The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-19

REFLECTION or THE CANAL TREATY
The reason given for the rejection of
the. Panama canal treaty by the Co
lonnbian Senate is that it encroached
upon Coiombla's sovereignty. That
may be the reason but if the facts
cuurd be obtaintd it would appear, in
all probability, that the Colombians
hope that in some manner they viii
be able to get more for canal cOncee-
sions than they were 10 have by the
terms of the rejected treaty.
IN accordance with the terms of the
treaty the United States were to pay
Colombia $1O.oOo,OOO ia cash and $780,
600 a year, after the lapse OF certain
number OF years. for certain conces-
sions. Their agreement with the
that they shall pay that company
sac. 100000 for all It's rights in and to
the Panama canal. provided a suit
able arrangement can be made with
the Colombian government.
The Coiombians have felt that they
were not dealt with fairly by this
arrangement. They have thought, and
perhaps still think. that the greater
part OF the $40 100000 ought to come
TO them, for the reason. probably. that
within a comparatively short time the
concessions which the French COM
pany has will expire, and then the
canal and all of the improvements
upon 1t will revert TO Colombia 1t
may be that it is their plan to try
to prevent any disposition of the canal
property until after the expiration of
the concessions of the French COM
pany. with the view of getting the
property and selling It to the United
States for the sum which the United
States have agreed to pay the French
company.
This view Of the situation may do
injustice to the Colombian government,
but there appears to be foundation
for it. But if it Is the correct view
II can be stated with considerable GER
tainty that Colombia will not be per-
mitted TO get the benefit Of the vast
sums OF money which the French COM
pany has spent upon the canal. France
would undoubtedly undertake To de-
fend the interests of her citizens.
1t Is intimated that the Colombian
president may be able TO get the
treaty before the Senate again by
having It amended In some unimport-
ant particular. But what is the use
Of Na1s hok
changes are made in It in the dlrec-
ton in which it il alleged to be OBJ
jectionable? The Senate would reject
it again-at least the reasonable view
is that it would.
1t seems to be the opinion of we'll
informed men in Washington that
our government wouldn't be willing to
accept less important concessions than
those which the rejected treaty con-
tains. That being the case 1t looks
very much as If the only thing left
for the President to do is to begin
negotiations with Nicaragua and Costa
Rico for the hight of way through
their respective territories for ca
nal.
He has authority from Congress not
only to make treaties with Costa Rico
and Nicaragua for territory. but also
to construct the canal.
AS to the course the President will
take in the matter nothing can be
stated definitely at present. He doesn't
know himself probably what his course
will be. He may try to have the
treaty amended in some unimportant
particular and then offered to the Co
lombian Senate again. or he may in
augurate negotiations at once for con-
cessions along the Nicaragua route.
There is a disposition In some quar-
ters to charge the defeat of the treaty
in the Colombian Senate to the ac-
count of the Pacific railroads, but
there is no positive evidence at hand
that they exerted any influence in the
matter one way or the other. Just
now it looks as If the isthmian canal
scheme had received black eye