New-York tribune., 1907-07-29
MORE ABOUT COLOMBIA.
Raul Pfre2 asks That It Be Left
alone to Reform Itself.
TO the Editor Of The tribune.


uIlns, and also to be honored with q somewhat
impatient editorial. In making those remarks
was moved merely by inborn sense OF Justice
and love Of country also by acquired love OF the
United States. wherein have made my home, and
which shall surely love long I may be able
to find upon her soil men animated by the sound
spirit Of the fathers in the event Of such men
becoming practically negligible. The Tribune
claims their kindred IN Colombia have become.
You chde me anent intemperance OF expression
1t would be impossible for any true Colombian to
suppress indignation learning that the man who
appears as representing Colombia has consented to
go begging before private Individual before
business whose transactions have harmed
Colombia for a share Of the money paid out for
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of his country.
am thankful for the hearing. all the more so as
under the enlightened" Reyes rule the man who
succeeds In procuring himself hearing pays for
his audacty with confinement for an unlimited
time in the Nocoa penal colony, expressly estao-
Hshed for that purpose on the banks OF the
Amazon.
The Tribune errs IN stating that any Colombian
or group OF Colomblans repudates the present gov
ernment because OF its inclination to accept ac-
complished facts. The immense majortty-ap-
pearances TO the contrary OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
| ate that government for many weighty reasons
CooInbans, like the rest of humanity, Dend down III
the presence OF overwhelming odds and unwilingly
accept accomplished facts, however unweIcome
/ What else can we do, there not existing any court
Of justice equity before which to plead our
cause? II IS thing however. to submit TO force
and different TO allow ones self to be driven
cheering and productive OF untold benefit Your
side claims that the Panama coup is the hghest
example on record OF international morality ana
altrustic sentiment We cIalIn-and IN so CoLns
have the sympathy Of considerable majority
Of the thinking element in the United states
that great injustice was done COLOMBIA Inc
Tribune has TO recognize that the only decorous
course for Colombia to follow Is 70 protest per
slstently before the tribunal OF history ana ao-
stract tustce-the only open to her for the
present-awaitng, for the settlement or dlHerences
| ,ntu the element which follows the path marked
I o,Yf Nv +ha fat hers pTSdO
words than nothing is settled until settled right
have been spoken.
Speaking OF accepting accomplished fects, "hel
It has been declared that nigh makes right ana
that IN virtue thereof what Is wanted Is TAKEN II
IS easier to learn than to forget Even more, II Is
not out OF place to admire force for the sake or
its manliness IN asserting itself without recourse
! 10 subterfuge.
IN order to make my proposition clear must %
allowed another brief skotch Of Colombian history
II 1854 Rafael Nufrz was President of the Ohlted
, States OF Colombia legally and constltuuohatiy
elected by branch Of The liberal party that under
his leadership claimed that the Institutions ct tle
country were not liberal enough. This man counted
on tho favorable pass!vtty OF the conservatives
When his period OF two years was about 10 expire
the country with sstonishment that ne was
plotting perpetuate himself IN office Untor'u-
uately, the people did not know eny better theI 10
oppose violence to violence, and rose in arms Ahe
first 10 enlist under the constitutional banner
were those liberals who had been missulded oy
their leader. They realized, rather late, that Nuhes
had deceived them. Secret until then, NuheE oeet-
irgs with the conservatives became apparent, out
notwithstanding the support Of this important any
tha consutut!onalists gained ground daily ana soon
. became masters OF the entire Atlantic coast NuheZ.
/ at bay, conceived a diaboucal idea which, carried
into execution has been tho material and the moral
rulnat!on OF Colombia He remembered a clause
Article S5-in the treaty of ISN between CooTnblA
and the United States by which he could gain ad-
vantage and he Infatuated. through an agent 20
. the convenient parties at Washington tet an IN
depreciation could be tortured out OF the clause IN
the treaty wGrranuug, nay, demanding. the inter
vertlon OF United States IA our Internal ahaFs
In view OF the existing disturbances Nunez pr
posed that he would call upon the Washington gov
eminent maintain neutrality and keep Tree ana
uninterrupted traffic across the isthihta' ne sIe
Fested that the Washington government couo heIAe
tho opportunity for demonstrating ABOUT Iildt 70
riCn which the whole world would naturally con-
src ns meaning tho protectorate over the coveted
territory: that the step would be particularly sls-
I rtacaut IN the presence Of the Clayton-l5uI"er
! tres+y- md aualIv that he-NuNez-wns willing 20
accent anything that might be demanded, proVlued
/ the American yarships favored him and kept him
IN Office 7 do not know how the early llperle4iSls
/ managed 20 have the plan carried out. but kno"
that the North Atlantic Squadron came ana % me-
fered not only in Punnma. but along our en- ehule s
Atlantic border, and that since then tho doom or
the United states OF Colombia was sealed. On the
day Of hts being informed that no was victorious
Nuhez from one OF the windows IN the palaHe ae-
clared that tho constitution had ceased 10 eA1sC
For twenty-five years ColoIio!a mas il!-ei 80"
otrar The reorle have made two heroic efforts
to regain the former standing OF their country IN
order to give themselves constitution, hut eaGh
/ time no sooner have those efforts bean on the
verge Of success than the American war vessels
80 cCy,e ~ the rescue Of the dictator in power
thus pcrpetuatlnE the misrue and the ileII@I ti'u
I moral downfall Of seven million people
/ out Of those seven million people one huhule"
thousand rncn-the nerve and vitality or the couH-
trv-have lost their lives on the batteheIds over
three millions have been deprived Of their ear,iny
/ possessious large small. for not accept1hs
T-eeLly tba accomplished fact OF the deprivation OF
their rights and oue-half million have eInisTated
hut continue 70 long for the salvation OF their
fatherland All those who through desperation hiFe
not vet become stod or who through the o!cta-
tors practices have not become corrupt constitute
I the mass The Tribune calls Bouroonlo because
2 .ey-
1t is with an unmixed sense Of pride ana satstaN-
ton that I answer The Tribunes query: VI t "hIt
/ Colombian chief Of state do think weliT thlHk
not only well but exultanty Of Bolivar sahtah-
/ der N0sq!era Obando, Marquee, Lopez, Osplhh
Mallarino Murillo. sagar, Perez PARA, Zaldna
/ and their thousand coIIaborators Those men were
/ OF the highest type to be found throughout 'It
! history In any republic; they our Jenersons
| and IIrcOins Under their guidance colombo De-
came SO prosperous that gold was at discount
all public debts faithfully attended to, tnero
were public schools both sexes IN every one OF
{ +La tbousand districts Of the country, and high
schools normal schools and universities that cou4o
rank among the best IN the world for the nature
of the results obtained. Bogota, the capltal haa
degervedly received the OF the Athens or
South America on account of the learning VII,
and brlancy Of its residents. The constitution was
sacredly respected. the purity OF the ballot II not
more immaculate, not one speck more soled
than IT has ever in this or any other country
scairning purity Out Of the nine states FORMING tAe
union two governed by the CONSERVATIVES
md seven by the liberals, and every one OF the dlr-
ferent states turned in both liberal and conserva-
I've reDresentation 10 the Senate and the House,
and as for the congresses held during that goloeh
age they compare favorably with the most re-
| assemblies OF their klnd ever cOnEeISu at
CO. time or in eny cline. I could refer 10 hun
dreds Of impartial witnesses for the eXactnesS Oh
the foregoing statements.
II may be well to state once more the true facts
rerarding what The Tribune calls the Illegally
9oieta6 sIbservience Of Panama 10 the Bogota gov