Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-16
DELAY IS ADVOCATED
Friends of Panama Canal Do
Not Want Action.
NEW POLICY OUTLINED
COLOMBIA NOT RESPONSIBLE AS
ARE GREAT POWERS.
Should Deal With the South American
Nation Only as With Will
full Child.

A very decided effort is being made on
the part of the advocates of the Panama
canal route to advance the idea that tie
United States should not deal with Colon-
bia in it's rejection of the canal treaty eX-
actly as it would in the case of any of the
great and substantial powers. They claim
that the character of the Colorlbians and
the revolutionary condition in that country
are such as to make the course of the
United States very different than it would
be if Great Britain. France Cr Germany
were a party to the treaty.
This view of the cinal problem is par
ticipated in by very many senators and
representatives. who in the last Congress
fought for the ratification of the canal
treaty. They say that it would not be
proper for the administrator to give any
intimation to this effect because it would be
sure to offend Colombia and to obstruct
further negotiations: and at the same time
. they assert that the only way to handle
this problem judiciously will be to look upon
Colombia a willful and vacillatng child.
and that, although Colombia stands as an
independent nation. exercises the right of
sovereignty and must be dealt with in a
respectful manner. yet the fact remains
that the Colombian government cannot be
regarded as responsible for it's acts in the
same sense that applies to the great pow
erS.
Dealing With Great Nations.
If Great Britain. Germany or France had
rejected a treaty such as that the United
States has proposed with Colombia, it would
have been looked upon offensive to pro-
ceed in a to indicate that the act was
not conclusive or serious. Yet that is what
many leaders in administrative and con-
gressiOnal circles believe is best to be done
in the case of Colombia.
There is no intention of allowing the eX-
cessive demands of Colombia or of becom-
ing party to her suspected plan for eliml-
mating the French canal company from the
negotiat tions. 1t has long been we'll known
that the dominant faction in the Colombian
congress believe that their greatest advan-
tage lies in permitting the present canal
concession held by the French company to
lapse in the fall of next year before making
final terms with the United States. They
have argued that if that could be brought
about there would be no reason why the
United States should not be as willing to
pay to Colombia alone the So0,0OU,OG0 that
has been offered for the property and con-
cessiop as 1T would be to pay it to the COM
pany and Colombia together. They are in
clined. it is said. to take action looking 10
declaration that the extension of the
treaty with the French company was lille
gal, as it was given by the president of the
country and has never been sanctioned by
the Colombian congress. The French COM
pdUN Ddlu IOT tIdl extension Oh Iile cOn-
cesson $,o9oG0o. and that the Colombian
government would be willing to return to
them according to reports from Colombia.
Vigorously Opposed by Company.
This proposition will, of course, be Wig
orously opposed by the company, which
would claim that 1t makes no allowance
for what has been spent on the isthmus
since the extension was granted. They
would also oppose the proposition on the
ground that the extension was valid and
made under authority conferred upon the
president of Colombia by the constitution
of that nation, as a power he should eXer-
else in times of revolution when the un-
settled condition on the iSthmuS made 1t
impossible for the nation to exercise it's
necessary functions if such power were
not lodged somewhere.
In this controversy between the French
company and the United States the great
est protection of the company VIII lie III
the fact that the administration here Is
strongly opposed to any course that LOOKS
toward wiping out the interest of the COM
pany in the canal The belief is very gem
eral that such a course would be tainted
with bad faith and trickery. At the SAME
time there is strong opposition to increas-
ing the allowance for the canal property
made in the proposed treaty which the
United States Senate has ratified. and
which the Colombian congress has rejected
The considerable named in that treaty is
in excess of the amount that the records
indicate that Colombia showed an inclina-
ton to accept in former stages of the effort
to have this country assume the RESPONSE
bility for the building of the canal.
''Stand Pat" Policy.
The policy that Is being advanced as far
as possible in administrative and con-
gressional circles is in favor of standing
pat In due time, 1T is argued, the
Colombian government and congress will
come to understand that what the United
States has offered Is the best that Colom-
bia get. The differences Of thought
and manner of transacting business be-
tween the Colombians and the people of
this country, 1T is said, is such that the
situation that has arisen is only that which
should be expected. The Colombians. upon
learning that the isIhmian canal commits
sion OF the United States had declared in
favor of the Panama route as preferable
under the circumstances to the Nicaraguan
route were elated to the extent of believ-
ing that the United States would have to
acquire that route at any cost or sacrifice
They Do Not Realize Condition.
The Colombians do not fully realize that
there are numerous experts and public men
who believe that the best interests of this
country would be served by having this
treaty permanently rejected. that the
Nicaragua canal could be built. They do
fact that the President of the United States
could any day proceed to frame a treaty
with Nicaragua for the building of the
canal over that route. and that it is en-
tirely within the possibilities of the near
future that he may do SO. But 1t is hoped
that by proceeding slowly the Colombians
will be brought to see this matter in it's
right light and realize that their best ad-
vantage lies in the direction of having the
treaty already presented to them ratified
When Congress meets this policy of delay
will be vigorously preached, and II will
have some very strong advocates. The gen.
eral proposition will be made that the mat
ter should at least not be interfered With
by congressional declaration or until at
least another year has gone by. That pol
icy will have the support of the Panama
canal advocates. well as those who op-
pose any canal. and the latter faction in
Congress is very strong. There seems to be
little doubt that had not the opponents of
any canal voted in favor of the Panama
project at the last session Of Congress the
Panama canal would not have been se-
lected. Some senators openly declared that
they favored Panama because they did not
believe Panama canal would be built They
opposed the Nicaragua route because they
believed that were that route adopted the
result would be the actual building Of an
iSthmian canal.