New-York tribune., 1913-09-22
COLOMBIAN
CONCESSION FEARED
Administration Expected to In
vestigate Grant to Pear.
son & Son.
CANAL RIGHTS INCLUDED
New Interoceanic Waterway
Could Be Built Across
South America by
the English.
Iron The Tribune Bureau. !

| lFron The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Sept 2l.-The report that
Pearson & Son, the great English firm
OF contractors and exploiters. with its sig
nihcant relations to the British govern
ment itself has obtained from the gov
| ernment of Colombia a gigantic conces-
sion for the exploitation Of Colombia S
natural resources, involving the right 10
construct docks. quays. railways and
canals. etc. arouses intense interest, not
TO say concern. here.
From what is now known of the con-
cessioN negotiations for which have been
on for several months, the matter in
wolves the acquisition by English conces-
! sionaires of tracts OF land and harbor
works in the Gulf OF Darien. a stone
throw from the Panama Canal. and spe-
cial interests along the Atrato River a
waterway which forms a part Of the site
OF the Colombian route for an Isthmian
canal
The details Of the concession. which was
procured for Pearson & Son by Lord Muir
ray of Ellbank. formerly chief whip OF
the Liberal party. the party now in
power. and who resigned from Parliament
/ 10 become a partner OF Pearson & Son.
are not known here, but the details of a
concession that was proposed some
months ago are known, and II they are
the same the State Department now has
good cause 10 worry.
Washington to Investigate.
| The department is expected TO institute
an immediate investigation. For several
years IL has been watching the situation
with regard 10 a concession such as this
with keen interest and with some OF the
| departments experts the matter has been
| considered one OF the greatest diplomatic
and strategical importance
! II II proves that Lord murray has OBJ
tained a concession for the construction
Of a base on Darien Gulf. on the Carlb-
bean coast OF Colombia. a direct conflict
with the resolution OF the United States
Senate OF last year. inspired by the pro-
| posed purchase OF large tract on Mag
! dalena Bay by n japanese corporation.
and which amounted 10 an amplifcation
OF the Monroe Doctrine will al once be
apparent and will require some action.
This resolution. introduced by Senator
/ Lodge and passed last August by an al
most unanimous vote of the Senate. said {:
Resolved. That when any harbor or
other place In ths American continents e
/ 50 situated that the occupation thereof
/ for military or naval purposes might
/ thrcaten the communication or the safety
OF tho United States the government OF
/ the United States could not see. without
grave concern. the possession OF such
] -
ton or association which has such re-
/ lation 20 another government. not Ameri-
can. AZ 10 give that government practical
| power of control for naval or military
purposes"
Colombian Canal Project.
! The project Of an ocean-to-ocean canal
| through Colombia has been investigated
many times Some engineers of standing
and prominence have pronounced the idea
practicable. The Atrato River. which
empties into the Gulf OF Darien. runs
! back into Colombia more than two hun
dred miles Its headwaters almost meet
those Of the San Juan River. which emp
/ ties into the Pacific. The canal project
contemplates the use OF these two rivers.
The construction OF n canal would be
an enormous undertaking. but even with
out the building Of an actual waterway
the two rivers could be utilized for MILL
tary purposes. Both are navigable for
great distances. and troops could he trans
ported from ocean 10 ocean by the use
OF barges and n comparatively short
portage.
! The oil concession which Lord Murray
has obtained is one which has been sought
for n long time Even now agents of
/ American interests are in Colombia for
the purpose Of competing with the Eng
/ lish concession hunters.
The matter would not he so significant
were II not for the fact that the conces-
sion also includes the construction OF
railways. docks. quays and canals. the
last named being OF the greatest signlfi-
canoe. II requires some imagination. but
! that feature Of the concession might he
considered England's answer TO the Pan
anna Canal tolls question. the American
attitude concerning which has caused
keen dissatisfaction In Great Britain
Corporation's Influence Great.
! The influence OF Pearson & Son with
the British government is also OF prime
! importance. The head OF the firm liz Lord
Cowdray. II was stated in The Tribune's
Washington dispatches OF August 10 that
II was believed here that the Influence Of
| Cowdray with the British Foreign ONCE
had much 10 do with Great Britain's
nrompt recognition OF the Huerta gov
ernment in Mexico. Pearson Son hav-
ing secured great oil concessions con-
tIneent upon such recognition. The Trib-
une's dispatch has since been widely pub
usbed in British newspapers and has not
been denied.
What this government will do liz, OF
course. unknown. II Will doubtless be
the State Departments first step to as
certain the exact extent OF the Pearson
concession. The matter cannot fail TO
arouse great and immediate interest In
the Senate, where the resolution OF last
wear originated and was adopted.
The exact meaning OF that amplihca-
tion of the Monroe Doctrine was ex-
planned by Senator Lodge, the author In
RESPONSE TO the following question from
Senator Cummins:
What is the real meaning OF this reso-
luton as IL affects the Monroe DoctrineY
, Is ~ an extension or further application
OF that principle?'
"The declaration rests upon much
broader and older grounds than the Mon
roe Doctrine" replied Senator Lodge.
"Tbis resolution rests on the generally
accented principle that every nation mas