New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-13
GEN. REYES TO RESIGN.
ILL HEALTH THE REASON.
Cimaco CalderOn to Succeed Him as
President of Colombia.

General Rafael Reyes. President of Colombia,
1t was authoritatively announced here yesterday,
will resign from office. The reason given for
this unusual step for the chief executive OF
country is that President Reyes is suffering from
a malady believed to be locomotor ataxia- He
will be succeeded by Climaco Calderon. who is
Minister of Foreign Affairs and "designado"
Sefor Calderon was formerly Colombian Consul
General in this city and later became Minister
at Washington.
The affliction which causes the retirement OF
President Reyes is the result of a fall from a
horse, which he sustained a number of years
ago. 1t is announced that he will go TO Europe
to be treated probably going by way of New
York
General Reyes elected President OF Co
lombia two years ago while he was In this city
as a member of commission from that gov
ernment which was sent here In connection with
the secession of Panama. He was inaugurateo
on August 4 1904 His administration has been
characterized by a firmness of policy that mas
done more than anything else to rehaoiiitate
tho anancss of the repubIic and establish peace
Although formerly identified with the Cone
servative or clerical party. General Reyes
adopted some of the principles of the Liberals
which aroused the bitter enmity OF the ConserV-
atives His most radical departures from the
policies Of his predecessors were the separation
of the State and the Church and the establish
ment of capital punishment for treason, which
previously had been lightly dealt with. 1t Is
less than a week ago that four men were exc
cuted at Bogota for attempt on the life or
President Reyes. These men, 1t was said' were
the tools of a Jesuit conspiracy.
While the retirement OF General Reyes is re-
ported be only temporary his friends In this
city assert that it is unlikely that he will again
take up the reins of government Before be-
coming President General Reyes had spent
many years in the military and diplomatic SER
vices of his country. For many years he was
Minister to France He is man Of wealth.
with large estates in the Department Of Cauca
General Reyes rendered distinguished service in
the field for his government in the rebellions Of
1885 and 1895.
With the succession to the Presidency OF
Climaco Calderon. the Liberal progressive
party gains a further important victory. for
which it has fought unsuccessfully for many
years Sefor Calderon possesses Liberal ten
dencies along the lines of the great change in
the politics of Colombia which has been slowly
but surely placing the Liberals in power for the
first time in twenty years.
Senor Calderon. who is about ffty-five years
old. is a nephew of General Reyes. He is a
lawyer and authority on international law,
| He has also. Minister of Foreign Affairs.
proved himself statesman OF high ability.
Sehor Calderon was Consul General of Colom-
/ bia in this city from 1885 to 1900. when he was
appointed Minister to Washington where he re-
nnainetf ahsut a year.-. While ayunyiu6 the lat
| ter office he went abroad where he married a
daughter of the late President Santiago Perez of
| Colombia