Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-25
CHARGES MADE BY RAINEY
House Committee Begins Hearing on
His Resolution.
TAKE CASE TO THE HAGUE
United States Urged to Arbitrate
Colombia's Claim for Terri
torial Compensation.

The American interests. with tbe
knowledge and cooperation OF the State
department, 'fomented' the revolution
or 1908 In the republic of Colombia
winch resulted I'm the Independence or
Panama. was charged by Representative
Henry i. Rainey of Illinois before the
House foreign affairs committee today.
Inc committee began hearings on a
resolution introduced by Mr. Rainey d.
recting an inquiry to determine whether
In taking the Panama canal strip this
country violated the treaty of 1916, and
X So that steps be taken to submit the
| claims OF Colombia for reparation to The
Hague arbitration tribunal.
Prepared In New York,
L propose to show In this baar,r~
,, that the declaration of Independents. or
Panama was prepared I'm New York in
the Office of William Nelson Cromwell
and that prior to that time there had
| been agreed upon November 2. 1ao2 as
the date for the beginning of the revo-
luton in Colombia" said Mr.. Rainey.
| also propose to show in the evidence
at hand that our own State Depart
nient was party to the agreement that
tne revolution occur on that date and
tnat November was chosen because
IL was the day after the presidential
election and the newspapers would be
nlied with election news and would not
nave much space to devote to a Gem
tral American revolution.
our contention Is that the part the
united states played for months prior
10 TINS revolution Is a stain on the his
tory OF this government, and that We
should make some reparation to CO.
iompia Tor the damage done her"
Protests by Colombia.
Mr. Rainey said that Colombia had con-
| tinually protested that the treaty guaran-
teeing Colombia perfect neutrality had
been violated and that the last appeal for
arbitration followed the declaration Of
former President Roosevelt in a speech
last April that he took Panama without
consulting Congress, because. IL he had
not. Congress would be debating II yet.
He said that Colombia was not looking
| Tor any FacessteM-of territory nor now
4 disputing the Independence OF PanamA.
but was merely seeking financial repara-
| ton for damages.
| Lobby methods used to stop the canal
project when it was before Congress
were brought to the attention Of the
committee during a colloQuy Of Repre-
sentative Cooper Of Wisconsin with Mr..
Rainey. Mr.: Cooper was trying to show
| that railroad interests from the United
States created the Colombian sentiment
against the canal.
Lobbyists on the. Floor.
II presided over the. House for. two
days while the Nicaraguan canal bill was
considered" he said. ''Transcontinenta
! railroad interests maintained lobbyists
here to defeat that bill I know OF my
| own certain knowledge that lobbyists
were at work on the floor
"And that lobbyist was William Nelson
Cromwell" interrupted Mr.. Rainey.
Didn't Mr.. Cromwell refuse to testify
to his action in that casec" asked Mr..
Sharp of Ohio.
THAT was later on" answered Mr.. kai-
ney Representative Cooper asked Mr..
| Rainey if any action OF the United States
| in acquiring the Panama Canal Zone was
not on a parallel with that Of Thomas
| Jefferson when he ratified the Louisiana
purchase, admitting that he had no con-
stitutionai authority for his act.
Levy Leads Debate.
| Representative Jefferson Levy OF New
York, owner of Jeffersons home at Mon
ticelIo and a namesake Of the high priest
| of democracy, led the debate over tho
! craftsmanship of the sage Of Monticello.
Mr. Cooper Of Wisconsin referred to a
speech made by the late Senator Marcu~
A. Hanna i'm the Senate Oh the Nicara-
guam canal project.
Il am glad you brought in the name of
Mr. Hanna" said Mr.. Rainey. He was
| lieves to be the sensational features OF
his case when the committee ADJOURNED
until a date next week to be announce
by Chairman SulZer.