The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-06
Colombia Says the United States Fails
to Fulfill a Treaty
Obligation.
GOVERNOR OF PANAMA
cONFERS WITH ADMIRAL
He Explains How Awkward 1t Will b
If the transportation of Government
Troops Is Not Permitted-BeIief Ex-
pressed That Admiral Casey Has
Msinterpreted His instructions. ,

| PANAMA, Colombia, Oct. 5.-The
arrival of Rear Admiral Casey on
| board the battleship Wisconsin,
| has changed the situation. II
| now appears that the instruc-
| lions brought by Rear Admiral
| Casey may result in serious compli-
cations
Last Friday Gen. Salazar received
[ communication from Acting United
| States Consul Ehrman, saying that Ad-
| miral Casey would not permit the
| transportation of armed or unarmed
| military employees Of the government
| or of war material Of any kind by the
| railroad. Gen. Salazar, up to yester-
day, had not answered this letter. He
was presumably awaiting the result
| of the conference with Admiral Casey,
which occurred yesterday on board the
| Wisconsin. AT this meeting Gen. SAL
azar said that the United States, ac-
cording to the convention of 1886, had
contracted two inseparable obligations,
namely, to guarantee positively and eff
ficaciously free transit across the
isthmus, and to guarantee in the same
manner the, rights Of sovereignty and
property which Colombia possesses ov-
er the isthmian territory.
Obligation Not Fulfilled.
The governor said that if the Colom-
bian government is not allowed to
transport it's troops and war material
by rail over the isthmus, not only does
the United States not fulfill it's Sec
ond obligation, but it attacks Colom-
bias rights of sovereignty and violates
oil as.olo -
that he, as the representative of the
nation and government, could not ac-
cept such an Interpretation of the con-
vention and against which he must en-
ergetically protest.
Gov. Salazar explained that the rev.
olutionists could not be considered on
the same footing as the government
soldiers, the latter being defenders of
the laws of. the nation, while the rebels,
by their actions, had placed themselves
outside the law. He said that an in
depreciation of the convention of 1916
which did not permit Colombia to
transport It's troops and war material
over the isthmian railroad, constructed
on it's own territory, while allowing
other nations and even those openly
aiding the revolution to transport war
material over this railroad under the
protection of American marines, must
necessarily be entirely erroneous.
Merely Complying With instructions.
To Gen. Salazar Admiral Casey an
swered that he was complying with in
structions received. He said he re-
GREETED he had been compelled to take
these measures, but he considered them
necessary to the protection of free
transit across the isthmus. Admiral
Casey also said that he would consult
with Washington and see what could
be done in the matter.
1t was the general impression in
Colombian circles that Admiral Casey
has misinterpreted his instructions. It
is considered fortunate that Gen. Sal
azar has acted prudently in this matter
and that cordial personal relations eX-
list between him and Admiral Casey.
as these facts may do much toward
preventing the very serious complica-
lions which are now thought to be i'm
minent. 1t is believed by Colombians
here that unless the Washington au-
thorities send instructions to their rep
resentatives on the isthmus which do
not have the appearance of attacking
the sovereignty rights of Colombia, the
manner of handling the isthmian ques-
ton which does attack Colombia's SOW
ereignty may decide the vote of the
Colombian congress on the canal bill.