The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1904-01-05
ROOT ACTS FOR HAY
In Dealing With Reyes Re-
gardlng Note of Colombia,
HAY is STILL INDISPOSED
Unofficial Forecast Of colombla's De.
mandolin Official Circles the
coneensus Of Opinion ls that
War 10 Inevitable.

A Washington special says: The
president has designated Secretary
Root to conduct the Panama negotla.
lions with General Reyes, Of Colon.
bla, during the illness OF Secretary
Hay.
This announcement was made after
long cabinet meeting, held Tuesday
afternoon, at which Secretary Root laid
before the president the details Of his
Interview with the Colombian minis.
ter. Careful consideration was given
to the Colombian note filed with the
state department by General Reyes,
but 1t can be said that no answer yet
has been made to 1t. Secretary Root
informed General Reyes Tuesday aftsr
noon that the reply Of this govern.
ment was no treaty, but that 1t would
be given as soon as possible. Secre-
tafy Root will give the response to
General Reyes when a decision as to
Its precise nature shall have been
reached.
No intimation Oh the contents of Gen.
eral Reyes note or of the reply OF
this government Is given from any au-
thoritative source It is known, how.
ever, that the administration regards
the ratification of the treaty with the
republic OF Panama as the first step to
be taken In the entire pending matter.
What this government may do subse.
quently will be determined, at least
In part, by the circumstances then
surrounding the case, Just now, It Is
said, authoratitively, there is nothing
In the situation to arouse serious con-
Germ.
Crisis ls Approaching.
The Atlanta Journals special Wash.
ington correspondent wires his paper
rs follows; Although General Reyes,
the Colombian president.elect, has not
made known the contents OF his note
regarding the Panama situation which
he intends presenting to this govern
ment, 1t is evident that the admins
tration is informed as to its real pur.
port.
The brlefest way of stating the
terms of the communication is to say
that II contains three alternatives, to-
wit:
First-Restoration of the status prior
to the revolution,
Second-The United States not to
interfere with Colombia's dealings with
Panama.
Third-Ii neither OF the preceding
propositions is accepted the United
States shall pay damages to Colombia
for loss of territory the amount to be
fixed by The Hague tribunal
Belief on both sides that these prop.
ositions will prove futile is In no wise
altering the purpose of the admins
tratlon, as is evidenced by the fact
that the armed forces of the United
States on both sides of the isthmus are
now being reinforced with vessels and
marines, while troops are being held
In readiness for emergencies, and In
fact that Colombla's representatives
are making preparations for departure,
DR., Herran, charge d'affafrs, Is get.
ting the archives of the legation ready
for removal.
General Reyes will remain only until
he has gone through the last resort OF
seeing his note to this government
reach congress, and then, when his
presence here becomes embarrassing.
he will take his departure.
Meanwhile, although General Reyes
has daily cabled to Colombia beseech.
Ing his country to refrain from any
act hostile to the United States, there
is not the slightest doubt among those
informed OF the situation, and the char
acter of the Colombians that they will
quickly plunge into reckless and des'
perate war, which no leadership can
possibly avert
That the Colombian heart will be
fired with the return Of General Reyes
from his bootless mission Is not at all
doubted here.