The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-30
CRISIS IN CANAL MATTERS.
OBSTH CTIIE TACTICS OF THE
COLOMBIAN MINISTER.
Instructed by Ills Gov eminent 10 Begin
Treaty Negotiations. He Declines TO
DO 80 because Of the Action Of Our
Naval Force on the Isthmus--Secre.
tary Hay Complains to Colombia.

Government Of the alleged obstructive
tactics of Sehor Concha. the Colombian
Minister here. in connection with the ne
gotiatons of the Panama Canal treaty.
According To what was learned to-day,
Secretary Hay ascertained some time ago
thai nor Conchs had received instructions
from Bogota To begin the negotiation OF
n. canal treaty. Sehor Concha. however,
did not call az the State Department and
failed 10 communicate with il in any way.
Ll-r week Secretary Hay had a conference
with President Roosevelt on the subject
o. 5, nor Concha's attitude and the result
of this was that Mr.. Hay sent note to the
Minister telling him that the State Depart
r'rnt knew that he had received his instruc-
tiou- 10 begin the treaty negotiations and
would be- pleased TO have him comply with
them Immediately
on Monday last Sefior Herran, the Secre-
tary Of the Colombian Legation, delivered
a. the State Department a response from
S.hor Concha. IN which he said that the
canal treaty situation had changed mater
ially since his Instructions had been received,
through the radical Interpretation placed
hy Admiral Casey on the provisions of
the New Grenada treaty Of ls46, by which
the United States assumed the obligation
O. prevent interruption of transisthmian
traffic at all times, Ap these provisions
are 70 he renewed in the canal treaty
Sehor Concha declined to consider them
on the basis of his instructions. his ground
being that Admiral Casey's actions
amounted practically to an assertion of
American sovereignty over the Isthmus.
IN, M;,; hal;.y,I .
ment would never consent to have tn @
provisions Incorporated in the new treaty
subject 10 that Interpretation. Until he,
therefore. received additional Instructions
from Bogota that would be the natural
outcome Of the changed conditions and in
t"rpretaton developed by Admiral Caseys
con hIct, he would refrain from carrying
out the directions TO begin the treaty ne
gotiations al once
Secretary Hay has sent a sharp response
t. this note Of the Colombian Minister'S,
ard in addition has telegraphed instruc-
tions to Charles b Hart, United States
Minister at Bogota. TO complain to the
Colombian Government concerning its en-
voy's attitude
The treaty with New Grenada nego-
tiated in ls48, provided that the United
States Government should assume the
obligation of assisting the Government
Of New Grenada in maintaining free transit
across the lsthmus of Panama. whenever
such a course was necessary The subse-
Quently organized Government of the
United States Of Colombia accepted this
provision. Under the authority thus
granted and the oblgat ion thus assumed
the Government of the United States
landed marines and blue Jackets on the
l,rhnu. in 1855 and again in the present
year, with the object of preventing OBJ
s'ruc,ion to traffic on the lsthmian railway
through the operations of thu -$-T-%$s rces
OF the Colombian Government and m
.Iggcnts Commander I. {. Mclean Of
the cruiser Cincinnati. who was the senior
American officer in Isthmian waters be-
fore Admiral Casey arrived placed guards
on all trains running between Panama
and Colon. He agreed also to transport
colombian Government troops across the
lsthmus under his protect ion. but in carry
ing out this agreement made these troops
give up their arms during the period Of
transit The disarmed troops were con-
Neyed across the lsthmus on trains uarded
by American blueJackets and marines,
and their arms and munitions Of war were
carried on separate trains, also guarded
by Americans. Insurgents who attacked
one Of these trains were driven of by the
American guard.
When Admiral Casey got to the Isthmus
he went a step further than Commander
Mclean. He declared that where there
was danger that the transport alton Of
Colombian troops would lead to attacks
on their trains by insurgents, thus inter-
fering with free transit. the embarkat ion
of these troops should not be permitted
The Colombian Government protested
against this Interpretation of the treaty
of 1915, and, as consequence, Admiral
Casey was directed from Washington to
modify this rule. Since then the principle
laid down by Commander Mclean has been
followed.
While a great deal Of i'll feeling was pro-
duced in Colombia over Admiral Cascy's
attitude. the prompt modification ordered
from Washington served to restore some
degree of frendlincss and the previous
cordial relat ions between the two Govern
ments were fairly well restored, when
Admiral Casey took another course that
has produced more serious situat ion
and served 10 revive all the old animosity
brought about by his first order. On
Saturday Hast. when the Colombian gun
boat Bogota arrived at Panama, Admiral
Casey sent an officer aboard To demand
TO 500 her papers and 10 know what rights
she had To fly the Colombian flag. The
Bogota was an American steamer, pur-
chased in Seattle. Wash and commanded
hv Capt. Marmadukc, who was in the Con-
federate Navy. Admiral Casey evidently
proceeded on the theory that as an Ameri-
can naval officer he had a right 10 know
whether the use of the Colombian flag
on a vessel having an American register
was violation of the navigation laws
The feeling aroused In Colombia over this
action was shared to an intense degree by
the Colombian Legation here When he
learned 81 Admiral Casev's course in re-
gard To the transportatio Of Colombian
troops. S nor Concha telegraphed his Gov
eminent for information az 10 whether
this would change tho character OF his In
structions concerning the incorporation In
the new canal treaty OF the free-t ransit-
Obligation clauses set forth in the treaty Of
lSAs. No response was received from
Bogo'a, and Yesterday S,nor Concha tele-
graphed again. urging an immediate re-
sponSo To his first message and asking hat
he he instructed also as to whet her the
action of Admiral Casey in regard To the
Bogo'a was to be permitted To stand as an
Interpretation of the rights granted the
United States under the New Grenada
treaty, Sihpr toncha took the rround
that Admiral Casey had practically as
serted American sovereivntv over the
Isthmus. and he was unwilling to have in
corporated In the canal treaty any provision
that would not set forth clearly tina, the
United States had any such right in Colom-