The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-08-24
THE GREAT COLOMBIA SCHEME
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
The curreat disturbances in Co,omoi5
and Venezuela appear to be assuming
a more than ordinary serious form
They no longer involve merely the Quss-
ton Of revolution is one or both coun-
tries, but rather a warfare between the
two In threat Of such warfare domes-
tic revolts in each are commingled. The
leader OF the Colombian rebels aims no:
only at the overthrowing Of the Colom-
bisn government bu; at the coercion
OF Colombia into the surrender Of her
indepesdent sovereignty through union
with Venezuela. And the government
OF Venezuela is said 10 be privy TO the
scheme, and thus 10 be cooperating
with the Columbian rebels. I, is added
tina; the government Of Ecuador is also
involved in the undertaking. and vii,
openly svow Itself thus as soon as suf-
fciently encouraging progress has been
made. At the same time the Colom-
bian government not only strives 10 sup
press the rebellion in Its own domain,
but apparently sanctions as armed in
vasion OF Venezuela. where the Colum-
bian rebels have their base Of opera
tons.
There is, Of course. something to be
said in favor Of the ambitious scheme
10 which General Uribe-Uribe has COM
mitted himself, provided the states con-
cerned would accept it. The three states
Of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela
were originally one. Il was as one state
that they gained independence from
Spain in 1919. No doubt Bolivar. the lib
orator, intended end expected them al
ways 20 remain one. As a matter ot
fact they did thus remain one for more
than a dozen years, until 1892. Thea
they separated INTO threa. and chre=
they have since remained. They might
readily be reunited IL they so desired
Their populations are homogeneous. /
Their constitutions and general systems
are alike. They all three have the same
state religion. Roman Catholicism. and .
Colombia is only a trins more tolerant (
Of other faiths than are the other two.
United the three would form a large
and compact state. Colombia has an
area Of about sos 900 square miles. Ec-
uador 10000 and Venezuela Of $4,000, a +.
total Of 100000 square miles. Colom- .
bias population is about 100000. Ec-
uador's 100000 and Venezu=la's 3.O0O,-
900, a total Of 100000. The Great
Colombia would therefore BE- the thirI
state os South America in area and the
second in population. It would rank
with Brazil and Argentina TO form the
"big three" Of the continent.
It is doubtful. however. whether the
one state would be any more peaceful, /
stable, prosperous or progressive than
the three. II three or four million pe9-
pie canno; get along without rey0lu-
tons nine millions cannot. Still more
doubtful Is 1t whether a lasting union
can be formed through the means
adopted by General Tribe. A somewhat
similar experiment was made, with far s
more justification, by the late President !
Barrlos, Of Guatemala, with disastrous
results. Peoples, even Of the same blood
and language and religion and civil
oolity, 10 not always want to be under :
he same government. OF that fact q
south America has noteworthy Illus /
ration in the heroic history Of Para
;uay. It Is quite legitimate for one
tate to say to Its nelghb3r Com let
IS take counsel together for the forma- +
ion Of a federal union" But for +. 70
ay to its neighbor Unite with me or J
will thrash and annex you" is simply
ttempted conquest in its most naked r
nd brutal form. It would be deplora- O
le and disheartenlng if It were begun /
ust on the eve Of a Pln-American con- a
ress intended TO promote peace and /
qulty among the nations.