The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1903-08-22
PANAMA CANAL DOOMED

celved today that the Colombian Sen
ate had unanimously rejected the
Hay Herran canal treaty, This
means more delay in providing the
waterway the Pacific coast so earG-
estly desired. 1t is a blow, and a
hard one, too, to the Colombians
Who have invested in real estate on
the supposition that the treaty would
be ratified. The non-success of the
treaty would seem to vindicate the
advocates of the Nicaragua scheme.
The Panama Canal proposition has
served Its purpose in postponing for
three or four years any actual work
upon canal. The negotiations that
have been pending so long between
The United States and Colombia
must now be transferred to Nicaragua
And Costa Rics.
Before the United States took no
Panama, and while 1t had never com
nitted itself to the Panama route. it
might have been able to have made
satisfactory arrangements with Mica
ragua and Costa Rica. Now that the
United States is shut ont of Colombia,
the demands of Nicaragua and Costa
kica will, no doubt, be largely in
creased, as that is the only route
left under the present arrangement.
There is talk about the Province
Of Panama seeding from Colombia
and establishing itself as separate
state, in which event it could nepo-
tiAte treaty with the United States
for canal. That may be introduced
- another element of delay in canal
coastruction, which will be on I par
with the snbterfuges that have been
used for many years to prevent any
thing being done. Under the law
the President can at once begin ne
gotiations with Nicaragua and Costa
hica, but some time ago he gave an
intimatson that the United States. nv
negotiations with the Panama Canal
Campany and Colombia, had ac. |
qu'red certain rights in the canal
property This did no good, so far
a. indicating that an attempt might I
',e made to enforce the rights regard
less of the adoption of the treaty by !.
the Colombian government; still {
there was an intimation that the y
Colombian Congress was not all pow s
erful In settling the canal question a
The administration has for a lopo Z
time been most favorable toward the a
panama canal as against Nicaragua b
and there is possibility that the !, =
Panama Canal route will not be given O.
up without further effort on the part
u the United States Government to = =
secure the construction of the canal
It that point on the isthmus. "
That the people of Panama are %
'eeply chagrned over the action of h,
he Colombian senate, is evinced bv hs
be following dispatch from the city ,
I Colon: s'All Colon and the 18th
aus of Panama is in a fever of ex.
itement and widespread dlsappoint-
aeut prevails over the rejection of |
anal treaty by the Colombian Sen |
tc. High authorities on the Is,b-
lus express the opinion that Presi- /
ent Roosevelt possibly may insist
the right of the United States IN /
urchase the canal enterprise from /
'e French company, Colombia hay-
'g sanctioned the sale, and take i'm |
ediate steps to show Colombia tho,
'e United States is determined to 90 |,
trough with the matter, at the same
me informing the Colombian gov
nment that the obstacles in the wav
the transfer, viz, the questions of
oney and the sovereignty and iur
diction over the property involved. N
c. are questions for subsequent
't'emen's and possible arbitration
The Hague"
othsr people think that Columbia y
~ soon recognize the seriousnesss
her mistake 10 not rstif,iog the Y
's'y a. the United States and 4
aropsap nations viii lose no ,ime h, +