“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。