Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-09
FRAMING A TREATY
NEGOTIATING CONVENTION WITH
COLOMBIA.
Panama Apparently Disposed to Bear
Her Share Of the Indebtedness
Of Colombia.

Minister Russell has cabled the State De-
partment from Bogota that the stage OF
water in the Magdalena river is too low to
permit mails to find their way from the
Colon ban capital to the seaboard, where
they can be dispatched northward, and the
indications are that it will be some time
before the mail route Is open.
The minister's message is supposed to
be in explanation of his failure to trans
NIT to the State Department copy of a
draft treaty which he has been arranging
with the Colombian foreign office. Pri-
vate letters from Mr.. Russell, dated a
few weeks back indicate that he was
making excellent progress in forming a
treaty which would remove the friction
between the United States and Colombia
that grew out of the separation OF Pan
anna.
Mr.. Russell was specially charged by the
President when he departed from the
United States to redeem the promise the
President held out to General Reyes when
the latter was a special commissioner from
Colombia in connection with the separa ton
that the United States would use it's good
offices to bring about an amicabe adjust
ment of the sharp issues between Colombia
and Panama which grew out Of the sepa-
ration.
For one thing. General Reyes asked that
plebiScite be had to determine by popular
vote whether the separation should remain
effective or whether Panama should rejoin
Colombia.
The State Department at the time thought
well of the proposition provided the plebis-
cite was limited to the people of Panama.
for General Reyes proposition was to in
clude Colombians in the plebiscite, and the
result would be foregone conclusion in
favor of reunion, in view of the numerical
superiority of the Colombians.
The proposition has been renewed by Co
lombia in slightly different form during the
past year, but there have been no recent
overtures on the subject. and 1t is said
that matters have been so adjusted to a
permanent basis as far as the new state OF
Panama is concerned that the United
States is no longer disposed to regard the
proposition as to plebiscite as open to dis
cuSsion.
Therefore our government has not trans
mitted the Colombian proposition to Pan
anna, and it is not inclined to do so now.
But Colombia advances another claim,
with better prospects of success, in urging
the equity of an assumption by Panama of
a proportionate share Of the Colombian ma
tional Indebtedness.
The Colombian claim was reinforced by
some representations from European gov
ernments whose citizens held Colombian
bonds. which would naturally suffer i'm
mediate depreciation by the separation of
Panama, one of the wealthiest provinces
of Colombia. without some undertaking 10
assume share Of the national debt.
The United States minister to Panama
was therefore charged by the President
with the presentation of this matter to the
fananan government and 1t Is understood
that he has succeeded, in a measure secur-
Ing an admission of the liability of the new
state for some share of the COLOMBIAN debt
although SO far 1t has not been possible to
agree upon proportionate division OF the
liability between the parent state and
Panama. However, between Minister Rus
sells efforts at BOgota and Minister Bar
rettS negotiations at Panama, 1t is felt
that there is reasonable ground for expect
ing satisfactory adjustment Of this ques-
ton, which will be followed speedily by the
establishment Of regular diplomatic rela-
lions between Colombia and Panama.
Another subject of negotiation between
the United States and Colombia which mas
figured in the exchanges of the last ten
years and may again come to, the front at
any moment, is the projected sale to the
United States of the Old Providence Is
lands, lying a couple of hundred miles off
the east coast of Nicaragua. 1t is said
that Colombia Is anxious to get rid of the
islands for two reasons: First, because she
Is in great need Of money, and second, be-
cause they are so distant from Colombia
and SO near to Nicaragua that already
they have in several instances threatened
to lead to rival claims to title,. and perhaps
even to war.
Our Navy Department has caused a care
full examination to be made of the two is
lands San Adres and San Louis but 1t has
been found that while they might in the
early days have been of value as naval
bases, yet. owing to the increase of size of
warships. their harbors are now too shallow
and they are not desirable as coaling sta
tons.