The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-16
PANAMA CANAL
 TREATY DOOMED
COLOMBIA DEMANL> LARGER BONUS AND REFUSES
 CONTROL.
Roosevelt to Act soon-President Ex- pected to Select the Nicaraguan Route as Authorized
 by Congress.

Washington Special to Chicago Tribune. Colombia practically has killed, the Pan- anna canal treaty, and 1t Is believed that President Roosevelt almost surely VIII de- eide to select the Nicaraguan canal route. Colombia struck death blow to the Panama route when the Congressional Committee having the treaty under con sideration adopted nine amendments, any one of which will be fatal to the treaty. owing to the impossibillty of securing their adoption by the United States Sen- ate. which must accept or reject them. officials of the Department of State and Senor Herran, the Colombian charge o'at- faIres here. are in the dark as to the eN- act nature of these amendments. From meager and mutilated official dispatches received tonight. however. It is known that the two principal amendments pro- vide for a large and unreasonable in- crease In the bonus demanded of The Unit ted States for the strip Of territory through which to construct the waterway and for provision which prohibits the Colombian government giving the United States absolute and perpetual control over this territory. The other amendments are considered unmportant
 The Committees action in order to be binding must be ratified by the Colombian Congress. but there is scarcely any doubt about the ratification of the treaty in its
 
 agreed to by the friends of the canal. its enemies on the committee having voted in favor of the absolute rejection of the treaty,
 Means Another Long Delay.
 officials of the State Department are disgusted and disappointed at the action of the Colombian Committee. as 1t means long delay in the construction of the canal Senor Herran. Colombian charge daffaires. agrees with the Department, and when seen tonight said:
 T am bitterly disappointed. Those amendments are fatal to the treaty. l do not know their exact wording. but any amendment will be fatal"
 Colombia's action has revived the bitter fight which has been fought here for more than a year. It began during the negO- tlation of the treaty which resulted in the recall of Senor Concha, the Colombian minister. who was deposed at the request of Secretary Hay. who objected to Con cha's dilatory tactics, and the fact that he insisted on an excessive bonus in pay ment for the concessions. and obstrlcted the negotia tions by objecting to giving the United States control of the strip of territory. After Concha's recall the me- gotiations proceeded smoothly. They were conducted by Dr. Harran. the present charge d'affaires They were extremely NelIcate. and only after exercising great patience and tact did Secretary Hay sue ceed in negotiating the treaty which gave the United States control of the six mile strip of territory for which Colombia was to receive $10 100000. pr. Hsrran cxpe- rlenced considerable difficulty in agreeing to the terms. but finally succeeded.
 Will Not Be Sandbar~"d.
 Now Colombia has repudiated its sol emn agreement and Is attempting to sand bag the United States by demanding a larger payment. This demand will Tot be agreed to, first. because the United States will not be held up after the fashion of a highwayman, and, secopd, because 1t will be almost impossible to secure the assent of the United States Senate to the amend ments. The bitter struggle in the Senate to secure the ratification of the treaty Tn it's present shape is still fresh In the minds of the readers of The Tribune. There fore, the United States will not recede from its position.
 President Roosevelt has lost patience with Colombia because of the delay on the treaty and Its action in repudiating It's solemn agreements. Some months ago he caused a robust intlmation to be conveyed to Colombia that unless the treaty should