Tc " t
r
.V
The Commoner.
Volume 3; number (7,
-!.
lKi
the Soward quotation employed by Mr. Roosevelt
in his message to congress stands as a rebuke
to the policy of the Roosevelt administration. In
carrying out that policy, the Roosevelt admin
istration is doing just what Mr. Seward said
should not be done. It is embroiling this gov
ernment in the revolution in Colombia; it is de
priving this government of its perfect neutrality
In connection with such domestic altercations;
and it is supplying to the insurgents on the Isth
mus the forco for their use and benefit in spite
of the fact that Mr. Seward said that the United
States could not comply with a requisition of
that character.
In the statement made by Attorney General
Speed, and quoted by Mr. Roosevelt, it is said:..
"From this treaty, it cannot be supposed that New
Granada Invited the United States to become a
party to the intestine troubles of that govern
ment nor would the United States become bound
to take sides In the domestic broils of New Grana
da. The United Stated did guarantee New Granada
In the sovereignty and property in the territory.,
This was as against other and foreign govern
' xnents."
How does that help Mr. Roosevelt?
Under his administration, he has done just
what Attorney General Speed said the United.
States government should not do. We have be
come a party to the intestine troubles of the Co
lombian government, we have taken sides in the
domestic broils of Colombia, and like the quota
tion from Seward, the quotation from Speed
Bcrves as a rebuke to Mr. Roosevelt's Panama
policy.
Mr. Roosevelt prints a list of "riots "out
breaks," and "revolutions" which have occurred
on the isthmus from May, 1850, to July, 1902. He
lays great stress on the fact that on several oc
casions sailors and marines from the United
States warships were required to land in order
to control the isthmus and he directs attention to
the fact that on several occasions among them
In 1885, the Colombian government asked that
the United States government lend troops to pro
tect its interests and maintain order on the isth
mus. Mr. Roosovelt might have quoted from the
president's message in December, 1885, in explan
ation of the landing of troops on that occasion.
In that message President Cleveland said:
"Emergencies growing out of civil war in
the United States of Colombia demanded of
the government, at the beginning of this ad
ministration, the employment-of armed forces
to fulfill its .guarantiee under the thirty-fifth
article of the treaty of 1846, in order to keep
the transit open across the isthmus of Fana
ma. Desirous of exorcising only tho powers
expressly reserved to us by the treaty, and
mindful of the rights of Colombia, the forces
sent to the isjthmus were instructed to confine
their action to 'positively and efficaciously
preventing the transit and its accessories
from being 'interrupted or embarrassed.'
"The execution of this delicate and re
sponsible task necessarily involved police con
trol where the local authority was temporar- -ily
powerless but always in aid of the sov
ereignty oi! Colombia.
"Tho prompt and successful fulfillment of
its duty by this government was highly ap
preciated by the government of Colombia, and
has been followed by expressions of its satis
faction. "High praise is due to the officers and
men engaged, in this service.
"The restoration of peace on the isthmus
by tho re-establishment of the constituted
government there being thus accomplished,
the forces pf the United States were with
drawn." It will be seen that on that occasion the United
States government was "mindful of the rights of
Colombia and that the forces sent to the isth
mus were "instructed to confine their action to
'positively and efficaciously' preventing the tran
nit and its"' accessories from being 'interrupted and
embarrassed '!
It was admitted that this task was a delicate
one, and necessarily involved police control where
tho local authority was temporarily powerless, but
it was pointed out that that control was "always
in aid of the -sovereignty of Colombia," and it is
shown that when peace was restored on tho isth
mus by "tho re-establishment of the constituted
government," the forces of tho United States
were withdrawn.
How different from tho policy of Seward and
of Speed and of every one of Mr. Roosevelt's pre
decessors in tlie White house is the Panama pol
icy of the Roosovelt administration. r
From Polk, who, in transmitting that treaty
to the senate, laid particular emphasis upon our
guarantee of New Granada's -sovereignty, to Mc
Kinley, who said that the United States govern
ment has imposed for its own governance "tho
further condition that recognition of independent
statehood is not due to a revolted dependency un
til all danger of its being again subjugated by the .
parent state has entirely passed away" from Folk
to McKinley, the Roosevelt Panama policy stands
condemned. It is condemned as to the Indifference
we have shown for our solemn guarantee to Co
lombia of its rights of sovereignty and the un
seemlng haste we made in recognizing a govern
ment that sprang up in a night time and before
that government was by any means organized;
and before, also, the parent state had been given
the slightest opportunity of exercising, the right
to re-establish its authority.
In defense of his fearfully and wonderfully '
made policy on the isthmus of. Panama, Mr.
Roosevelt will do well to take a stand on the pro
position that "the end justifies the means' He
cannot justify that policy by reference to interna
tional law, by the precedents set by our own gov
ernment or by quotations from American states
men. JJJ
Piping Days of Prosperity.
Remembering that in 1900 the republican lead
ers, pleading with the workingmen to "let well
enough alone," promised them "four years more
of the full dinner pail," it is interesting to read
the newspaper dispatches relating to labor diffi
culties these days.
Two issues of a certain metropolitan pajier
will serve as examples.
In one of these issues, the following head
lines which are descriptive of the dispatches ap
pear: t
"SpeakPburning words in the frost-laden air;
John Mitchell talks to strikers' mass meeting of
4,500 at Trinidad, Colo.; Tells them that miners
union can never be driven from state; Sued for
damages."
"Will,, turn down Mitchell; Coal operators deT .'
cide to make no settlement"
'lAfter Cripple Creek -men; Six are formally
accused of grave offenses." v
'President Sterritt says strike bas no effect;
Governor Peabody will not. permit workingmen,
who are prisoners at Cripple Creek to be released
by the civil courts."
"Find a spy in, the camp; Miners' union man
detected .in national guard." .
"Puts 2,500 out of work at Bellair,e, O."
In Kthe other issue of the newspaper referred
to, the head-lines appear as follows: -
, "Harvester trust company, discharges 7,500 ,
men; Reducing its force over one-third;' It ex
pects to effect a saving of :15,000,00a a jyear by this
move." , ..;..-".
i "Reduction of miners'. ,wages; .Action of coal
company in- the Myersdate, Pa.; region affecting
2,500 employes." ,
"Strikers, to be evicted at Salt "Lake; Troops
said to have situation well in hand t .
"Will submit to reduction of 10 per cent cut
in wages affecting 17,0p0 cotton mill operatives.'
"The strikers in the southern mines are-discouraged."
- ,
"Pittsburg painters . vote to strike."
"Morehead Bros, rolling mill at Sharpsburg
will resume operations after shut-down of two
weeks? Plant employs 700 men and they return
to work at a reduction of 20 per cent"
These are, indeed, piping days of prosperity.
JJJ
.As Others See Us.
Some of our. friends across the border and
across the seas are poking- fun at our boasted re
publicanism; and they do not hesitate to 'niaUe n
few savage thrusts along with their good-natured
jibes.
The Montreal Herald, referring to the Panama
incident, says:
"Every one gets something out of thjs
j record-breaking republic-making. The United
States gets the right ,to spend two hundred
and fifty millions on finishing the digging of
a canal, and tho ill will of Latin America.
The republic of Panama gets a fee. of ten mil-
lion dollars for the canal right of way, and
recognition of ita political status. The republic
' of Colombia and the other South .American.
countries get a lesson in Yankee . diplomatic
methods. Europe will get the use of the canal
and the benefit of the favor which the United
States loses in South America." '
This is one of the penalties we must pay for
departing frpm republican methods; and yet we
do not doubt that many republican papers will say
that the United States of America need not be in
the leagt" doncernea as to these criticisms b
even f.hfi rAniihlfnn orlffor. ,.j. . Ui- Ut
thought realize that we have' Seepconcern
our reputation abroad as well as at home fU
the republican editor must, on reflection know In
his heart of hearts that this great governl
cannot afford to engage in policies which justify
those -who never have been in sympathy with 17
publicanism to taunt us with being hypocrits ami
to point to our methods as indicating the beeSI
ning of the end of the republican form of Ibv,
ernment. b Y
' " Incapable.'
In one of his public statements, Mr. Roose
velt recently said: "If I could be absolutely as
sured of my election as president by turning my
back on the principles of human liberty as enun
ciated by Abraham Lincoln, I would be incapable
of doing it, and unfit to bo president, if I could be
capable of doing it."
Mr. Roosevelt, as well as Mr. Roosevelt's par
ty, has turned his back qn "the principles of hu
man liberty as enunciated by Abraham Lincoln "
Every student of events Toiows that in these
days republican leaders are unable to quote from
the writings and speeches of Lincoln in order to
sustain the policies they are pursuing.
Indeed, the-writings and speeches of Abraham
Lincoln are filled with statements that serve so
well as bitter condemnation of the republican poli
cies of today that one not knowing they were the
words of Lincoln, might be 'led to believe they
were written by a man of the present time and
written directly In criticism of present-day poli
ciesi Is it not, then, utterly absurd" for Mr. Roose
velt to say that he would be "incapable" of turn
ing bis back, upon "the principles of human lib
erty as enunciated by Abraham Lincoln?"
If Mr. Roosevelt would agree to retire if it
could be shown that according to his own state
ment, he Is "unfit to be president," there wonld
be little 'difficulty in convincing an unbiased jury
tliat Mr. Roosevelt has done the very thing wnich
he says would disqualify him if ho were "capable
of doing it.".
"i Will You Help? ,
Every reader of The Commoner is requested to
participate in the effort to increase The Com
moner's circulation through', the special subsciip
tion offer. Thousands lof these cards have been
ordered by subscribers and if every Commoner
reader who believes in the principles advocated
by this publication will undertake to add fio
names to the list of The Commoner subscrioers,
The Commoner's circulation will be materially in
creased and as a result, Jits sphere of influence will
be greatly enlarged.
This special subscription offer is similar to
the "lots of five" plan adopted last -year. Cards,
each good for one year's; subscription to The
-Commoner, will be furnished in lots of five at the
rate of $3 per lot. This places the yearly sub
scription rate at' 60 cents. '
Any one ordering the cards may sell them
for $1 each, thus earning a commission of ?2 on
each lot sold, or he may sell them at the cost
price and find compensation in the fact that he
has contributed to the effort to widen The Com
moner's sphere of influence.-
These cards raay.be paid for when ordered or
they may be ordered and remittance made after
they have been sold.
A coupon is printed below for the convenience
of those who are willing to assist In the coming
contest.
THE COMAVONER'S SPECIAL OFFER
Application for Subscription Cards
10
15
.20
25
50
75
100
Publisher Commoner: I am Interested In In.
creating" The Commoner's circnlation, and de
sireyou to send mpa supply ol subscription cards
I ncree to use jay utmost endeuvor to sell the
cards, and will remit lor them at the rate oi 60
cents catfli, when sold.
Name ,
f
Box, orStfectNq. jl..
, '
P O. L.:i;;j i:.LState
n'dicatertne number of cards wanted It ma,rh'i1J:,'nIk
p osH6 ceo oi me ncini ere j nnieu ou rw m w -
ts ..... i-i jx -.- ..; 4l,ni mrriiA
encouragement, fill outthe above coupon and mail
to The Commoner, Lincoln, Neb.
c -'