The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-17

From the New York Herald.
y the terms of the Spooner act.
R1 unless the administration sue
~ seeded in negotiating "satis-
factory treaty. with Colombia and with
in "a reasonable time" the President
was directed to drop the Panama route
and build the Nicaragua canal.
The treaty negotiated with Colombia,
with Its many defects, including divided
jurisdiction over the canal strip, Is not
satisfactory to the American people,
and the prospects OF its being ratified by
the Colombian congress within reason
able time" are very dim. In fact, the OPP
position to the treaty that has developed
In the elections for members of the con-
gress is so strong that it is doubtful
whether its ratification can be secured
at all except by such coercive measures
as would incite a revolution in the little
republic
Statements from Washington that Sec
rotary Hay within few days has been
talking with Senior Calvo, the minister
from Puerto Rico. and Senior Corea, the
Nicaraguan minister may indicate that
the state department recognizes that the
Colombian outlook is gloomy and is pre-
pairing to resume negotiations for the
Nicaragua route. 1t is rot q edible that
the ministers from the two states which
this traverses would permit themselves
to be used as mere cats paws and lend
themselves to negotiations designed mere
ly to bluff the Colombians into making
terms Indeed, 1t is broadly intimated on
behalf Of the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican
ministers that they will resume negotia-
lions only on the distinct assurance that
the Panama route has been abandoned.
The opposition In Colombia was such
that before even the existing lame and
Impotent and unratifed treaty could be
agreed upon it was necessary to recall
In succession two ministers of the little
republic-Senor Silva and Senior Concha.
And now as the time approaches for sub
hitting to the Colombian congress the
treaty signed by their somewhat more
complaisant successor, Senior Herran, the
ominous news comes from Colombia that
the minister of foreign affairs, Senior
Paul, an implacable opponent of the
treaty, has resigned to make place for
Dr. Rico, who is said to favor the treaty;
that General Fernandez, the minister of
state, has given up his portfolio, and
with these changes come rumors that
President Marroquin is about to resign
1t Is true that his resignation would not
ostensibly affect the standing OF the
treaty signed by Secretary Hay and Min
lister Herran. But the changes in the ad-
ministration, the doubt as to whether
General Reyes would be permitted to
succeed to the presidency-his friends
claiming that he is 'designado"-the I'M
certainty as to when the new congress
can be brought together, and the evil
dences of almost universal popular oppo-
sition to the treaty. all go TO demon
strate the absurdity of the position in
which the United States is placed by the
negotiation of a treaty which will prob
ably be turned down by the Colombian
congress or at least adopted by such
questionable methods that 1t may well
be repudiated by the people of Colombia.
It is not extravagant to characterize
the whole proceedings as farcical from an
American standpoint. The desperate con-
dition of the Colombian finances-it takes
a wheelbarrow load Of the Autographed
paper currency to buy Mechanically
induces the government to strain every