The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-29
OFFERS A CANAL
WITHOUT COST
Gen. Reyes Proposition to the
Washington Governments
Somewhat Surprising.

WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov 2S.-That
the republic of Colombia grant to the
United States all the canal concessions
provided for in the Hay-Herran treaty
but absolutely free of cost, is the PROPOSE
ton which Gen. Reyes, envoy OF Colon
bia to the United States, brings for the
consideration of the officials OF WASH
ington Gen. Reyes arrived here today. lie
said:
NV energies and those of my follow
ers will be devoted to the granting of
the canal concessions to the United
States without the payment Of a cent.
Even at this Colombia will be the gamer.
All Colombia is afire with zeal for the
building of the canal by the United
States and the unfortunate political
troubles which We're the sole cause of the
treaty's death before the Colombian con-
gress have entirely disappeared. L came
with instructions from the president of
Colombia direct. My mission in no way
interferes with the prerogatives OF DR..
Herran, the Colombian charge. shall
be in daily conference with him, and we
shall work in entire harmony. DR.. Her
ran will go TO the state department with
me and present me to Secretary Hay.
1--WE can and will put down the rebel
lion if not interfered with from the out
side. So tense is the feeling and SO ma
tional the spirit of determination to bring
the isthmus back into the republic that
President Marroquin will have no trouble
in raising an army twice the size neces-
sarv to put down the disturbance. Such an
army can march overland to the lsthmus,
the opinion of i'll advised persons to the
contrary Notwithstanding. The Colon.
bian government does not ask the United
States to aid it in putting down the revo-
luton on the isthmus. All we ask Is to
be allowed to conduct our own affairs
free from outside interference"
When his attention was called to the
reports from Panama and other
sources that he had come to Washing
ton to conduct a lobby to defeat the rati-
fication of the treaty, Gen. Reyes said
emphatically:
my movements here will be strictly
in accordance with the powers with which
1 am clothed. L shall deal with the of
ficials of the Washington government di-
rect, to whom I bear letters Of credence
from the Bogota government. 1 am not
here as a private agent and shall ignore
such reflections upon my personal and Of
fetal character"
Gen. Reyes Is clothed with eXtraordi-
nary powers to make representations to
the United States to confer with the
ENJOYS of the Latin American countries
at the American capital in an effort to
obtain a peaceful settlement Of Colom-
bias troubles with the people of the
isthmus of Panama and, if possible, de-
wise a means whereby the Hay-Herran
treaty may be revived, ratified by Colom-
bia and the United States, and the actual
construction of the canal be begun in ac-
cordance with that convention. He is
accompanied by Gen. Pedro Ospina. Gen.
Lucas Caballero, Jorge Holguin and Jose
Amgulo. Gen. Reyes hopes to see all the
Latin American diplomats here, to whom
he will explain his mission and invite
their cooperation in obtaining from the
United States satisfactory terms.