Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-26
INTERESTED IN CANAL
Southern Countries Waiting
for Work to Begin.
EXPECT MUCH BENEFIT
COLOMBIAN WAR TALK HEARD
MOSTLY IN EUROPE.
Attitude of American Naval Command
ers on the Isthmus Praised-Best
Policy for Bogota.

American countries interested IN the pro-
posed Pan-American railway, has returned
to Washington after an absence OF ten
months. With regard to the feasibility OF
filing in the links in the intercontinental
line Mr.. Pepper stated to a Star reporter
this morning he thought when his report
was made it would show that the project
| was not only feasible but much nearer
realization than is commonly supposed. He
looks on the building of the Panama canal
as one of the most important agencies for
the promotion of the railway project
| through the overflow of private capital
which will seek investment in the South
and Central American countries.
Revolt Expected to Take Place.
Concerning the Panama situation, MI.
| Pepper said that in South America ne hao
q chance to hear what was going to nap
pen, and in Central America and Mexico
| thu comment on what had happened
| "I was on the istfmu in April sald MI
| Pepper "and at that time, partly from III
| forma ton received from influential Colom-
bians who favored the canal, ana parry
! from the very clear evidences tilat thele @
| would be a revolution if the treaty were
| not ratified my opinion was that the
| chances were in favor OF It's ratNlca'ioh
| But soon after my opinion changed Az
| every South American capital L heafd az
most the same story Hardly a government
| in South America was not informed vi
| what was going on, and WITHIN month
| after the Colombian congress met they
| were sure that Colombia would De capaole
| of almost any act of folly. .
| Some of those governments felt no dl-
| rect interest in the treaty, While others
| were intensely interested In II, especlaHy
| the Pacific coast countries. Most or them
! deplored the conditions. l should not won
| der even if some of them, as far as they
could do so automatically, had let the
| Bogota government know that they tnought
| the ratification of the treaty was in the
interest of all South America. At the same
time, after few weeks they gave up hope
and then they waited for the revolution.
| The Panama people We're like the Cubans-
they had juntaS or committees at Work IN
different parts of South America
! Questions Asked in Central America.
| .In Central America" continued Mr..
Pepper, "only two questions were asked
| The first was, How soon would the United
| States begin to build the canal? The sec
ond was whether Colombia would avail
herself of the good offices of the United
| States and try to reach peaceful settle
| ment with Panama and ADJUST her opio-
| matte relations.
THE first question, of course, only could
| be answered in Washington, but l think IL
| will be found that the two countries OF
| Nicaragua and Costa Rica which had the
most concern in not seeing the Panama
| canal built the readleSt now TO take
| advantage of building it across the isthmus.
| l do not know whether or not the news
| peper reports which stated that the treaty
| would be ratified were supplemented by
| official advices but it was very clear that
| those governments were the quickest to
realize the situation reached Panama
| n.ent was established, and after short
stay left for Central America. By that
time they were fully making up their
minds Both Costa Rica and Nicaragua
| hay largely increased donand
| for their products when work on the canal
| is begun.
War Talk Heard Mostly In Europe.
"As to what Colombia would do, there
was much difference of opinion in Central
America. There are many of Colombians
in all those countries. Some of them were
very fiery and wanted to fight the United
States at once, but after the first efferves-
cence there was not SO much of this talk.
1t was discoura ged by the governments.
They We're not inhospitable to the Colon
bians but they didn't care to have their
countries made the centers of agitation.
One Colombian of a good deal of promi-
| nence told me that most of the war talk
came from his countrymen who were living
| in Europe, and in proof Of this he showed
| me bunch of newspaper interviews dated
| at Paris. He thought that when they got
| back to Colombia they would not find 1t so
| easy to get armies for an invasion of
Panama.
| hot-headed Colombians who, it is generally
recognized, are capable of any act of folly,
and personally they are brave enough. 1t
| was the sincere desire in Central America
| to have these hot-heads curbed, but / do
not know whether any of the different gov
| ernments have made official representation
| to Bogota. The opinion everywhere was
| that the quicker the United States got to
| building the canal the sooner the posi-
| blity of the Colombian extremists precpi-
| taung trouble for themselves would be
| ended"
Best Policy for Bogota.
| Mr.. Pepper was asked about the reports
of Cauca, Bolivar and other departments
| of Colombia endeavoring to separate them
| selves from Bogota.
There was some of this talk on the
| isthmus,'' he said, land also in Central
| America. Whether there is any definite
| movement it would be hard to say But
| both these states really would benefit by
| the construction work on the canal, and II
| the Bogota government wants to hold them
| its wisest course would seem to be to
| come to an understanding that the republic
of Panama is a fact and to enter upon
| diplomatic relations with 1t and then get
what benefit can be had from the canal.
! Cartagena. Baranquilla and other ports
| in Bolivar will have big increase in
| their trade with Colon as soon as the canal
| work Is begun. Cauca, which is IN the Pa
| cific, will have the same benefit through
| its connection with Panama. 1t is an i'm
/ IlenSeiy ITCH country "A ROOu many de-
| velopment enterprises were under consid-
| Grafton and some capital actually had been
| invested, but most of the capitalists were
| simply waiting to know about the canal
| Now that it is to be built, If Cauca's po-
| litical ties with Bogota are to be retained
| 1t would seem that the surest way to do
| this Is for Bogota to establish peaceful
| relations with Panama"
| Mr.. Pepper was asked about the action
| of the naval commanders in Colon and
| Panama II did not know" he said, that
| there had been any criticism. They were
| acting with discretion and frmness. Ii
| there is any criticism the testimony OF the
| foreign consuls, both in Colon and Panama,
| ought to have some weight Many of these
| have taken pains to express their approval
| and / presume this has been done in off,
| cial reports to their governments Ger
| tainly they are very outspoken in their
| praise.
| Revolt Was Widespread.
| 'There appeaSs to be notion" said Mr.