Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-04-09

PRICE WE PAY
FOR CANAL ZONE
COLOMBIA WILL GET BIG SUM FOR
SMALL STRIP OF TERRITORY
REPRESENTATIVES OF TWO
COUNTRIES AGREE ON TERMS
Senate Must Ratify Treaty Made by
Representative.

Washington, D. c., April g. Twenty
five million dollars is the arount .he
United States agrees to pay to Col
ombia for the partition Of Panama and
the acquisition of the canal zone in thu
treaty signed in Bogota by American
Minister Thompson and the Colombian
authorities. This was stated here to
day at the Colombian legation.
No rights for the new interoceaniC
canal across Colombia by The Atrato
river route and no coaling pl ivileg9s
on San Andreas and Providencla
Islands, off the Colombian coast, It
was added, were contained in tn.
treaty.
While Colombian Minister, Senof
Betancourt received a cable from his
foreign Office informing him of tins
signing of the agreement, the state
department still was awaiting word
from Mr.. Thompson,
The boundary between Colombia
and Panama is to follow the line la !
down in an earlier treaty which was
approved by the Colombia congress.
One important demand which the
South American republic had been
insisting on, the free passage of hoi
merchant vessels through the canal,
was given up because of President
Wilson's attitude in favor OF repeal
Of the tolls exemption That had been
a stumbling block in the way of fna
agreement.
The Colombian congress will be
called in special session to pass on
the treaty before it is submitted to
the United States senate.
Acceptance of the latest treaty wiz
end ten years of negotiation and frit :
tion between the United States aurl
Colombia and relieve strained diplo,
matte relations which have been
watched with the keenest interest hy
Latin-American republics.
Colombia has insisted that the
United States either pay lump sum
for the canal zone it acquired when
the republic of Panama was set up
overnight with guarantees of intes-
rity from Washington, or that the
whole question be submitted to The
Hague for arbitration.
The last negotiations took place
at the close of President Taft's ad-
ministration, when Minister Dubois
under instructions of Secretary Kno
offered a settlement on this basis:
Ratification by Colombia of the So
called tri-partite treaty of 1909 BIZ
which Panama agreed to apportio1
with Colombia the annual payment of
$4,000 which she receives from th
United States as rent for the canal
zone for sufficient period to liquiG
ate any claim of Colombia's up to
$1O,OOO,OOO.
Payment of $1O,OOO,OOO cash T.
Colombia by the United States for an
option on the Atrato river canal route
and coaling sites at St. And "eas an
Old Providencia.
An offer of the friendly influence ot
the United States with Panama f)~
an adjustment between Panama and
Colombia over the partition.
An offer to arbitrate reTersionarv
rights in Panama. The Colombian for
eign Office, rejected the plan because
it omitted to recognize the claim q
sovereignty over Panama.
J Before going out Of office, Presideni
Taft transmitted q letter to congress
containing Secretary Knox's report of
the negotiations, saying that Colombo
by refusal had "closev the door to acv