The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-30
1T MAY MEAN NICARAGUA
Or United States May Go
4 Ahead and Dig Panama.
Bogota Government Must Come to
Terms at once-Cromwell and
Mclean See Secretary Of
State Hay.

Washington, Oct. 2s.-The status today
OF the Colombian canal negotiations is
that both sides here are awaiting a de-
clsion of the Colombian Government as to
whether Minister Conchashall proceed
under his original instructions to present
to the State Department the Colombian
response to the departments proposal for
a treaty.
When the response arrived in Washing
ton two days ago the minister promptly
notified the State Department of the fact
but he added to his notice the statement
that In view of recent developments
(meaning events that had happened on
the isthmus since the note started from
Bogota. September u, he had regarded
it as his duty to withhold 1t until he
heard further from his government.
AS the State Department in some way
should know whether the Colombian res
ponse would, II submitted, would go far
toward meeting the desires of this gov
eminent in the matter of a canal treaty,
this delay is very annoying. But as the
minister had his own notion of duty in
the it was decided that an appeal
should be taken over his head to the
authorities In Bogota.
Accordingly a cablegram was sent to
United States Minister Hart at the Colon
bian capital notifying him of the action
of the Colombian minister here. No
specific complaint was made, but 1t was
desired to make sure that the Colombian
Government know that the note had been
held back.
The matter of objection by our own
Officials is the attempt to link the nego-
tiations for a canal treaty, pure and sim
pie, with the discussion Of the question
Of correctness of attitude of our naval
officers on the isthmus. 1t is expected
that the delay will not be long for even
II the Colombia ministers action Is not
satisfactory, the United States Govern
ment will still be bound by the teTrns Of
the Spooner act to proceed toward the
construction of an isthmian canal and the
only question to be decided is- as
to the method. There are two ways
open even in an adverse attitude on the
part of Colombia, namely, either the
United States Government to proceed
without delay without complete treaties
with Nicaragua and Costa RIGA neces-
sary for the construction of canal in
those countries, or, and this latter course
will be adopted with reluctance, the Gov
eminent might purchase outright the
franchise of the French Panama Canal
Company and go on resolutely with the
constr uction of the Panama Canal. tax
ing the ground that it would have
right to improve its own property with
out reference to any other Government
and taking no fu 'ther notlce of Colombia.
Secretary Hay had Two callers today
who talked about canal matters. The
first was Mr.. Cromwell, counsel of the
Panama Company, who wished to ascer-
tain the needed step to be taken by the
United States Government in view of At
torney General Knox's opinion respecting
the canal ttie. AS this depends for the
moment on the issue of the negotiations
with the Colombian Government, no defin-
tie information could be furnished.
Later in the day came Captain Mclean,
lately in command of the cruiser Cincin-
natl. He was presented by Captain
Cowles and gave the Secretary most
interesting account of the situation on
the isthmus. The Secretary was impress
ed by the Iactful manner in which the
naval officer had maintained friendly and
even cordial personal relations with the
Colombian officials while quietly but eff
fectually exercising the treaty powers of
the United States Government toward
the maintenance of freedom OF traffic
acros the isthmus. -