Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-24
To NICARAGUA
FRESH HOPE
IS BORN
C0LOMBIA'S DELAY AND HEST
FANCY MAY CARRY COVETED
GOAL INTO TERRITORY OF
HER kEIGHB0RS.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21-The check in
the negotiations with Colombia relative
to the Panama canal has given great
announcement to the friends OF the Nj
caragua project and the first evidence
of renewed activity on their part was the
appearance at state department yesterday
OF Senior Correa, Nicaraguan minister to
Washington.
Secretary Hay never has taken the
ground that the negotiations with Nicar-
aqua and Costa Rica were terminated by
the passage OF the Spooner amendment.
On the contrary, heshas felt called on to
direct the attention Of the Colombian
government at moments when the nego-
tiations have Jagged OF unseemly delay
interviewed, to the fact that under section
four OF the Spooner act, IL he Is unable
to obtain a satisfactory title from the
Panama company and the control OF the
necessary territory in Columbia by treaty,
then he is required to obtain such terri
tory from Costs Rica and Nicaragua.
The present Hitch in the Colombian ne
gotiations has, therefore, encouraged the
Nicaraguan contingent. and it is now said
to be probable that to emphasize the re-
peated declaration that the act Of con-
gress in the passage OF the Spooner
amendment did not finally commit the
United States to the acceptance of the
Panama route.
Secretary Hay may proceed to draw up
a treaty with Nicaragua and Costa RIGA
on the lines OF the protocols laid before
the last senate and submit IL to the SEN
ate at its next session. along with such
treaty with Colombia as he may be
able to conclude. On this way the senate
itself might decide whether or not the
Colombian treaty is satisfactory, and If 1t
should decide in the negative, then it will
have at hand the Nicaragua-Costa Rican
treaties. so that there will be no excuse
for delay in the canal project.
As for the Colombian negotiations it
can be stated that the United States has
now gone to the practical end Of the con-
cessions it is willing to make. 1t has
received from Colombia a memorandum
noting a number ~ objections to its pro-
posed treaty. Some of these have been
admitted to be well taken, but the great
majority have been regarded as either in
contradiction OF the terms OF the Spooner
act or inadmissible FOR other reasons
The Colombian minister here has been
notified OF the decision reached anu 10 ex-
pected to make further rerly either ac-
cepting or rejecting our last proposition.
The state department does not regard the
objections lodged by Colombia as ma
terial: the Colombians. on their part,
think they are vital. Such. for instance,
is the difference over the tenure Of the
United States in the canal strip.
This has been alluded to before as one
easy OF adjustment, but il now appears
that the Colombians do not see their way
to accepting any OF the compromising
propositions on this point offered by the
United States.
3 Prominent senators who have been
consulted by the state department. have
indicated their strong opposition to the
acceptance OF q hundred years lease with
a provision Of renewal Nothing less than
perpetual control" as set down in the
act, will satisfy them. The Colombians
say that would be a violation of their
constitution, but careful reading Of the
Colombian constitution by the officials
here does not satisfy them that there is
any such prohibition against alienation
OF territory as is represented.