Evening star., 1914-01-22

upon which are living only 100000
people, composed Of whites. Indians and
negroes. the whites absolutely dominat-
ing and ruling the country. With con-
tinued peace. such as has existed during
the past nine years. Colombia should
have. within the next quarter of cen
tury, at least 100000 people. all hnd-
ing ample employment and sustenance
within their own boundaries.
From the chilly paramos of her huge
Andean mountains down to the warm
lands of her fertile river valleys may be
found every climate known to man; cli-
mates which can produce every vegetable
every grain and fruit, every shrub and
flower Of which our civilization has
knowledge. while her vast mineral re-
sources are but meagerly developed, not
withstanding the fact that the conquista-
dores took over seven hundred millions
of dollars worth of gold from the gravel
~ beds Of her mountain streams long be-
fore the famous battle Of Boyaca was
fought.
The aueenly Orinoco and the kingly
Amazon flow within her borders, and both
which In time will afford an easy outlet
for the rich products of vast region
now occupied only by savage tribes, but
which some day will be mighty empire,
with a high civilization. giving freely to
and taking literally from the various
markets of the world.
Friendship Shattered.
You know that this wonderful and in
te-esting country was the firm and ad-
rnirinS friend Of the United States for
nearly a century-in fact, our very best
friend in AN Latin America. You also
know that that friendship was completely
shattered by the violent paration of
Panama in 1903.
From that moment everything North
American was viewed with distrust by
Colombia and the people of the republic
seemed to lose all faith in the justice and
ly avow that what was done to Panama
by the United States In 1908 may happen
at any time to any other part Of South
or Central America. They consider that
act a wrong of the first magnitude. and;
no matter what the men Of the northland
NAV say in extenuation of it, the men OF
the southland firmly believe that 1t was
Il fragrant violation OF the rights OF ma
lions, and that belief is spreading sus-
picIon, misgivings and distrust in every
land beyond the Rio Grande.
Gives Key to Harmony.
ITO my mind it is a self-evident truth
that if the Anglo-Saxon is to live in har-
mony with the Latin on this continent
fairness and do nothing to the Latin's
country but what is absolutely defensible.
"Any other course will make of our
vaunted Monroe doctrine fruitless
fateful and dangerous thing, for We must
aot forget that every enemy a nation
lakes by doing the right thing is
ascal at heart, but every enemy a ma
on makes by doing the wrong thing IS
IRE to be a dangerous foe. l firmly be-
iieve that the act of 1903 :s costing the
people of the United States in trade.
commerce good will and valuable conces-
sions a great many millions of dollars N
Latin America every years we live. You
NAV be interested in knowing how this
unfortunate situation was brought
about, and I will try to tell you In as
few words as possible.
Delays Action on Treaty.
THE Hay-Herran treaty. which was
to concede to the United States the Canal
Zone, was offered to Colombia for rati-
fication in the summer Of 1903, and on
the 31st day of October Of that year
the Colombian congress adjourned with
out ratifying the treaty. There were two
causes for this: First, the leading states
men of Colombia believed that certain
provisions in the treaty conflicted with
their constitution. Second. in that hour
Colombia was absolutely impotent to act.
She had just emerged from the most
disastrous civil war Of all her national
life. Nearly 100000 Of her citizens had
been slain. and her haciendas and VII
lagos had been wasted from sea to sea.
The generals who had been fiercely fight
ing each other on the field Of battle were
now bitterly opposing eacn otnef IN tne
halls of Congress, and the acting presi-
dent, enfeebled by age and confused by
the chaos that confronted him. seemed
to lose all influence over and controi OF
the national government. and thus over
4, ,OOO, 600 Of innocent and hapless people
became the victims Of a widespread
political paralysis.
"It was the hour for a great and hui
name nation to stretch forth a helping
hand and lead this distressed and strug-
Cling people, who had been our pest
friends for nearly century. out OF ana