New-York tribune., 1900-03-22

CORRESPONDENCE WITH COLOMBIA
SENT TO THE SENATE BY
THE PRESIDENT.
COLOMBIA

Washington. March 21.-In response to resolu-
ton of the Senate. the President to-day sent 10
that body the correspondence between the ohiteo
States and the Of Colombia relative TO
the Panama Canal The correspondence covers the
period from 1879 20 1897 and much Of it has already
been printed. Among the documents wh'cn hnve
not been published Is letter OF Apri! I'D, 1eS''
from Secretary Evarts United States Minister
Dichman regarding the Panama Canal concession,
in which the Secretary said
The Government of the United states might be
willing. In the mntter Of the mere mercantile IN.
seifintepest of those who undertake its construc.
o 9n 70 emeen tina, Of gaon and Of
treatment should be made the Inducements to draw
it cannot be concealed. and the Government of the
United States does not attempt to conceal that ,s
larger and more serious considerations This en-
mere al reVolu,iom i touches the Conditions under
which the seT[ty Sf ned states ss may I peed ned
concern as to the adequacy of their power 70 meet
no Issue in the worlds politics which at all threat
ems their tranquility while their relations with al,
goodwin Yet Il is unwise not to anticipate possible
Contingencies which may expose our systems 20
trials not now obvious or probabl
lie then dwells on the changed conditions which
would be made apparent in case Of war. and says:
"All the treaties of neutrality in the world might
fail TO be n safeguard in time Of great conflict
He therefore irstructs Mr.. Dchman to say to the
Colombian Government that 1t is source of pro-
found regret to this Government that the Govern
ment of Colombia has hitherto refrained from COM
munication upon the subject Of the recent Com
mission the treaty relations between the two
countries justified in expecting" He added
that the United States would demand that the
strtction Of an sthmlan canal should be the sub
Ject of joint consideration. with view to the pro
lection of those interests which bind the South
and North American republics together closely
as other interests and relations bind the Europeen
Powers He also gave instructions add that
the United States Government did not consider
itself excluded by agreement to which 1t not
a party. On this point no said:
You VIII add that tins Government cannot n
slider Itself excluded by arrangements between
other Powers individuals to which it is not a
party from direct interest and. If necessary
positive supervision and interposition in the execu
oceanic connection through the isthmus would ma
territorial relations of its own soveregntv and i'm
pose on it the necessity of foreign policy which.
entangling alliance, has been hitherto arduously
avoided.
Concluding long communication. he said:
Should this nteroceauic connection ever be ac-
complications of International relations a matter
deemed by the Colombian Government either disre-
spectfu or unfriendly TO suggest that the military
inadequate to maintain its security or neutrality.
dn States h omG pso6y 81 the be @ IT @
been before. Should the possibility Of such a
be ths Gug Of the States o ony to H
that they were in position 10 enforce the guar
antees which existing treaties impose upon them
and which their feeling of sincere friendship for
the Government of Colombia would induce them
fulfil with scrupulous fidelity.
Another communication of some interest is that
of Secretary Foster to Mr.. Coughln. OF December
e. 1892, relating the request Of the Panama Canal
Company for an extension CT year. He opposed
the concession saying that the company was bank
rupt and hence the application for an extension
fde. "In view of this he said, the
United States Government earnestly trusts that
such extension will be granted without substantial
guarantees" Reporting later that the extension
had been granted Minister Abbott said
The time will never come in my judgment, when
the Colombian Government will refuse to grant
. canal concessions 20 European companies until a
definite proposition for the construction of the
work shall come from the Government relia
BILE company of the United States
The last document of the series is a remonstrance
from General Rcngifo, of the Colombion Legation
at Washington against the attitude OF the United
States Government toward the Nicaragua Canal.
He says the Panama Canal Company Is well
equipped and reminds the Secretary of State that
there doubts about the practica biltty OF the
Nicaragua route. He expresses doubt as to whether
and reminds the United States that the support
given by this country to the Nicaragua route would
be injurious 10 the Panama. John Sherman was
then Secretary, and the record shows that he only
formally acknowledged the note.