The South American country, Colombia, made an attempt to block the
building of the Panama Canal. This canal had been planned to run
through the State of Panama, which was part of the Republic of
Colombia. It was a part of that country, however, separated by
fifteen days' journey from the capital city, Bogota, and so
separated in friendship from the rest of the country that it had
made over fifty attempts in fifty years to revolt and gain
independence. Our State Department, through Mr. Hay, had come to
an understanding with the Minister from Colombia as to the canal,
and the amount we were to pay Colombia for the privilege of
building this important waterway, for the benefit of the whole
world.

But the Colombian Government at that time were a slippery lot,--
dealing with them, said President Roosevelt, "was like trying to
nail currant jelly to a wall." It struck them that they would do
well to squeeze more money yet out of Uncle Sam, and that they
might by twisting and turning, get forty million dollars as easily
as ten millions. So they delayed and quibbled.

In the meantime, the people of Panama, not wishing to lose the
advantage of the canal, and desiring greatly to take any
opportunity to free themselves from the Colombians who had
plundered them for years, declared a revolution, which took place
without bloodshed. Colombian troops, coming to try to reconquer
Panama, were forbidden to land by our ships, acting under
President Roosevelt's orders. We were under treaty agreement to
preserve order on the Isthmus. Our Government recognized the new
Republic of Panama, an act which was promptly followed by all the