Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-12
tiE HAS SEEN LIGHT.
Colombian Envoy Understands Hope
lessness of Mission.

WashinGton, Dec. 11.-A peculiar
situation is developing in the Panama
matter. When General Reyes came to
this country it was with the eXpecta-
ton OF making the wrongs Of Colombia
4 live partisan issue in our domestic
politics. In this purpose he has been
as badly disappointed as Asoncillo was
whan he came to the United States on
Il similar GRAND in behalf of the
Filipino Insurgents. Angoncillo dis
covered after little that the Philip
pines We're so far off that busy
Americans could not take the time
from subjects close at hand to study
the question Of the rights and wrongs
of the islanders.
General Reyes finds that the bulk of
the American people wish for an
Isthmian canal. and wish for it SO
strongly that they are not disposed to
acrutiriZc with great care the methods
employed as long as the big men at the
head OF the government assure them
that these are all right. He had there
fore manned to go back to Bogota and
advise his Government that anything
like armed resistance to the operations
Of the United States would be folly:
tnat it would be time thrown away
even to try to hale our Government
into The Hague tribunal of arbitration
ae defendant in an action for damages.
however excellent that policy might
have been if the secession had not
occurred: but the Roosevelt adminls-
ira ton had undertaken to dig the canal
regardless of Colombia's objections.
His idea was, and probably still is, that
N1lon.bia's best course under the CIR
cumstunces is to issue a plain spoken
but disniied protest addressed to the
civilized world. and then retire from q
hopeless controversy.
This will explain his astonishment
at the arDcarance of Colombian troops
near the Panama boundary. When the
report Of such a movement first reached
Washington he would not credit 1t Mt
al. New he evidently finds ii hard 1"
believe, but the proofs are too strong 70
be waved away. At Bosota they have
obviously nlisanprehended the results
Of his visit here. They have been I'M
able to understand that the
pcnublicans in Congress coming
almost wholly from the North. are
standing by the Administration because
that is Republican, While the Demo-
Gratis coming chiefly from the South arr
/ OF opposing it because the MISSISSIPPI
River and Gulf States consider n canal
the subject of first importance, SO
largely will their commerce be aitectcd
by it. Politics and the pocket, as
General Reyes has discovered, but ms
3uperiorS have not-are the two great
factors in holding the country together
ut this critical stage in the execution
ii it's world programme
The next step il thetproceedngs will
be vet more interesting. if Colombia
continues Of her present mind.
General Reyes has probably been in
formed here of just what will happen
if the Colombian soldiers ever get as
far as the edge of the canal zone. They
may stand there as well-behaVed spec
tators as long as they like; but they VIII
be warned that they must keep OIL the
grass and if they do not obey they VIII
be quietly arrested by armed men
wearing the United States uniform. put
urcn comfortable transports ana sent
home by sec. They will not be allowed
TO dc any fighting with the Panama
army, and the United States forces VIII
not fisht with them. 1t is not the pul-
pose Of this Government to nave any
war of its own or to permit any De-
tween other Governments on Panama
soil. 1t is plain to students OF the
situation here that General Reyes
arasps the actual conditions, ana that
Tho man ba wishes his Government to
fellow is designed to save it from the
further humiliation it would endure i'll
it demanded, but was smlilnSly refused
A chance to submit its cause 10 lhe
arbitrament of war. HIS pieni-
potertiaiy authority. lhe iates.
news from the isthmus is correct, ends
with the authority to give advice.