The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-18
Minister Bunau-varilla Asserts
That Bogota Government
Planned Robbery and
Blackmail.
INSULTS TO UNITED STATES.
Criticises People in This Country
Who Speak of Obligations to
Colombia-Speech Vigor-
ously Defends Roose-
yelt

Philadelphia. Dec. 17-Minister Bunau-
Varilla of Panama spoke tonight regard
ing the revolution in Panama at a meet
ing Of the American Academy OF Political
and Social Science.
The speaker told Of his campaign in ia
vor of the Panama route in 1901 and of
the passage of the Spooner bill in 1902.
He referred TO the opinion of Attorney
General Knox that 4 good title could be
obtained from the Panama Canal Com
pany. Then he told of how Doctor Herran
was sent to Washington by Colombia to
take the place Of Mr.. Concha: of the diff
ficulty OF arriving at a suitable compen-
sation to Colombia. and then said:
Il wired to President Marroquin that
was convinced that IL he made an offer
OF sl0,0o0.o00 cash and sasOOO0 annuity 1t
could not but be accepted by the United
States. Doctor Herran made then a
proposal according to the terms / had
fixed and it was readily accepted by the
United States.
The inexplicable attitude Of the Gov
eminent Of Colombia and Of the Congress
and the final and unanimous rejection of
the Hay-Herran treaty by the Bogota
senate IN August OF this year are remem-
bered by all. Though the cause of reason
ana common sense seemed to be lost. I
MADE a supreme attempt to guard Co.
iompa against herself and 1 made two
independent efforts to protect her against
tne robustness OF her policy in the begin
ming OF September"
UPHoLDs PRESIDENT.
Roosevelt IIaI ia al bl ~. upheld President
me spooner act gave the President au-
.,loIi.y 20 GO all he had done, and quoted
a az lehgth from LIE Matin Of Paris. in sup
iombi a. ms a,, contention He said that Co
~ ooit h1is course amounted to an attempt
al olackmail. Summing up, he said:
conta AZ mat can bring Ill will, shame and
r non.sHipt on nation was carefully pre-
pared py the Congress Of Bogota between
tober. 'e e''o VI w.
They had insulted their protectors. the
~, u, rai States' IN the most offensive way,
niit OF what they wanted, a treaty which
was the most liberal that could be con-
Seived. and In which the United States
n mao , ,,s.,n position scarcely above that
OF private commercial company.
They. insulted not only the United
states by rejecting the treaty, but by
prepa.ihng to sell them the property stolen
from the french Investors, they sacrificed
to their blind and passionate greed the
very honor of their country by putting in
Their parliamentary documents intentions,
Wnich II they were committed by indi-
vidrals. would be misdemeanors or felo-
MES under the law
When these accumulations of unquali-
fable acts obliged the isthmus to revolt
against the tyranny of Bogota and when
the declaration Of Independence on the
isthmus was for the third and last time
In history promulgated after the move
ment OF November 8, / can say that there
has never been in the history Of the world
a revolution that was more justified than
that one.
ut seems almost incredible to think that
there are still in this country people
who speak Of the bonds Of unity that link
cratic voices the world has answered:
before thirty-five days elapsed after the
revolution the world has already recog-
nized the Republic by the voices of the
greatest Powers