“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，allcheckonthevariousrevolutionarymovementstherewereatleastthreefromentirelyseparatesourcesceased；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。”byJosephBucklinBishopScribner’sSons。Mr。
BishophasbeenforeightyearssecretaryofthecommissionandisoneofthemostefficientofthemanyefficientmentowhoseworkontheIsthmusAmericaowessomuch。
Therecanbenonoblercauseforwhichtoworkthanthepeaceofrighteousness；andhighhonorisduethosesereneandloftysoulswhowithwisdomandcourage，withhighidealismtemperedbysanefacingoftheactualfactsoflife，havestriventobringnearerthedaywhenarmedstrifebetweennationandnation，betweenclassandclass，betweenmanandmanshallendthroughouttheworld。Becauseallthisistrue，itisalsotruethattherearenomenmoreignobleormorefoolish，nomenwhoseactionsarefraughtwithgreaterpossibilityofmischieftotheircountryandtomankind，thanthosewhoexaltunrighteouspeaceasbetterthanrighteouswar。Themenwhohavestoodhighestinourhistory，asinthehistoryofallcountries，arethosewhoscornedinjustice，whowereincapableofoppressingtheweak，orofpermittingtheircountry，withtheirconsent，tooppresstheweak，butwhodidnothesitatetodrawtheswordwhentoleaveitundrawnmeantinabilitytoarresttriumphantwrong。
Allthisissoobviousthatitoughtnottobenecessarytorepeatit。
Yeteverymaninactiveaffairs，whoalsoreadsaboutthepast，growsbybitterexperiencetorealizethatthereareplentyofmen，notonlyamongthosewhomeanill，butamongthosewhomeanwell，whoarereadyenoughtopraisewhatwasdoneinthepast，andyetareincapableofprofitingbyitwhenfacedbytheneedsofthepresent。Duringourgenerationthisseemstohavebeenpeculiarlythecaseamongthemenwhohavebecomeobsessedwiththeideaofobtaininguniversalpeacebysomecheappatentpanacea。
Therehasbeenarealandsubstantialgrowthinthefeelingforinternationalresponsibilityandjusticeamongthegreatcivilizednationsduringthepastthreescoreorfourscoreyears。Therehasbeenarealgrowthofrecognitionofthefactthatmoralturpitudeisinvolvedinthewrongingofonenationbyanother，andthatinmostcaseswarisanevilmethodofsettlinginternationaldifficulties。
Butasyettherehasbeenonlyarudimentarybeginningofthedevelopmentofinternationaltribunalsofjustice，andtherehasbeennodevelopmentatallofanyinternationalpolicepower。Now，asI
havealreadysaid，thewholefabricofmunicipallaw，oflawwithineachnation，restsultimatelyuponthejudgeandthepoliceman；andthecompleteabsenceofthepoliceman，andthealmostcompleteabsenceofthejudge，ininternationalaffairs，preventstherebeingasyetanyrealhomologybetweenmunicipalandinternationallaw。
Moreover，thequestionswhichsometimesinvolvenationsinwararefarmoredifficultandcomplexthananyquestionsthataffectmerelyindividuals。Almosteverygreatnationhasinheritedcertainquestions，eitherwithothernationsorwithsectionsofitsownpeople，whichitisquiteimpossible，inthepresentstateofcivilization，todecideasmattersbetweenprivateindividualscanbedecided。Duringthelastcenturyatleasthalfofthewarsthathavebeenfoughthavebeencivilandnotforeignwars。Therearebigandpowerfulnationswhichhabituallycommit，eitheruponothernationsoruponsectionsoftheirownpeople，wrongssooutrageousastojustifyeventhemostpeacefulpersonsingoingtowar。Therearealsoweaknationssoutterlyincompetenteithertoprotecttherightsofforeignersagainsttheirowncitizens，ortoprotecttheirowncitizensagainstforeigners，thatitbecomesamatterofsheerdutyforsomeoutsidepowertointerfereinconnectionwiththem。Asyetinneithercaseisthereanyefficientmethodofgettinginternationalaction；andifjointactionbyseveralpowersissecured，theresultisusuallyconsiderablyworsethanifonlyonePowerinterfered。Theworstinfamiesofmoderntimes——suchaffairsasthemassacresoftheArmeniansbytheTurks，forinstance——havebeenperpetratedinatimeofnominallyprofoundinternationalpeace，whentherehasbeenaconcertofbigPowerstopreventthebreakingofthispeace，althoughonlybybreakingitcouldtheoutragesbestopped。Beitrememberedthatthepeopleswhosufferedbythesehideousmassacres，whosawtheirwomenviolatedandtheirchildrentortured，wereactuallyenjoyingallthebenefitsof“disarmament。”Otherwisetheywouldnothavebeenmassacred；foriftheJewsinRussiaandtheArmeniansinTurkeyhadbeenarmed，andhadbeenefficientintheuseoftheirarms，nomobwouldhavemeddledwiththem。
Yetamiablebutfatuouspersons，withallthesefactsbeforetheireyes，passresolutionsdemandinguniversalarbitrationforeverything，andthedisarmamentofthefreecivilizedpowersandtheirabandonmentoftheirarmedforces；orelsetheywritewell-meaning，solemnlittlebooks，orpamphletsoreditorials，andarticlesinmagazinesornewspapers，toshowthatitis“anillusion“tobelievethatwareverpays，becauseitisexpensive。Thisispreciselylikearguingthatweshoulddisbandthepoliceanddevoteoursoleattentiontopersuadingcriminalsthatitis“anillusion“tosupposethatburglary，highwayrobberyandwhiteslaveryareprofitable。Itisalmostuselesstoattempttoarguewiththesewell-intentionedpersons，becausetheyaresufferingunderanobsessionandarenotopentoreason。Theygowrongattheoutset，fortheylayalltheemphasisonpeaceandnoneatallonrighteousness。Theyarenotallofthemphysicallytimidmen；buttheyareusuallymenofsoftlife；andtheyrarelypossessahighsenseofhonororakeenpatriotism。Theyrarelytrytopreventtheirfellowcountrymenfrominsultingorwrongingthepeopleofothernations；buttheyalwaysardentlyadvocatethatwe，inourturn，shalltamelysubmittowrongandinsultfromothernations。AsAmericanstheirfollyispeculiarlyscandalous，becauseiftheprinciplestheynowupholdareright，itmeansthatitwouldhavebeenbetterthatAmericansshouldneverhaveachievedtheirindependence，andbetterthat，in1861，theyshouldhavepeacefullysubmittedtoseeingtheircountrysplitintohalfadozenjanglingconfederaciesandslaverymadeperpetual。Ifunwillingtolearnfromtheirownhistory，letthosewhothinkthatitisan“illusion“tobelievethatawareverbenefitsanationlookatthedifferencebetweenChinaandJapan。
Chinahasneitherafleetnoranefficientarmy。Itisahugecivilizedempire，oneofthemostpopulousontheglobe；andithasbeenthehelplesspreyofoutsidersbecauseitdoesnotpossessthepowertofight。JapanstandsonafootingofequalitywithEuropeanandAmericannationsbecauseitdoespossessthispower。ChinanowseesJapan，Russia，Germany，EnglandandFranceinpossessionoffragmentsofherempire，andhastwicewithinthelifetimeofthepresentgenerationseenhercapitalinthehandsofalliedinvaders，becausesheinveryfactrealizestheidealsofthepersonswhowishtheUnitedStatestodisarm，andthentrustthatourhelplessnesswillsecureusacontemptuousimmunityfromattackbyoutsidenations。
Thechieftroublecomesfromtheentireinabilityoftheseworthypeopletounderstandthattheyaredemandingthingsthataremutuallyincompatiblewhentheydemandpeaceatanyprice，andalsojusticeandrighteousness。Irememberonerepresentativeoftheirnumber，whousedtowritelittlesonnetsonbehalfoftheMahdiandtheSudanese，thesesonnetssettingforththeneedthattheSudanshouldbebothindependentandpeaceful。Asamatteroffact，theSudanvaluedindependenceonlybecauseitdesiredtowaragainstallChristiansandtocarryonanunlimitedslavetrade。Itwas“independent“undertheMahdiforadozenyears，andduringthosedozenyearsthebigotry，tyranny，andcruelreligiousintoleranceweresuchasflourishedintheseventhcentury，andinspiteofsystematicslaveraidsthepopulationdecreasedbynearlytwo-thirds，andpracticallyallthechildrendied。Peacecame，well-beingcame，freedomfromrapeandmurderandtortureandhighwayrobbery，andeverybrutalgratificationoflustandgreedcame，onlywhentheSudanlostitsindependenceandpassedunderEnglishrule。Yetthiswell-meaninglittlesonneteersincerelyfeltthathisverseswereissuedinthecauseofhumanity。
Lookingbackfromthevantagepointofascoreofyears，probablyeveryonewillagreethathewasanabsurdperson。ButhewasnotonewhitmoreabsurdthanmostofthemoreprominentpersonswhoadvocatedisarmamentbytheUnitedStates，thecessationofup-buildingthenavy，andthepromisetoagreetoarbitrateallmatters，includingthoseaffectingournationalinterestsandhonor，withallforeignnations。
Thesepersonswoulddonoharmiftheyaffectedonlythemselves。Manyofthemare，intheordinaryrelationsoflife，goodcitizens。Theyareexactlyliketheothergoodcitizenswhobelievethatenforceduniversalvegetarianismoranti-vaccinationisthepanaceaforallills。Butintheirparticularcasetheyareabletodoharmbecausetheyaffectourrelationswithforeignpowers，sothatothermenpaythedebtwhichtheythemselveshavereallyincurred。Itisthefoolish，peace-at-any-pricepersonswhotrytopersuadeourpeopletomakeunwiseandimpropertreaties，ortostopbuildingupthenavy。
Butiftroublecomesandthetreatiesarerepudiated，orthereisademandforarmedintervention，itisnotthesepeoplewhowillpayanything；theywillstayathomeinsafety，andleavebravementopayinblood，andhonestmentopayinshame，fortheirfolly。
Thetroubleisthatourpolicyisapttogoinzigzags，becausedifferentsectionsofourpeopleexerciseatdifferenttimesunequalpressureonourgovernment。Oneclassofourcitizensclamorsfortreatiesimpossibleoffulfilment，andimpropertofulfil；anotherclasshasnoobjectiontothepassageofthesetreatiessolongasthereisnoconcretecasetowhichtheyapply，butinstantlyopposeavetoontheirapplicationwhenanyconcretecasedoesactuallyarise。
Oneofourcardinaldoctrinesisfreedomofspeech，whichmeansfreedomofspeechaboutforeignersaswellasaboutourselves；and，inasmuchasweexercisethisrightwithcompleteabsenceofrestraint，wecannotexpectothernationstoholdusharmlessunlessinthelastresortweareabletomakeourownwordsgoodbyourdeeds。Oneclassofourcitizensindulgesingushingpromisestodoeverythingforforeigners，anotherclassoffensivelyandimproperlyrevilesthem；anditishardtosaywhichclassmorethoroughlymisrepresentsthesober，self-respectingjudgmentoftheAmericanpeopleasawhole。Theonlysaferuleistopromiselittle，andfaithfullytokeepeverypromise；