Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-10

to the United states.
The following is a portion of ar j,
ticle of the draft of the treaty pc
tween the United States and the Re-
public of Colombia, signed by Ehhu
Root Secretary of State, on pehal1
of the United States, January >, lsos
ratified by the Senate of the United /,
States February "a, 1909, but which
was not ratified by the COLOMBIAN
Congress: =
ARTICLE 2.
In consideration of the provisions ana
stipulations hereinafter contained, 1t is :
agreed as follows:
The Republic of Colombia shall nave
liberty at all times to convey through
the ship canal now in course of construe-
ton by the United States across the
Isthmus of Panama the troops, materials
for war, and ships of war of the Repuo-
lie of Colombia without paying any ouly
to the United States, even in the case OIL
an international war between COLOMBIA
and another country.
This treaty which Mr.. Root nego-
tiated with Colombia in 1909 was one
of three treaties signed at the same ?
time In addition to the treaty be-
tween the United States and Colon
bia there was a treaty between the Z
United States and Panama and also
a treaty between Panama and Colon
bia. These treaties were intended as
settlement of the controversy be-
tween the United States and Panama
and Colombia growing out of the Pam
anna revolution against Colombia, the
recognition of Panama by the United
States, and the requirement OF the
right from Panama for the United
States to build q canal They assum-
ed that the Republic of Colombia had
some rights in the canal by reason
of it's former ownership of the terri
tory through which the canal has been
constructed which placed Colombia
on a different footing from any ma,
ton other than Panama and the Uni
ted States; and the treaties were
signed for the purpose of settling all
questions growing out of the fact that
the United States had acquired from
the new Republic of Panama the right
to build the canal through the terri
tory which had belonged to Colombia
before the Panaman revolution
OBTAINING ENGLAND'S CONSENT
Mr. Root stated on February r.,
1913. before the Senare Committee on
Interoceanic Canals that he negotiated
the treaty with Colombia after OBJ
tanning the consent of Great Britain.
He said:
These treaties were to clear the title
to the Isthmus from the claim that Col
ombia still makes, and they provided for
the same privileges TO Colombia which
had been contained in the Hay-Herran
treaty and which were contained in the
Panama treaty. Under IL Colombia gave
up her claim of title and cleared our
title | got the consent of Great Britain
to that specifically.
While Colombia rejected this treaty
with her. so that it never went into
effect, the provision | refer to involv-
ed a construction of the right of the
United States under the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty to grant special favors to
Colombia in regard to her vessels go
ing through the canal.
Mr.. Root says that he specifically
obtained the consent of Great Britain
to that provision in the treaty.
should like to know how the consent
was asked for and how it was eX-
pressed. 1t seems more than passing
strange that if the English Govern
ment consented to this treaty in 1909,
Sir Edward Grey, in 1912. would take
express exception to the provision ih|
our treaty with Panama granting Pan
| anna free tolls on certain of her yes,
sells and materials. Upon what the
DRY could Great Britain. under the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty. consent to our,
allowing vessels of Colombia to go
through the canal free and object tol
the allowance we had made that vessl
sells of Panama should go through
free? And if Great Britain had con-
sented in 1909 that Colombian vesse@I
should go through free, how does Ill
happen that she protested in 1912
against vessels of Panama going
through free, without any reference tol
her former consent? And how does III
happen that no one else in this count
try, and apparently no one al all In.
/ Great Britain, knew that our Secre-,
I tary of State had asked and obtained
! the consent in 1909 for Colombian yes
sells to be exempt from tolls? If there
are any papers in the State Depart
ment showing that this consent was
asked for or received, they ought to-
be made public.
ROOTS HUMILIATING STATE:
MENT
The statement of Mr. Root about
| having obtained the specific CONSENT
| of Great Britain is a statement filled.
! with humiliation for the United States I
! Suppose Great Britain had refused her
/ consent at that time? Here we were
negotiating treaties for the purpose OF,
settling a controversy which involved
our right to construct the canal at ALI
at Panama, and, according to Mr.
| Root, if Great Britain had refused to-
! give her consent we would have been.
in the humiliating position of being
unable to settle that controversy with
Colombia. The very statement of the
case shows the danger of admitting
| Englands present construction of the
! treaty. Will we have to ask in the
| future the consent of Great Britain
every time we want to deal with the
canal question and settle controversy
| sizes in regard to it and our rights ins
/ 1t and our right to construct it? The
Illuminating, confession of Mr.. Rodt
would seem to indicate that such
would be the case, but | deny that
! such construction is a correct one,
/ We are pledged to Great Britain to