The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-21
BRYAN DID APOLOGIZE
COLOMBIA NOW SAYS
Official Report From Bcgota
Confirms Previous Statements
on New Panama Treaty.
PACT STILL IN q. s. SENATE

The official report OF the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Colombia. just
received from the national printing
Office at Bogota by w. H. Schoff, secre-
tary of the Commercial Museum OF Phila-
delphia, contains some interesting details
about the treaty now pending in the
United States Senate and shows that IN
public opinion in Colombia at least the
United States has been placed in the
position OF an apologst for tho events
of 1903 leading up to the formation OF
the republic Of Panama.
The report opens with copy OF letter
addressed by the American Minister at
Bogota, Thaddeus A. Thomson. to the
Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs. III
which the desire of the United states
Government to end the differences between
il and Colombia and the offer of $50. OoO-
900 to settle all claims is set forth. The
reply of the Colombian Minister OF
Foreign Affairs accepting in principle
the offer and the drafts of the treaties
proposed by tho parties are included.
colombia's demand for $4,000, 600 and n
payment OF $4,000 annually for 100
years was eventually abandoned and in
the treaty as ratified by Colombia the
indemnity was fixed at S2j,0O0.0OO.
The report of the committee OF the
Colombian House of Representatives
favoring the ratification of the treaty says
in part:
The initiation OF the negotiations by
the United States, the location thereof in
Bogota and the general tendency OF the
treaty satisfy in a full manner and so 70
saw comprehensvely the first OF the points
enunciated. which is especially satisfied
by Article !. of the treaty, which says;
The Government of the United states or
America i'm it's own name and the name
OF the people of the United states eN-
presses sincere regret for whatever thing
may have occurred to interrupt or alter
the relations of cordial friendship which
for 50 long a time existed between the
two nations 4 satisfaction could not be
EXPRESSED in "a more final manner in
laeonic diplomatic language and the hon
orable Senate OF the republic SO considered
IL when u unanimously approved this ar
tice aud the preamble.
'sThe indemnity wipes out on the other
hand the attempted excuse for the despoil-
ment of Colombia in the name OF universal
civilization. II this had been the case why
the indemnity? SO that even the supula-
lions OF this article contain their share
Of moral satisfaction"
The report includes also n statement
by the chairman OF the Committee on
Foreign Affairs This is likewise a favor
able report on the ratification of the
treaty at this time containing one or two
observations OF particular interest as fol-
lows:
"F0r Colombia ~ Is sufficient that the
most powerful nation in the world eX-
presses regret for whatever thing may
have been able Ia alter the mutual good
relations, because in these expressions are
included all the deeds or events brought
Ia pass in Panama In November, 1909 > ;.
The phrase 'cualquler cOsa' whatever
thing used In Article ]. has been crlti-
Ci>ed because II Is stated that II more
appropriate expression would have been
.todo 10 que or TODD aqucllo que tall that
but 'cualquier cOsa' twhateyer thingD is
here equivalent TO "toda cosa" Uevery-
tblnGb."
These words of the chairman OF the
Colombian House Committee on Foreign
Affairs conflict with the official English
translation in the published tex Of the
treaty wherein the Government OF the
United States expresses sincere re-
greet that anything should have occurred"
The correct translation Of this treaty
makes the Government OF the United
States express regret for whatever thing
may have occurred" and by direct impli-
cation includes all the acts of the Ameri-
can Government in 1903 and 1904
The Colombia treaty is now in the SEN
ate Foreign Relations Committee, never
having been reported out. Secretary
Bryan has expressed the hope that IL VIII
be reported this session.