The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-11
Young Men Accompanied Albert r..
Miles, o Presbyterian Missionary,
to Indianapolis.
NOT SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE
THEY FOUGHT AS VOLUNTEERS FOR
THEIR PRINCIPLES.
Mr. Miles Not Enamored of the Polit-
zeal Conditions that Obtain in
south American Republic.

Liberal party in the recent revolutionary
upheaval of the republic of Colombia, are
In Indianapolis. They came here with
Albert r. Miles, who returned last month
from Bogota, the capital city Of Colombia
Their father is manager of one of the
largest flour mills in the republic. and the
two sons are in this country making an
investigation of our mills and studying the
American methods OF -four milling. They
expect to spend a year or fourteen months
in the United States.
The young soldiers are handsome, dark
and well developed. They served in the
Liberal army for over a year, fighting fol
their convictions. They participated In
some of the fiercest battles of the revolu-
ton, contending against numbers and weap-
ons. holding their ground as long as their
scant supply of ammunition lasted, and
then protecting themselves as best they
could with the keen-edged machette in
hand-to-hand conflicts and terrible charges
But they have passed through conflicts OF
running warfare unhurt, except for a
few slight wounds. They were not soldiers
of fortune; they were volunteers, true to
their party and the principles that 1t rep
resented.
Albert r. Miles arrived at his home in
Indianapolis on May Is. after one month OF
hard, steady travel from the Colombian
capital. For the last thirteen years Mr.
Miles has been a missionary, under the
Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, in
the city of Bogota, where he has lived with
his family, and established Presbyterian
church of Isl members, mostly native Co.
lombians.
In Bogota. the capital of the republic, Mr..
Miles has been a spectator of the revolu-
tionary drama. He is well informed on the
political and economic situation of the coun-
try. His life has been spent among the
Colombians so long that he is almost an en-
thusiastic Liberal himself.
Relative to the ratification of the canal
treaty by the Congress of the republic Mr..
Miles said that the outlook was very dark
The tinge of political sentiment is against
it. '"The people are against it," he said
because they think the $10O00,000 appro-
priation by the United States is too small
and by waiting two years they can secure
the $42 100000 which the United States is to
pay the French company for work on the
canal. IL is by virtue of question Of le-
gality. The original concession of four
years granted To the French company fol-
tended to six Years, so that the French
company must carry out the conditions OF
the concession within a period of two years.
The Colombian lawyers affirm that the ex-
tension of time was illegal, and consequent
ly the concession has already legally
lapsed. And even IL the legality Of the act
were conceded 1t would be impossible fol
the French company TO comply with their
part of the contract within the two years
to come. In case the French company does
not all the work accomplished by them be-
he hcn Int Of fhn al nrfn.
bian government, and the United States
will have to pay to 1t the s42, 000, 900 which
it agreed to pay the French company fol
the work.
However, the ratification Of the treaty
by the Colombian government cannot &C.
cur until the Congress convenes. and, as
the President would be SCATTERING his ex-
ecutive powers by allowing the Congress tC
come together, the outlook Is not bright
Matters are at standstill. 1t is a situa-
ton where the President has a hammer
1T he will most surely be thrown from his
executive position.
RESULT OF REVOLUTION.
This condition of affairs is the result OF
the revolutions and political enmities. The
two political parties of the republic are the
Liberals and the Conservatives. The for
mer, however, are in the background, and
the struggle is now between two factions OF
the Conservative party, the Historicals and
the Nationals.
About 1900 Salsancelmenti. the President
of the republic. was condemned, as it were
he was thought to be too old to handle the
governmental reins. and consequently was
thrown out of office. and he died at Villete
a few months later OF broken heart. Ir
the following year. through coup detat
the Vice President, Jose Marroquin, and the
National party took possession. Once ir
Office Marroquin Tilted the Nationals and
has since been hand in glove with the His
toricals. In the election OF Congress, which
occurred on the second Sunday of last March
Sunday is always election day in Colon.
bia) the National faction elected the ma.
jority OF representatives. SO that should the
president allow Congress to convene the
Nationals would elect their party to power
Marroquin can keep Congress from con-
vening as long as he can keep the country
has absolute legislative and executive pow.
erS."
If martial law is suspended Congress
will meet on the 10th of July. Mr.. Miller
said that even should Congress convene
there is not one chance in a hundred OF II
ratifying the canal treaty. The Colombian
citizens are not satisfied with the appro-
prfation and the annual payment of $3.50, 900
AS soon as the treaty was signed the
minister OF government, Arestides Fernan-
deg, had the question discussed in all the
papers of Bogota, and in every instance but
one the articles were bitterly against the
ratification. The one article favoring the
treaty was written by Enrique Cortez, for
merly Colombian consul general at Wash.
ington, and he later retracted his argu-
ments, being persuaded that he was wrong
So far as public opinion is involved the
treaty will not be ratified until the appro-
priation and annual payments are increased
and several amendments are made; the Co.
lombians also Directing 10 the clause givine
the United States sovereignty in the cana
district and the clause establishing United
States courts for the trial of foreigners.
RICyT4 AND EErRTTJ
Mr.. Miles said that Colombia was a very
rich and fertile country. but that no bust
ness TO any extent could be transacted
because Of the debased currency. The cur
rency is mostly worthless paper bills, whose
value fiuctuates within period OF twenty.
four hours. so that there Is no basis for
contracts.
No large industries can be established. he
says. because OF constant revolutions. which
leave the land barren Mr.. Miles said the
recent revolution which began in October
of 1899 and ceased last November. utterly
devastated the country. The government
forces destroyed every home, factory and
mill In their path, pouring the grain into
the rivers and destroying all personal prop
erty.
The Liberal party Is unable 10 compete
against the Revolutionist because it's ar
mics are composed entirely OF volunteers
while the government sends out FOUNDERS
who capture all not willing TO join the
Revolutionists OF their own accord and
bring them into their headquarters in long
lines chained together. and they are COM
PEELED 10 fight The principles OF the Lib