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Theodore Roosevelt: Advisers John Hay Roosevelt relied upon Secretary of State John Hay frequently in his first term. Hay had served under President McKinley while Roosevelt was still Vice President. Under McKinley, Hay was responsible for the Open Door Note, which established an opening for American policy in China. Under Roosevelt his primary objective was to lock down a site for the United States to build a canal connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. The United States looked at both a Nicaraguan route and a Panamanian route. Initially, the United States decided to go with the Nicaraguan route until the French Canal Company, which had been building a Panama Canal, lowered its price. (Bailey 489). But there was a problem: Panama was a province of Columbia, which wouldn’t allow the canal to be built. To get around Columbian intransigence, the United States sponsored a Panamian revolution and stopped the Columbians from intervening. On November 3, 1903, Hay recognized Panama's independence. Soon after, Hay and the British Ambassador Julian Puancefote met and agreed that the United States could build a canal as long as the U. S. did not fortify it with military installations. (Paterson 218). Roosevelt spoke of the importance of this achievement. "In his annual message to Congress after the Panamanian revolution, Roosevelt urged swift ratification of the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, saying that it would benefit the United States and the rest of mankind as well." (Paterson 222). The importance of Hay in the most famous incident in Roosevelt's presidency is times overlooked. |
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