The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-06-18
1T NAY BE HEADED OFF

Although, it is an administration
measure, the Star sincerely hopes
the proposed treaty with Colombia
will be headed off in the Senate, and
there seems to be some hope that it
will.
The strong opposition to the treat
| les with Colombia and Nicaragua de-
| yeloped at the meeting Wednesday
of the Senate foreign relations COM
mittee. Senator Bryan of Florida
spent two hours explaining the
treaties to the committee and max
ing plea for their ratification, but
many members predicted that an un-
favorable report would be returned
to the Senate.
Particular objection was raised by
both democrats and republicans to
the expression in the Colombian
treaty of the sincere regret OF the
United States that anything should
have occurred in connection with
partition of the Panama Canal Zone
from Colombia to mar friendly re1a-
lions with the United States and the
indemnity OF s25,000,0OO to be paid
Colombia six months after the treaty
is ratified.
The Nicaraguan treaty would give
the United States exclusive right to
construct a transcontinental canal
across Nicaragua, would permit the
establishment of naval bases and
would give Nicaragua 100000
for these concessions. Members OBJ
jected to it principally on the ground
that it pointed toward the bolster
ing up of the present Nicaraguan
government and gained little for this
nation.
The committee decided to make
public the correspondence which pre-
coded the Colombian treaty, which,
it was said, would tend to show that
previous administrations committed
the United States to a policy of in
hope thus to gain republican sup
port.
The Star has never been able to
understand why any American, or in
fact any person who desires the pro-
gress. of the world, should object to
the manner in which this country
gained possession Of the strip of land
thru which it has cut the Panama
canal. The United States made a
fair and generous offer to Colombia,
and Colombia turned it down, simply
and solely because the politicians at
that time in power in that country,
which is even less advanced than
Mexico, wanted to pull Uncle Sam
| leg for more money. They had no
atriotism-nothing in the world but
greed. Their country couldn't dig
the canal the whole world needed
and they were not willing for any
other nation to dig it until their
avarice was gratifed.
| Then the state of Panama seeded
| If there ever was state that had a
right to secede from a confederation
it was this one Panama was Joined
| and held to Colombia by force. It,
/ interests were entirely apart from
| those of the rest of the nation, an6
it's revenues were often confiscatet
by the military chiefs in control o
the other states. When Panama Sc
ceded, the Colombian government
sent forces to capture the terminals
of the Panama railroad. Here Pres
ident Roosevelt stepped in. He sen
marines to protect the railroad, a
it was not only the right but tn
duty of this country to do. Eve
since the Panama railroad was bull
the United States has been bound b.
treaty to keep ii. open to the world
, and in compliance with this treaty
American marines had charge of tn
: entire line and its terminals for sew
eral months during Cleveland's frs
administration.
. Not being able to control the rail