New-York tribune., 1903-01-01
OFFERS TO COLOMBIA.
THIS COI'NTRYS TERMS.
Not Attempting to D71Ue a Hdro
Panama Canal Bargain
icy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuNE.I

washington. Dec. 3l-A definite explanation
of the reduction OF the annuity onereo os "ie
limited States TO Colombia In the pehuii9
srs Canal treaty which was exclusively a
r,ounced in The Tribune of to-day. was secuieu
:, .,h+ A. was noted in that dispatch, the
United States has practically agreed 70 faISe
the figure of the preliminary bonus lrofn
e ooo 600 the sum named in the protocol TO
s7aaao ooO This additional sum, which, IN
co,oroh;a where money has greatly depreciaoeu
and interest is very high. could safely be count
ed ,,pon 70 earn at least . per cent anlualiS'
rroul5 mean an annual income of S15o.oeo- the
sum named in the protocol for an annuity was
$4,000 The difference between these TWO
sums. or 100000 in round numbers, may be
fairly said to represent the annuai sum ue
American representatives are offering to Colon
bia At the nresent time while the Colombian
demand for upward of 100000 really means,
with the addition of the interest assured from
the bonus an annuity of S15ooco beyono the
100000 originally mentioned-much more
than the general impression prevailing mere
credits Congress with willingness TO approve
The increase in the bonus offers Colompla an
onportrnitv which conservative opinion credits
her with the necessity Of accepting Coloiipia
has Just emerged from bloody civil war. wnlch
bas bean both r,rorracted and costly. Her issues
of raner money have flooded the country with a
CURRENCY ahout as worthless the Confederate
money in the last davs Of the civil war -
letter from Bogota received here recehuy hoOe'
the significant circumstance that a pair OIL poo's
cost 81 200 there. Add TO this condltlon tne
fact that over fifty thousand government troops
:, addition TO thousands Of the insurgents Will
out occupation. are being rapidly olsoanoeu' anu
require payment before their discharge TO aVolo
+ro,hlA and an understanding Of the straits to
which Colombia is reduced may be gathered.
The offer 70 add 100000 TO the proposed
cash bonus payable at once, in the light OF the
existing situation, assumes a generous aspect
The Colombian finances must be placed on a
sound basis at once To do this Colombia needs
,,onev ;n,nerativelv. and the United States has
offered 100000 in gold-nearly 90 per cent
more than Colombia originally asked More
eyer instead of waiting fourteen years, as the
protocol provided, even ten years. as the
present treaty will proba bly, provide for the nISt
payment of the annuity, Colombia gains the
$4,000 annual interest with the signing OF uhe
treaty and its ratification This means In ten
years an additional sum Of S15ooooo-no sflall
contribution to the Impoverished and depleted
Colombian treasury It is the knoWleoge OIL
these facts which absolves the administration
from the charge OF attempting TO drive a hard
and close bargain.
On the other hand. there is a disposition not
20 Judge too harshly the Colombian Minister, on
whom, since Sefor Concha's rather abrupt oe-
parture the burden of the negotiations mas iai-
len. The lot of a South American minister who
fails to make bargain satisfactory 10 MS couh-
try is not happy one. To go nc further from
r-olonb bia than the present unhappy Republic OF
Venezuela 1t is recalled that Senior Andrade,
once minister to this country, was elevated 10
the Presidency OF his country because OF MS
success in getting Secretary olney to force the
Venezuelan boundary dispute with Great Britain
before an arbitrating commi--on. but When the
decision went heavily against Venezuela, Presl-
dent Castro rose in rebellion and secured control
of the country. Senor Audrade was forced TO
fee to Payis and join the colony of South Amer
ican ex-rninister exiles for similar reasons.
Identical with Andrade's story is that OF the
minister of San Salvador, who brought to arpl-
tration a claim Of the United States against
his country The decision was against San
Salvador and now he also lives in Paris Even
the uatriot Bolivar, whose statue looks down on
every plaza of size in South America, founo
q convenient refuge and resting place in Paris.
WHAT MAY DEFEAT A TREATY
Senior Concha, who was sent here especially
70 negotiate the treaty. and the choice fell on
him as an eminent lawyer and statesman
closely in touch with Colombian sentiment In
the matter absolutely and vehemently refused
70 sign a treaty and retired 10 SoiOIApid " at
tack any treaty that was signed All these CIT
c,,ms1ances must weigh heavily on Senor Her
ran who. while he has lived abroad for many
wears q large share of which was spent In this
country must realize the futility Of signing
4ras+v sure to be rejected in Colombia and cal
culated 20 cost him his position and his diplo-
matte existence. In the South American olplo
-oatic realm all roads save one-the way OF
r,onular favor-lead TO Paris, and even that one
ts art TO be blocked when a change OF sentiment
szveens over the country. Even If Dr. Herran
should be unwilling to assume the risk incloen'
m signing treaty and the papers should De
forwarded TO Minister Hart at Bogota In the
hope of expecting the negotiations, there cai
be no certainty Of more rapid progress Aiuef
q lcns struggle the Marroquin Government has
maintained it's control of The country, but II
NAV be well questioned whether 1t would care
70 risk such an upheaval of popular feeling as
would follow the negotiation Of treaty whlch
failed TO secure the pecuniary advantage the
s-oloulbians expect The failure to secure
treaty If il occurs. viii be due in the main &c
iust this Circumstance. In the mean time, the
state Department. having made what it con-
siders generous offer. is waiting for acceptance
ny rejection Of its terms. Congress. on the other
hand shows signs of uneasiness over the pro-
--ac4son of the negotiations and the absence OF
any definite results.