New-York tribune., 1906-08-17
SAYSREYES is TRAI TOR
SENIOR MENDOZA ANGRY.
Er-Minister Tells of a Philanthropic
Bond Offer.

There has just been made public an open letter
written by Diego Mendoza. recently Minister Of
Colombia at Washington. TO friend in Bogota
who is a member of the National Assembly. in
which the diplomat in language plain and un-
mstakable, denounces President Reyes of Co
lombia as traitor to his country; intimates
that he is a forger and accuses him of extreme
bad faith.
Never, perhaps. has there been penned such a
remarkable and scathing denuncatiOn of the
head of a government by diplomat nominated
by the whom he attacked.
Senior Mendoza who has but recently returned
here from London where, as a member Of the
Colombian Congress. he represented Colombia
at the session Of the Interparamentary Union.
declares in his letter that President Reyes has.
for financial reasons. entered into secret agree
ment with President Amador of Panama. under
which the former department of Colombia as
sumes a part OF the Colombian debt, thereby
practically abandoning Colomba's rights on the
isthmus, and this. he says stamps Reyes as a
traitor. He tells, also. of President Reyes s
supposed financial interest in the lighthouse at
Colon, and asserts that the President sent to
Washington agent authorized to sell the
lighthouse to the United States government for
100000. for which service he promised the
agent a commission of 10 per cent
most vigorous Castilian how the secret nego-
tiations of President Reyes made impossible the
success OF his mission at Washington,
which he says was the honorable solution of the
secession Of Panama from Colombia. Seior Mem
doza makes the following curious assertion
about an offer of North Carolina bonds:
The people of the United States desire that
justice be done Colombia for the loss of Pam
anna and believe I'm the arbitration of the ques-
ton In proof of this the holders Of certain
bonds of the state of North Carolina have Of
fered me 81 l.OO0O0O in bonds, payable at the
Federal Treasury, to aid Colombia's cause. They
also assured me that if accepted II, other
states in the Union would do the same as North
Carolina. because everybody. with the exception
of the President recognizes the reason and JUS
tice of COlOmbia's position
There are outstanding many repudiated bonds
Of the State Of North Carolina and for a great
many years holders of these bonds have tried
to obtain status in the courts A successful
suit was brought in the Supreme Court of the
United States in the name of the State Of South
Dakota to which some of the bonds had been
given.
The alleged deal entered into by President
Reyes and President Amador negotiated.
according to senor Mendoza, by DIR. Enrique
Cortez who has been appointed to succeed Sehor
Mendoza as Colombian Minister at Washington.
DIR. Cortez says Sefor Mendoza carried secret in
structiOns from President Reyes. which were
contrary to those issued to him.
These instructions We're not even known to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs" he says.
TRAFFICKED WITH COLOMBIA'S CREDIT.
Under these instructions. Senior Mendoza
charges the secret agreement between the pres
idents of Colombia and Panama made.
This agreement Senor Mendoza characterizes rs
a speculative transaction with the credit of Co
lombia. which in this will prove verY
profitable transaction"
Sefor Mendoza explains that this transaction
had its origin In letter written to General
Reyes last year by eminent citizen of the
United States in which he said that certain in
iuental persons had an interest in any arrange
ment that Colombia could make with Panama
and that favorable business could be done
with the Colombian debt in London. The dip
lomat says that the letter from DIR. Cortez was
a tentative guarantee of the independence Of
Panama and that the matter became known to
the State Department at Washington through
General Obaldia. Panaman Minister.
Referring to the effort to sell to the United
States the Colon lighthouse. the author Of the
remarkable letter mentions Dionisio JimeneZ as
President Reyess agent at Washington, and
says that a special cable code was used by them.
Senior Mendoza tells of press dispatch which
appeared in this city while he was minister
would end it's session by negotiating with Pan
anna. He thereupon cabled TO DR.. Climaco Cal
deron, whom he characterizes as a gentleman
and patriot asking explanation DR.. CAL
deron answered. authorizing Senior Mendoza to
deny the statement He wrote the denial to
the newspaper that published the report, and
this letter was later published in "El Nuevo
Tempo" of Bogota.
Subsequently the correspondent who sent the
cable message from Bogota told Senor Mem
dOza that he cabled the story denied by him at
the request OF President Reyes
Senior Mendoza says in part of his COM
munication
A few days after l departed from Bogota for
the United States. General Reyes named con-
fldential agent, who. by his conduct cOmpro-
missed the interests and rights OF Colombia in
her controversy with the United States and
placed great obstacles in the natural course OF
the negotiations in my charge My adversary in
Continued third page.
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