Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-09-23
MAY SEIZE THE lsTHMus.
Plan Suggested for Circumventing
Cupidity of Columbia.

Washington correspondence:
The Panama canal situation has reach
ed a much more serious stage than has
appeared on the surface or than the in
formation given out by the State Depart
ment would indicate. The real truth is
that the relations between the United
States and Colombia are badly strained.
All this is the result of the duplicity of
the Bogota grafters, who, having at
tempted TO blackmail the French Pana-
ma Company into giving them $4,000
600, are now endeavoring to rob the
French corporation of its entire posses
sions for which the United States is viii
ing to pay S40,000000.
The cause of the defeat Of the Panama
treaty by the Colombian Senate was the
refusal of the French company TO divide
with Colombia the bonus offered by this
country for the Panama franchise and
plant The offer was made to the Pan
anna company that if the "divy" were
made the Colombian Senate would pass
the treaty by which the United States
would be given the privilege of complet-
! ing the canal. The attempt to black
1 mail the French company went so far
| that officials of iiie United States gov
| eminent were approached with the sug-
gestion that they use their influence with
! the French company TO secure the rake
! OFF, for Colombia.
| At this sage of the game the State
! Department sent to Minister Beaupre q
/ series of kilograms advising him on a
| course of action which might have chang.
1 ed the attitude of the Colombian Senate
! The department was surprised to hear
| of no results from Minister Beaupre's in.
structions, and when it was announced
that the treaty had been defeated, cypheI
| dispatches were sent 10 the minister in
| quiring about the situation. 1t was as
certained that the instructions had never
been received. The dispatches which
were withheld cover a period of about
three weeks. Now the Colombian gov
eminent is framing a reply to a peremp
tory inquiry from the United States as
to why the diplomatic correspondence
between this government and one of It's
representatives has been interrupted. II
4 the reply is not sufficient Colombia vii
.be firmly requested to make ample sat
isfaction.
Since the Panama route has been de
cided upon the engineering world ha:
come to recognize the overwhelming ad
yantages it possesses over its northern
rival. The administration believes thai
if the country is going to construct {
canal it owes it to itself and the CONNER
cial world TO choose the Panama way
The stubbornness of Colombia viii have
TO be overcome. There are several ways
| suggested. One is 10 proceed to condemn
the property needet in the name of civ
ilization and leave i. 10 The Hague cour
I what compensation will be given to Co
lomba. Another il to recognize the indie
pendence of Panama, which is sure to Sc
cede if it appears that the Bogota gov
eminent stands in the way of the canal
which means prosperity to the isthmus
The third is to rssurrect the old treaty
of 1916. which has never lapsed, and t.
proceed to construct the canal under IL
| provisions.
ANY one of th.se methods will insure
the Panama canal, but the admlnisra
ton would rather do the work with the
good will Of Colombia if it can be ac
complished Otherwise the rights of the
commercial word will be preferred t.
the sentiments IF a matchmaking littl'
/ renuhlc