The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-03
BEAT COLOMBIA
IN NHEROWN CAME
Senator Simmons on the
Revolution.
"A PLAY BY MARR0QUIN
As the Senator Sees it the Player
Whom this Man Expe cted to Join
Him as Partner Joined Pan
ANA Thus Defeating
Him.
Especial to News and Observer. }

Washington, Feb. 2.-Senator Simmons
today gave to the press the following in
terview on the Panama Canal treaty and
it's prospect of ratification:
THE canal treaty will be ratified by
large majority. 1t now looks like a ma
jority of the Democratic Senators may
vote for it. From a political standpoint
| it would be unfortunate for the party, if
| the treaty should be defeated by Demo
cratic votes. In that event we would not
get a canal at Nicaragua as has been con-
tended, but the Republicans would by
joint resolution as they did in the matter
of Hawaii annexation after the defeat of
the treaty for that purpose, authorize the
| President to contract with Panama and
| the canal company on the terms of the
| Spooner act and proceed at once with the
construction of the canal. and in the ap-
preaching campaign they would say to the
people, See, we are building the canal,
despite the opposition of the Democratic
party and the defeat by it of the treaty >
Senator Simmons further said: Il have
studied this Panama situation closely, and
do not believe the revolution was gotten
up in this country, as has been so per-
sistently charged. On the contrary, l be-
| lieve while the revolution was real and
serious so far as the Panamans were con-
cerned, it was by the Canal Company and
acquiesced in by the Marroquin party in
Colombia OF course not with any view or
purpose on the part of the latter of
bringing about the separation of Panama
from Colombia, but to prevent such sep
aration and to secure the construction of
canal at Panama.
President Marroquin, who had negoti-
ated the treaty, So wthat as result of the
action of the Colombian Congress in re-
fusing to ratify it, his country was not
only in danger OF losing the canal, but
possibly the territory OF Panama as well,
and to avert this misfortune he was in
duced to foster a movement, which he
thought could be easily put down; indeed
which he supposed the United States
would put it down for them if necessary.
| This movement of lnsurrection was to be
made the preteXt and excuse by Marro-
quin for declaring martial law, in which
condition under the Colombian Consttu-
ton, he as President, without the con-
sent of Congress, would have power to
conclude a treaty with the United States
for the construction of the canal.
The circumstances and conduct Of the
government at Bogota in this matter fully
justify this conclusion. For instance how
else can the appointment by Marroquin,
on the very eve Of the outbreak, of a
Governor for Panama known to be in
! favor of the insurrection, and who. when
it came, sided with the insurgents, be
explained? How can the fact that he al
lowed to remain in control Of the
military and naval forces stationed at
Panama commanders believed to be in
sympathy with the revolution and who.
with their forces, deserted the Colombian
flag and cast their fortunes with the
rebels as soon as independence was pro-
cla lined be explained? These are only
some of the circumstances which tend to
support this theory. If the United States
had taken, as Marroquin supposed she
would, the same attitude towards this out
break as she had so many times before
assumed towards similar outbreaks IN
Panama against Colombia's authority it
would have amounted to nothing except
to have given Marroquin the excuse he
sought TO declare military law and make
the treaty with this country under con-
ditions not requiring that it should have
the ratification of Congress. But the
! United States had become tired of uphold
! iuR the UeSpOllSlU OL COlOuuDtd over rama
ma and It not only declined to help her
as heretofore but made it plain that she
was with Panama"
The Senator said. ''it might be, that
this attitude Of the United States deferred
Colombia, when he nsurrection became
serious, from resorting to force to main
tain her sovereignty over the isthmus, and
that thus what was expected to be farce
became a success, but he said it was al
most certain if an actual conflict had
taken place between Colombia and Pana-
ma, at least three other departments of
Colombia. which are deeply interested III
the construction of the canal at Panama,
instead Of at Nicaragua, and which be-
| lieved after the defeat of the treaty at
Bogota that the only way to keep the
canal from going to Nicaragua was the
success of the secession in Panama. would
have gone TO the assistance of Panama
i'll that struggle and in that event the
issue of the struggle would not have
been as free from doubt as has been sup
posed By those who assert the new Re-
public could not have survived, day il
this government had not taken her under
its wing and protection
| The Urgent Deficiency Bill as it passed
the House today contained no provision
for paying rent for the buildings used by
\ the government at Greensboro while the
pubic building is being repaired and en-