The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-22
CORRESPONDENCE ON PANAMA
SENT TO THE SENATE BY PREsI-
DENT M'KINLEY.

Includes Communications Exchang-
ed With Colombia Since 1879.
Secretary Evarts' Dispatch Sent to
Minister Dichman in 1SSO-Said
This Government Could Not BE
Excluded From Direct Inter-
est in the Matter-Other Canal Corr
respOndence.
Washington, March 21.-In response to
a resolution of the Senate the President
to-day sent to that body the correspond
ence between the United States and the
government of Colombia relative to the
Panama canal
The correspondence covers the period
April 49, 1880, from Secretary Evarts to
United States Minister Emert Dichman,
in which the Secretary 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
security of the United States may need
to be maintained. While the United States
feel no concern as to the adequacy of their
power to meet any emergencies that may
arise yet il is
unwise 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 a safeguard in the time
of a great conflict"
Hence he instructs Mr.. Dichman to say
to the Colombian government that the
United States would demand that the con-
trustion of the Isthmian canal should
be the subject of joint consideration, with
a view TO the protection of those interests
which bind the South and North Ameri-
can republics together as closely as other
interests and relations bind the European
Powers"
Cannot BE Excluded.
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
q positive supervision and interposition in
the execution of any project which, by
completing an interoceanic connection
through the Isthmus, would materially
affect it's commercial interests, change
the territorial relations of its own SOW
ereigrity and impose on it the necessity
of a foreign policy, which, whether in its
feature of warlike preparation or entang-
ling alliances has been hitherto arduously
avoided"
Pointing out an inter-oceanic canals i'm
portance in war time he instructed the
suggestion to the Colombian government
moth ha i'm Il
aouate to maintain IDS security or neutral
ity and that the enforcement of the guar
antee of the United States would prob
ably be sought as il has been before, in
which case the duty of the United States,
both to itself and to the Colombian gov
eminent would be to see that they were
in position to enforce the guarantees which
existing treaties impose and winch friend
ship for Colombia would induce fulhlment
with scrupulous fidelity.
Opposed the Concession.
Another communication of some interest
is that of Secretary Foster to Mr.. Cough
lin of Dec. %, 1892, relating to the request
of the Panama Canal Company for an ex-
tension of one year. He opposed the con-
cession, saying that the company was
bankrupt.
Reporting later that the extension had
been granted. Minister Abbott said:
THE time will never come, in
nv Judgment when the Colom-
bian government will refuse to
grant canal concessions to European
companies until a definite proposition for
the construction of the work shall come
from the government or a reliable COM
pany of the United States"
The last document of the series is a re-
monstrance from Charge Renfigo of the
Colombian legation at Washington, against
the attitude of the United States govern
ment toward the Nicaraguan canal. He
said the new Panama Canal Company Is
well equipped and reminds the Secretary
of State that there are doubts about the
practicabilty of the construction Of the
Nicaragua route. He expressed doubt as
10 whether the two canals constructed
either would pay, and reminded the United
States that the support given by this coun-
try to the Nicaragua route would be inju-
rious to Panama.
Hon. John Sherman was the secretary
and the record shows that he only formal