Within a richly layered context, The Cowboy and the Canal probes the intrigue behind Roosevelt's decision to purchase the expiring concession, rotting machinery, and dilapidated buildings from the bankrupt French Panama Canal Company and dig the interoceanic canal in Panama instead of the favored site, Nicaragua. Drawing from primary sources-newspaper stories, editorials, political cartoons, the Congressional record, books, magazines, journals, and letters-The Cowboy and the Canal reintroduces the voices who criticized Roosevelt's actions and questioned his motives, that through time and...