It will all depend upon what tho
amendments are. Tho state department con
tinues to assert unofficially that any amend
ment of the treaty would be fatal. It is the
duty of state department officials to say this'
for effect at Bogota, but it may or ma not
be true. A moderate increase in the price of
the concession might be accepted by tho
United States. A provision depriving tho
United States of the needful control over the
canal zone would not be accepted.
It was farther pointed out by Mr. Wellman
that if everything else failed, Panama and Cauca
were likely to revolt and set up as an independent
state and that If this revolt were on, it would
not take the United States government very long
to recognize their independence and not much
time would be lost in concluding a treaty with
the new government Mr. Wellman said that tho
United States is already the ultimate authority in
that region and he added:
"By treaty we are required to maintain
the freedom of transit across the isthmus.
More than once has this government found it
necessary to preserve the peace by stationing
warships and landing marines there. If a re
hellion comes on, of course fighting will en
sue, and the United States Is already bound to
interpose. If out of this ruction there emerges
a new isthmian state, protection by the great
North American republic and with that great
world enterprise, the canal, well assured, the
people of Colombia will have their high-headed
legislators to thank for it"
This republican correspondent seemed to real
ize that there might be some criticism as to the
"to take what we need" policy, and so in tho same
article Mr. Wellman said:
"Of course there will be no lack of senti
mental people in the United States who will
sot up a cry of 'robbery and 'rapine' and 'im
perialism.' But a number of senators and
other public men havo already told President
Roosevelt that, in their opinion, public senti
mpnt will uphold him. If the United State
were to seize the Isthmus through lust for ter
ritory or to escape paying a proper price for
tho canal concession, or through any other
improper motlvo, tho censure of tho moralists
would bo well desorvdd. But ovcryono knows
that if circumstances push tho United State
into sifch an enterprise the step will bo taken
unselfishly. Wo are to put $200,000,000 of
money in an isthmian canal for tho world's
good as well as our own. Tho $10,000,000 ant
tho annual bonus which Colombia now has A
chance to acquire will, In that case, be paid t
tho Isthmian states. Tho United States will
carry to the isthmus not only vast treasure
and great prosperity, but tho blessings of as
sured peace, good government, Improved sani
tation of the rogion, development of the re
sources of the country. Evon Colombia will
lose nothing except the price of the conces
sion, and that her statesmen proposo to thror
away by defeating tne treaty."
Then Mr, Wollman revealod a little secret.
Ho declared:
"In this connection it is Interesting t
know that for several years Mr. Roosevelt has
believed tho United States must ultimately
take possession of the isthmus as a sort of
trustee for civilization. According to his
philosophy tho owners of great corporations
havo not tho right to do as they like with
tlieir property regardless of the Interests o!
tho people, nor have the rulers of states ths
right to do whatever they please with their
territory irrespective of tho world's needs, or,
as our forefathers put it, 'without a decent
regard for the opinions of mankind. Thesa
rulers of the state are directly trustees for
the peoplo of that country, but Indirectly they
are trustees for tho world's interests that may
bo affected. They muBt stand or fall according
as they meet their responsibility. Spain's
regime In Cuba, China and tho South African
republics are recent examples of the work
ing of tho higher law of accountability beyond
the frontiers. The Colombians stand in gravis
danger of adding their country to the list'
it
Keep It Dark.
A New York dispatch to the St Louis Globe
Democrat announces that Charles M. Schwab has
secured an order from a New York court granting
Schwab leave to intervene as complainant, in the
suit recently begun by the New York Security and
Trust company for the foreclosure of the mort
gage of ?10,0uu,000 which the shipyard trust con
tracted at the time of its inception, In the same
dispatch it is said:
"It Is thought by prominent financiers in
Wall street who have been following tho
hearing closely that Schwab will seek another
order restraining all further proceedings be-
fore tho examiner, and compelling the com
plaining first mortgage bondholders to settle
their litigation in the federal courts. This
" would put a stop to tho revelation now being
made before the examiner."
Unquestionably, Schwab and other "captains
of Industry" would like to put a stop to the reve
lations now being made in tne shipbuilding trust
case. But the public has already obtained an in
teresting hint concerning the methods of these
"captains of industry." and with the trusts bear
ing down mora and more heavily upon the peo
ple, it is very likely that there will be a strong
public demand that more of the secrets of tho
"captains of industry" be laid bare.
It is reasonable to 'relieve that Mr. SchwaD
does Intend to take steps to "put a stop" to these
revelations. "Keep It dark" has been the policy
of these trust magnates. They have adopted ev
ery conceivable device for tho purpose of deceiving
the people and, strange to say, they have deceived
thousands and thousands of men wno have no
tight to.be fooled, but who have deliberately shut
their eyes to the situation and calmly awaited ths
burden which the system to which the "captains
of industry" are so devoted placed upon them.
There are, however, indications of a determina
tion on the part of the people to demand the
truth and to refuse to be put off by absurd slogans
of the "let well enough alone" order.
JJJ
The Campaign of 1904.
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tect thp democratic temple from the ruthless
hands of those who would destroy it
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1904 campaign; and democrats who hope to see
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main true to democratic principles, have a partic
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