The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-22
STATEMENT TO COLOMB MBIA
When She Gave France Sole Right to
Build Canal.
OUR INTEREST IN IT DEEP AND STRONG
All Treaties Of Neutrality Might Fail as Safe
guards in Time of Conflict Cores
pondence of This Govern
ment With Colombia.
(By The Associated Press.)

Washington, March 21.-In response to
a resolution of the Senate the President
today sent to that body the correspon-
dence between the United States and the
Government of Colombia, relatives to the
Panama Canal. The correspondence COW
ers the period from 1879 to 1897. 1t in
cludes a letter of April 10Th, 1880, from
Secretary Evarts, to United States Minis
ter Emert Dchman, in which the Secre-
tary took ground against the conduct of
constructively criticising Colombia in
granting to the French Government the
exclusive right to build a canal across
the Isthmus He said in this dispatch:
This enterprise once achieved works
more than a commercial revolution. 1t
touches the conditions under which the
security of the United States may need
to be maintained. While the United
States feel no concern as to the adequacy
i of their power to meet any emergencies
that may arise yet it is un-
wise not to anticipate possible contin-
gencies which may expose our systems
to trials not now obvious or probable.
All the treaties of neutrality in the world
might fail to be safeguard in time Of
a great conflict
IlcuCe lie lESlTuclS DlCHIldQ 10 say
to the Colombian Government that the
United States would demand that the
construction of on isthmian canal should
] be the subject of joint consideration with
a view to protection of those interests
which bind the South and North Ameri-
can Republics together as closely as 9TH
er interests and relations bind the Euro
pean powers" He added:
you will add that this Government
cannot consider itself excluded by any
arrangements between other powers or
individuals to which it is not a party from
a direct interest and if necessary a posi-
tive supervision and interposition in the
execution of any project which by COM
pleting an inter- connection
through the Jsthmus would materially
affect it's commercial interests, change
the territorial relations of it's own SOW
ereignty and impose on it the necessit, vr
a foreign policy which, whether in it's
feature of war-like preparation or en-
tangling alliance, has been hitherto sed.
duously avoided.
Pointing out an inter-oceanic canals
Importance in war time he instructed
the suggestion to the Colombian Govern
ment that it's military strength would
be inadequate to maintain it's security or
neutrality and that the enforcement OF
the guarantee of the United States would
probably be sought as it has been be-
fore, in which case the duty of the Uni
ted States both to itself and the Colon
bian Government would be to see that
they were in position to enforce the guar
antees which existing treaties impose
and which friendship for Colombia would
induce fulfllment with scrupulous fdel-
ity.
Another communication of some interest
is that of Secretary Foster to Mr.. Cough
lin. of December 22nd, 1892, relating to
the request of the Panama Canal Com
pany for an extension Of one year. He
opposed the concession, saying that the
company was bankrupt
Reporting later that the extension had
been granted, Minister Abbott said:
s''The time will never come, in my
Judgment, when the Colombian Govern
ment will refuse to grant canal conccs-
sions to European companies until a
definite proposition for the construction
of the work shall come from the Govern
ment or reliable company of the United
States.'
The last document Of the series is a
remonstrance from Charge Renfigo, Of
the Colombian Legation at Washington,
against the attitude of the United States
Government toward the Nicaragua Canal.
He said the new Panama Canal Company
is well equipped and reminds the Secre-
tary of State that there are doubts about
the practicability Of the construction of
the Nicaragua route He expressed
doubt as to whether with the two canals
constructed either would pay, and re-
minded the United States that the sup
port given by this country to the Nicara-
qua route would be injurious to Panama.
Hon. John Sherman was the Secretary.
and the record shows that he only for
mally acknowledged the note.