The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-04-21
COLOMBIA'S NEW POLICY.
Rayes Sends a Minister to Propose Settle
ment-Panama Involved.

Washington, D. c. (SpeciaD.-When
President Roosevelt returns from his
pursuit of mountain game he will find in
Washington one of the ablest statesmen
of South America waiting to take up
with him the subject of the differences
which have ARISEN between this country
and the Republic of Colombia through
the establishment of the Republic of
Panama.
The independence of Panama has been
recognized by the great powers of the
world and by every South American Re-
public, with the exception of Ecuador
and the mother country-Colombia. Co
lumbia openly disputes the sovereignty
of the Republic of Panama, still insists
on her rights in that stretch of territory
and will endeavor to establish these
rights through diplomacy or arbitration.
The Colombian statesman who has
been designated to carry on the diplo-
matte negotiations in Washington is
Senior Diego Mendoza, who has been ap-
pointed Minister from Colombia to the
United States, and sailed for this coun-
try on March 80. He is expected to ar
rive in Washington ON April rs or 49,
He will be the first minister who has
represented Colombia in the United
States since December, 1902, when Senior
Jose Vincente Concia, who presented his
credentials as Minister to the United
States in March, 1902, suddenly departed
after failing to come to an agreement
with Secretary Hay respecting the treaty
they were negotiating relative to the
construction of the Panama Canal
After the departure of Senior Concha
the negotiations for the treaty were car
ried on between Secretary Hay and
Senior Herran, the late Charge d'Affaires
to the Colombian Legation, and treaty
was signed and sent to the Colombian
Congress for ratification. Then came
the establishment of the Government of
Panama, after which Gen. Rafael Reyes,
who is now the President of Colombia,
came to the White House to see Presi-
dent Roosevelt respecting the Panama
question. Learning that it was the I'M,
alterable policy of the United States to
recognize the sovereignty of Panama and
treat with it as sovereign state, Cen
eral Reyes went to Paris and then to
Colombia, where he was elected Presi-
dent of the country. He has now Sue
ceeded in harmonizing the various poltl-
+ cal factions of the republic and has de-
cided to send Senior Mendoza to Wash
ington, with instructions to take up the
Panama question with the American
Government.
1t is understood that Senior Mendoza
will endeavor by negotiations to induce
off fytct
rights Colombia possesses under the gen
eral treaty of peace, navigation and com
merce which this government signed in
1916 with New Granada, which in 1862
changed its name to. the United States
of Colombia. Under this treaty, the
United States guaranteed the neutrality
| of the Isthmus of Panama, free transit
from sea to sea across the Isthmus, and
also the rights of sovereignty which
New Granada possessed over that terri
tory.
Colombia contends that under this
treaty she possesses the right of sover-
eighty over Panama, and that if it had
not been for the presentation OF MEM
orandum from the American naval COM
mander at Panama forbidding the CO.
lombian Government to attempt to put
down the revolution at Panama imme-
diately after it occurred she would have
been able to establish her sovereignty
over Panama by force of arms Colon
bia is desirious of reaching an agree
ment with the United States for set
Element of these questions If this cam
not be effected by diplomacy, she wishes
to have the matter submitted to the Su-
preme Court of the United States or any
other tribunal for settlement by arbitra-
ton, to be based entirely upon document
tary evidence, such as the treaty of 1916
and the orders and correspondence of
the State Department from the time of
the establishment of Panama until after
the special mission of General Reyes
to Washington.