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Show PAYING FOR PANAMA. The action of Senator Knox of Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania in voting to report the Colombian Colom-bian treaty after the Democrats of the senate foreign affairs committee had accepted ac-cepted a resolution proposed by him probably insures ratification of the convention, con-vention, by the terms of which the South American republic will receive $25,000,000 for the loss of the strip of land across the isthmus of Panama. The KnoxVesolution to accompany the treaty specifically states that the United States must not be understood to be apologizing, and that there is nothing to apologize for. The treaty was also amended so that the expression of regret will come from both Colombia and the United States, instead of from the United Unit-ed States only, as in the original draft. The amount to be paid ha a been restored to the original sum of $25,000,000, which is another indication 1 hat the treaty is practically certain to be ratified. As Senator Knox negotiated a treaty with Colombia when secretary of state in the Taft administration lie was virtually committed on the subject, and his action is, therefore, not surprising, for he is not a man to change his honest convictions. convic-tions. The ratification of the treaty will leave a bad taste in the mouth of a majority ma-jority of American citizens, who will feel a certain degree of humiliation over the fact that the United States feels impelled im-pelled to pay $25,000,000 to Colombia, either with nr without an apology. If j Roosevelt was right, in setting up tho ! republic of Panama, then Colombia is not entitled to either indemnity or apology. If he was wrong, then Colombia Colom-bia should be remunerated. Senator Knox evidently believes a wroug was committed, or he would not have attempted at-tempted to salve the wounded feelings of the Colombians while secretary of state, or join the senate Democrats in putting through the present treaty. Most Americans will be glad when they hear the last of the whole matter. However, now that we are going to pay $25,000,000 for the canal zone, and the imitation republic of Panama, we should take governmental control of the entire strip of laud across tho isthmus in order to insure proper prelection for the great waterway. In these days of world wars and possible future combinations of 1 jreat powers, the United States should not neI'vt nay opportunity to j jdrengMien its defensive position. The I J 'ana ma ns have shown their hatred for j given the least chance to enter into a conspiracy which might endanger our very existence as a nation. If we are to pay for Panama it should be ours. |