The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-18
CANAL NOT WANTED
COLOMBIAN SENATE REJECTED
TREATY FOR PANAMA ROUTE.
NICARAGUAN MAY BE CHOSEN.
ISTHMIAN CANAL ACT GIVES PRES
IDENT SUCH POWER.

Act of Colombian Senate Wired
Washin EtOn by Minister Benuprc.
State Department., Washington,
Refused to Discuss Future Course
of United States in the Matter.
Possibility That Treaty May Again
Come Up for COnsideration-Can
Not he Considered in Present
Form hut May De If Slightly
Amended.
Washington, Aug. IA cablegram
dated August II, has been received at
the State Department from Minister
Beaupre at Bogota, saying that the
Panama canal treaty has been reject
ed by the Colombian Senate.
President Roosevelt was Immediately
advised of the news, Mr.. .Beaupre's
telegram being forwarded to oyster
Bay.
Very little additional information
concerning the action of the Colombian
Senate could be obtained at the State
Department. Mr.. Adee, acting secre-
tary, would not discuss Colombian af-
fairs nor indicate what course the
United States would pursue. The in
formation in the cablegram of Minis
ter Beaupre was meagre and there
was no intimation whatever the treaty
might not again be brought up for
consideration.
Section 4, of the Isthmian Canal Act,
provides that should the President be
unable to obtain satisfactory title to
the property of the New Panama Ca
nal Company and control of the neces-
sary territory and the rights necessary
to the construction of the canal from
the republic of Colombia, he shall
make the necessary treaties with Cos
ia Rica and Nicaragua and proceed
with the construction Of a canal by
the Nicaraguan route.
1t will be impossible for President
Marroquin to again submit the treaty
to the Colombian Congress in its pres
ent form. The Senate having rejected
it, the treaty cannot again come be-
fore that body except by the Senate's
own vote. President Marroquin, how
ever can send the treaty slightly
amended to the Senate and reopen the
canal debate. 1t Is believed at the Co
lombian legation that President Mar
roquin will adopt some such procedure.
why Treaty Was Rejected.
The reason given for the rejection
of the treaty by the Colombian SEN
ate. 1T is said here, was the alleged
encroachment on Colombian sover-
eighty, which it's opponents contended
would result from the treaty.
This information was contained in
dispatch received tonight by DR..
Herran, the Colombian charge, from
Foreign Minister Ricos at Bogota.
This dispatch showed that in its pres
ent form the. treaty was absolutely
unacceptable to the Senate for the
reason above stated and that it had
been rejected unanimously.
Incidental to the general question of
sovereignty necessarily was that of
lease of the strip of land through
wRich the canal was to be construct
ed and the debate in the Colombian
Senate indicated that that body re-
garded this as amounting 10 a sale of
the land and therefore Objectionable.
When the treaty was submitted to
the Senate by the committee to which
1t had been referred, seven of the SEN
ators favored it with certain amend
ments which they proposed and the
remaining two opposed it absolutely.
An interesting feature of the whole
debate in the Colombian Senate and
in the committees report favoring the
treaty is said to be the entire abb
sence of reference to the question of
indemnity offered by the United States
for the right of way.