The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-06
ECUADOR READY TO
INVADE COLOMBIA
Has Well Equipped Army and
Ships of War,
UNITED STATES TO ACT
WILL PREVENT AN ATTACK BE-
ING MADE UPON PANAMA

washington. Sept. 5.-A cablegram
was received here today from an au-
thoritative source in Cali. Colombia,
near the Ecuadorean border, stating
that Ecuador had interviewed as against
Colombia. with an army well equipped
and with veesels of war. Under these
circumstances. the cabiegram states, it
will be necessary to meet the move or
Ecuador by having Colombian war
vessels in Pacific waters near the Co.
lornbian- Ecuador frontier.
The information in the cablegram Is
considered clear evidence of Ecuador
in+entfon to iofn forces with the re
bellious element of the IsthInus OF Pan
anna. Until now Ecuador has main
tanned strict neutrality, but the cable
gram received today indicates that the
first overt move against Colombia mas
been made
Considerable surprise is expressed
at the news of the intention OF Ecuador
to invade Colombia. as disclosed by the
dispatch received from Cali, wnlch Is
the most important of the cities OF the
department of Cauca, bordering on Ec-
uador. Senior Plaza, the new president
of the latter country, who has just as
sumed office heretofore has given evil
dence of his intention to observe strict
neutrality between Colombia and Nene-
zueIa in their pending diflculties.
vading force is under the direction of
the intervening party in Ecuador
which probably has a force of men near
the border line and is taking an early
opportunity to act before the new pres
ident can successfully interfere. The
real objective point is believed to be
Panama, where the invaders may as
sist the Colombian revOlutionists and
those who may be brought from Mica
ragua.
Reliance is placed. however. by the
Colombian officials on the presence Of
United States men-Of-war at Panama
to prevent any attack on the place
The battleship Iowa is expected at Pan
ANA in day or two. and; with the
Ranger. now there, viii be able to land
2 considerable force of marines should
this be necessary to prevent attack
Traffic is Kept Open.
From the acting governor of the state
of Panama word was received in official
circles today that conditions on the
isthmus were not serious. open traff1c
is being preserved by the Colombian
government The officials Of the latter
expecting the expedition Cor invasions)
that have been announced from Ecua-
dor and Nicaragua
Colombian officials here profess to
have no fear of any serious difficulties
on the isthmus, saving that, in addi-
ton to the forces already there to pre-
serve the peace. 1000 men now at Bar
ranquilla are under orders to proceed
to the vicinity and should reach there
in 2 couple of days.
At the Colombian Legation the arrival
of ! 900 Colon bian troons at Barran-
quilla is regarded as a move to strong
" fortify the isthmuS I prevent the
disorder which has prev allied there. Ur
to this time the government has di-
rected its attention to the disturbance
in the interior. and only a few troops
were sent 70 the isthmus. fifty men be-
ing considered sufficient 70 garrison
Bocas del TorO. Now. however the re-
ports Of trouble around Bccas del Toro
have shown the need of a strong force
along the isthmus and troops are be-
ing sent from the south to Barran-
ouiila
From this point they are within easy
water Communication with the istbrnus
and the CoIonabia war boat General
Pinzon. is in that locality prepared to
take forward farEf endorsements Ths
outbreak ct Bocas del Toro shows the
wide extent OF The disturbance. thai
point being at the extreme west of the
isthmus. adjoining Costa RIGA and 2
part of Costa Rica until the recent
award Of President Loubet of France
giving Bocas del Toro to Colombia
There IS no reason 10 believe. however
that Costa Rica is giving any aid o.
comfort 70 this I4sl dernonstrat ton re-
ports 70 the Colombian authorities here
ipdica ting that it is due to The Colon
( bian refugees from Nicaragua