Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-09-25
MAY SEIZE THE ISTHMUS.
Plan Suggested for Circumventing
Cupidity OF Columbia.
WASHINGTON correspondence:

Plan Suggested for CircumventinE
Cupidity of Columbia.
Washington correspondence:
The Panama canal situationhas reach
ed n much more serious stage than has
appeared on the surface. or than the In
formation given out by the State Depart
nent 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 $20O0O,-
900, are now endeavoring to rob the
French corporation of its entire posses
sions for which the United States is will
ing to pay $40,000,000.
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
| mail the French company went so far
| that officials of the 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 sAage of the game the State
| Department sent to Minister Beaupre a
series of kilograms advising him on
| course of action which might have chang
| cd 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, cypher
dispatches were sent to the minister in
uuiring about the situation. 1t was as
/ certained that the instructions had never
been received The dispatches which
were withheld cover n period of about
three weeks Now the Colombian gov
eminent is framing Il reply to peremp-
| tory inquiry from the United States as
10 why the diplomatic correspondence
between this government and one OF its
| representatives has been interrupted. IL
| th, reply is not sufficient Colombia will
he firmly requested to make ample SAT-
| isfaction.
| Since the Panama route has been de-
| cided upon the engineering world has
come to recognize the overwhelming ad-
| yantages it possesses over its northern
| r;val The administration believes that
| 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
| IN be overcome, There are several ways
! Suggested. One is to proceed to condemn
the property needed in the name of civ
| ilization and leave it to The Hague court
what compensation will be given 20 20
/ ,omhia. Another is to recognize the inde-
nonacnce of Panama, which Is sure to Sc
cede if it appears that the Bogota gov
srnment stands in the way of the Canal
which means prosperity to the isthmus.
The third is to resurrect the old treaty
Of 1916. which has never lapsed, ana %
proceed to construct che canal nnoer ia
provisions.