Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-08-07
KEEP |STHMUS Open
Uncle Sam Will Send a Warship
into Colombian
Waters.
UNDER TREATY OBLIGATIONS
Open and Free Transit Across the 18TH
mus of Panama Must Be
- Maintained.
UNDER TREATY OBLIGATIONS

Washington, Aug. 5.-Transit across
the Isthmus of Panama may be in
ferrupted through the operations of the
rebel forces and the Colombian troops,
according to information just received
by the state department from the
American consul in Colon A confer
ence between Acting Secretary Adee
and Rear Admiral Crowninshield, chief
OF the bureau of navigation, followed.
While no orders have been given to
any ships to proceed south, it is I'M
derstood that as soon as the Machas
is ready she will be directed to steam
To Colombian waters. In case she
should not be available for several
days, Rear Admiral Higginson of the
north Atlantic squadron will be or
dered to send a vessel
Under Treaty Obligations.
The United States is under treaty
obligations to maintain open and free
transit across the isthmus. Should the
railroad between Colon and Panama
be threatened, the United States would
have to step in and protect it from
the operations of either the govern
ment or insurgent forces. The dis
patch sent by the consul was vague.
and Senior Thomas Herrera, charge
daHaires of the Colombian legation,
was unable to amplify it.
Il have received dispatches from
BogOta dated as late as July 81" he
said, land they do not make any refer
ence to the situation in Panama. This
indicates the government does not re-
gard the situation there as serious. I
understand there are a few guerrilla
bands operating in the isthmus, but
they are unimportant. If the guer-
rillas should attack the railroad, then
the United States would be required
to Interfere.
Says Situation Is Not Serious.
"The general situation in Colombia
Is not serious. The largest guerrilla
band operating against the government
is in the state of Tolimo. 1t is abso-
lutely impossible for it to cooperate
with General Uribe-Uribe, who is re-
ported to be at Maracaibo, Venezuela,
endeavoring to organize filibustering
expedition, because of the distance and
OF the government forces which are
stationed at intervening points.
II have just received a letter from
the governor of Antiocha. regarding
Tribe Tribe. The latter had posses
sion of munitions of war and is try
ing to get men. He is not receiving
official encouragement from the gov
ernment of Venezuela, but the frontier
officials wink at his operations, and
he may be able to gather together an
expedition. The governor of Antiocha
is confident. however, that the invasion
will be repealed. He has $4,000 men
along the frontier, and they will be
able to crush any force which the in
surgent leader may gather.
Castro Is Kept Busy.
General Castro now has revolu-
ton on his hands, and that requires
his attention. Had General Castro any
intention of making war upon Colom-
bia he would have done so when the
rebels in the latter country were
stronger than they are today.
cit would not be surprising should
1t develop that the Venezuelan insur- |
gents organized on Colombian soil. |
San Jose de Cueceta, Colombia, is a |
hotbed Of movements against Venez-
uela, while Maracaibo, Venezuela, is
nest in which conspiracies are
Matched against Colombia. | do not |
believe, though that there will be war
between Venezuela and Colombia"