第81章

“Yettheinterestofinternationalcommercegenerallyandtheinterestofthiscountrygenerallydemandsthatthecanalshouldbebegunwithnoneedlessdelay。TherefusalofColombiaproperlytorespondtooursincereandearnesteffortstocometoanagreement，ortopayheedtothemanyconcessionswehavemade，rendersitinmyjudgmentnecessarythattheUnitedStatesshouldtakeimmediateactionononeoftwolines：eitherweshoulddropthePanamacanalprojectandimmediatelybeginworkontheNicaraguancanal，orelseweshouldpurchasealltherightsoftheFrenchcompany，and，withoutanyfurtherparleywithColombia，enteruponthecompletionofthecanalwhichtheFrenchcompanyhasbegun。IfeelthatthelattercourseistheonedemandedbytheinterestsofthisNation，andIthereforebringthemattertoyourattentionforsuchactioninthepremisesasyoumaydeemwise。Ifinyourjudgmentitisbetternottotakesuchaction，thenIshallproceedatoncewiththeNicaraguancanal。

“ThereasonthatIadvocatetheactionaboveoutlinedinregardtothePanamacanalis，inthefirstplace，thestrongtestimonyoftheexpertsthatthisrouteisthemostfeasible；andinthenextplace，theimproprietyfromaninternationalstandpointofpermittingsuchconductasthattowhichColombiaseemstoincline。Thetestimonyoftheexpertsisverystrong，notonlythatthePanamarouteisfeasible，butthatintheNicaraguaroutewemayencountersomeunpleasantsurprises，andthatitisfarmoredifficulttoforecasttheresultwithanycertaintyasregardsthislatterroute。AsforColombia’sattitude，itisincomprehensibleuponanytheoryofdesiretoseethecanalbuiltuponthebasisofmutualadvantagealiketothosebuildingitandtoColombiaherself。AllwedesiretodoistotakeuptheworkbegunbytheFrenchGovernmentandtofinishit。ObviouslyitisColombia’sdutytohelptowardssuchcompletion。Wearemostanxioustocometoanagreementwithherinwhichmostscrupulouscareshouldbetakentoguardherinterestsandours。Butwecannotconsenttopermithertoblocktheperformanceoftheworkwhichitissogreatlytoourinterestimmediatelytobeginandcarrythrough。”

ShortlyafterthisroughdraftwasdictatedthePanamarevolutioncame，andIneverthoughtoftheroughdraftagainuntilIwasaccusedofhavinginstigatedtherevolution。ThisaccusationispreposterousintheeyesofanyonewhoknowstheactualconditionsatPanama。OnlythemenaceofactionbyusintheinterestofColombiakeptdownrevolution；assoonasColombia’sownconductremovedsuchmenace，allcheckonthevariousrevolutionarymovements(therewereatleastthreefromentirelyseparatesources)ceased；andthenanexplosionwasinevitable，fortheFrenchcompanyknewthatalltheirpropertywouldbeconfiscatedifColombiaputthroughherplans，andtheentirepeopleofPanamafeltthatifindisgustwithColombia’sextortionstheUnitedStatesturnedtoNicaragua，they，thepeopleofPanama，wouldberuined。KnowingthecharacterofthosetheninchargeoftheColombianGovernment，Iwasnotsurprisedattheirbadfaith；butI

wassurprisedattheirfolly。TheyapparentlyhadnoideaeitherofthepowerofFranceorthepoweroftheUnitedStates，andexpectedtobepermittedtocommitwrongwithimpunity，justasCastroinVenezuelahaddone。Thedifferencewasthat，unlessweactedinself-

defense，Colombiahaditinherpowertodousseriousharm，andVenezueladidnothavesuchpower。Colombia’swrongdoing，therefore，recoiledonherownhead。Therewasnonewlessontaught；itoughtalreadytohavebeenknowntoeveryonethatwickedness，weakness，andfollycombinedrarelyfailtomeetpunishment，andthattheintenttodowrong，whenjoinedtoinabilitytocarrytheevilpurposetoasuccessfulconclusion，inevitablyreactsonthewrongdoer。

Forthefullhistoryoftheacquisitionandbuildingofthecanalsee“ThePanamaGateway。”byJosephBucklinBishop(Scribner’sSons)。Mr。

BishophasbeenforeightyearssecretaryofthecommissionandisoneofthemostefficientofthemanyefficientmentowhoseworkontheIsthmusAmericaowessomuch。

Therecanbenonoblercauseforwhichtoworkthanthepeaceofrighteousness；andhighhonorisduethosesereneandloftysoulswhowithwisdomandcourage，withhighidealismtemperedbysanefacingoftheactualfactsoflife，havestriventobringnearerthedaywhenarmedstrifebetweennationandnation，betweenclassandclass，betweenmanandmanshallendthroughouttheworld。Becauseallthisistrue，itisalsotruethattherearenomenmoreignobleormorefoolish，nomenwhoseactionsarefraughtwithgreaterpossibilityofmischieftotheircountryandtomankind，thanthosewhoexaltunrighteouspeaceasbetterthanrighteouswar。Themenwhohavestoodhighestinourhistory，asinthehistoryofallcountries，arethosewhoscornedinjus