The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-21
Situation Bordering on
Anarchy-Senate the
Seat of Trouble.
MISSION OF ARCINIEGAS
Said to Have His Eye on Eu-
ropean Capital If United
States WithdraWS.

Dispatches from Colon. Colombia
state that mail advices from Bogota in
dicate a serious situation in the COlom-
bian congress. The congress is alleged
to be in a state bordering on anarchy.
The government supported by the house
Of representatives. wanted to adjourn
congress on October 20. but the senate
insisted on continuing indefinitely.
The majority of the senate is said to
be working against the government
Nominations for President are still un-
decided
Senior Ismael Enrique Arciniegas the
diplomatic agent of the Colombian gov
ernment. who was sent TO this country
with confidential messages for DR..
Thomas Herran. the Colombian charge
d'affaires here. arrived in Washington
last night. He dined late with DR.. Her
ran at the New Willard. and then they
went for a walk and confidential pre-
hminary talk concerning canal matters.
As Senior Arciniegas speaks but little
English. he would not attempt to use
other than his mother tongue when so
fluent English scholar as DR.. Herran
was present to interpret his words He
did not hesitate TO deny the reports
which have been put into circulation re-
garding the purpose Of Senor Arcinie-
gas mission. He said:
Charge Herran's Version.
"All the reports / have seen. and 1
have seen many. about Senor Arciniegas'
mission have been fakes, pure fakes. He
comes as a bearer Of dispatches from
my government. it is true. but they re-
late wholly to matters which have gone
before.
..capnr k,ci,,foo-o. ,,.st, ..,t 4. =
Washington for two or three months.
There are always many things which
can be explained better in person than
by letter. and these he comes to ex-
plain to NE from time to time, as they
may have a bearing on dispatches COM
ing from Bogota- Naturally much of
this information will be at the disposal
of Secretary Hay in such conferences
as 1 may have with him.
Colombians Don't Care.
Senior Arciniegas Is reported as saying
that the renewal OF negotiations with
the United States is a matter of indiffer-
ence to Colombia, and the general senti-
ment IN BOgota is in favor OF allowing
them to lapse. The opinion there is a
better bargain can be made with Euro
pean countries. whose representatives al
Bogota have assured the government
the money viii be forthcoming TO com
plete the canal as soon as the negotia-
tions with the United States have beer
abandoned.
Senior Arciniegas is a member of tbs
Colombian diplomatic corps and has
been sent here by Foreign Minister Rice
10 size up the situation here and SEE
II. the United States will stand for az
increase in the purchase price of IN,
-. l. min uTrnr~ u IN
I'll after the assembling of Congress. anC
If il should then appear to him tha
there is no hope that the United States
will give more than the $4,000. 900 pro
posed in the Hay-Horran treaty he vii
proceed TO Berlin, where. he is inform
ed. a syndicate Of dnanciers has beer
formed. under the auspices Of the Ger
man government. to purchase the right
Of the French company and complete
the canal. giving Colombia a mucl
larger sum than that offered by tn
United States and accepting hundred
year lease instead of one in perpetuity
as demanded by this country.
Afraid of United States.
Besides the belief which exists in 30
gotta that more money can be obtaine
for the canal privileges from Europeal
SOURCES OcuDI <AINAAAtbdS Ha9 - AAlfIt 4
a feeling there that IL the United State
once gets a foothold on the Isthmus o
Panama IL Will not. be long before il wi
gain possession of the whole territory
There would be no such danger to b
apprehended were the canal TO be bull
by European governments under tn
guise Of an independent private com
pany, such as the Panama Canal Com
pany now is.
That Colombia is looking rather I
Europe than 20 the United States az
the probable builder Of the canal
shown by the fact that the committe
Of the Colombian senate which was ap
pointed to consider the Hay-Herral
treaty. made a report advising its re
lection and proposing an arrangemen