The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-04-16
COLOMBIA WARNED
Pigmy Republic Considers
Americans as Prey.
BAD TREATMENT COMMON
Property Belonging to Subjects Of
Uncle Sam Frequently Seized by
Government ~Oflcals on
Slightest Pretext.

A Washington special says: The
diplomatic exchanges between the Uni
ted States legation at Bogota and the
state department in washington, which
will appear in the forthcoming volume
of foreign relations, discloses that nu-
merous complaints were made by
American citizens during the revolu-
.tion in Columbia of the action Of mill.
tary authorities of that government in
ex-appropriating their mules and other
property.
Mr.. Beauprie, the American charge
at Bogota, in the absence OF Minister
Hart, writing to the state department
concerning the rights of citizens Of the
United States as to the ex-approDria-
ton Of property, cited a case that
came under his personal observation.
An American citizen who had dined
with him found upon going to look af-
ter two animals he had purchased
that the saddles and brides had been
taken by a government OFFICIAL, wh>
had left a receipt fixing the value Of
the articles taken at 1000 pesos, whila
it was estimated that the American
citizen would be obliged to pay 5000
pesos to duplicate his lost articles.
Speaking of this case, MIR. Beaupria
said:
There are a dozen stores in Bogota
selling the saddles, and hundreds Of
saddles for sale," and then asked =
whence the urgent, immediate and
pressing emergency?" that would JUS.
tify the forcible ex-eppropriation Of
the saddles, etc., from the American.
Certainly under the system of arDi-
trarily fixing the value Of such prop
erty, it is much cheaper to get 1t this
way and the day of payment is indef1n-
itely postponed, but cannot believe it
consistent with the guarantees of pull
lie treaty or the laws of nations. 1t
is altogether probable that in the ma
jorty of cases the regulations for ap-
preparation are no more valid nor JUS!
than these in the case just cited"
Assistant Secretary HILL, in CON-
munication to the United States lega.
tion at Bogota, said among other
things:
"The declaration of the minister Of
war that all foreigners should be
deemed public enemies cannot but bs
regarded as gratuitously offensive ani
this government must demonstrate
against such characterization Of its
citizens availing th fQselves of their
conventional rights of visit ant 50.
journ in Colombia. 1t should have
been made the occasion Of instant and
vigorous protest"
The attitude of this government 70.
ward the seizure by Colombia Of prop.
erty Of Americans for military pur-
poses is shown by the following in.
struction sent by DR.. Hill, as acting
secretary of state, to the American le
cation at Bogota:
"You will notify the Colombian gov
ernment that this government will hold
it responsible for any proven cases OF
seizure Of American property for mill.
tary purposes without due compensa.
tion."
Among the other subjects of the dip.
lomatic exchanges between Washing.
ton and Bogota contained in this vol.
ume are the seizure of vessels and a..
legged discrimination against American
enterprise in Colombia, the reopening
of United States schools at Baranqull-
la, Medillen and Bogota closed by the
Colombian authorities, and the ques'
tion of neutrality of aliens.