Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-04
One OF the Days Best Cartoons.

TO amend the constitution.
Second. Because, while the treaty
was being discussed In the Colombian
Senate. the United States minister 10
Bogota notified the Colombian chancery
the following:
II may say that tho antccedent cir
cumstanccs OF the whole negotiation
or the canal treaty, from official in
formation In the hands. OF my govern
mcnt. are OF such nature as To fully
warrant the United States in consider
ing any modification whatever OF the
terms or the treaty as practically "a
breach OF faith on tho part of tho
government of Colombia, such an NAV
involve the greatest complications in
the friendly relations which have hith
crto existed between the two coun
tries"
could Not DO Otherwise
Immediately after such notification
was made the Colombian Senate imam
lmously refused to approve the treaty.
II could not have done otherwise But
mat does not mean that Colombia was
not willing to grant TO the initial
states the right TO construct the canal
ON the contrary, In view of the difficulty
offered BY the constitution of Colombia
TWO ways were suggested in order TO
overcome II, viz:
To call the meeting OF new con-
Gress To amend the constitution or to
declare the country under martial law.
and then the vice president might APP
prove the treaty, exercising to that
eha his extraordinary powers
In order TO carry out the first way
suggested 1t would have required Soma
SIX months. and the government OF tho
United states did not want TO wait. in
spite OF the fact that the United Statcs
Minister TO Bogotn cabled requesting
to wait.
me second way could not DO adopt
ed, except based on powerful reason,
ana TINS was offered by the UPRISING az
Panama November 2. That Is the rca-
son why General Reyes communicated
To the United States Minister and the
latter transmitted to his government
November G, the following:
II tho government OF the
United States Will land troops to pre-
servc-Colomb!an sovereignty and transit
OF the lsthmus. this government
VIII declare martial Inv, and by virtue
oil vested constitutional authority. when
public order is disturbed. will npprove
by decree the ratification OF tho canal
treaty as signed. or, II tho government
or the United States prefers will call
extra session of Congress next Nav
to approve the treaty"
In truth. what difference could II
nave made TO tho United states TO walt
lutcly solid and clean title or the SOW
ercign owner Of Panama? What differ
cncc could six months have made In a
work which would last ten years or
more?
Quotations Unanswered
Tho high officials who had tho CON
troll OF the United States government in
1903 have not yet answered these qucs-
tions.
The author OF said article almost tells
the truth when he says the following:
when the revolution occurred and
was successful. and Panama was an In
dependent republic. certainly did pre-
vent Colombia form carrying on
bloody war on the isthmus In the ef-
tort TO overthrow the rcvolutionists.
We were solemnly pledged to
Keep transit across the isthtnus open
1t Is. therefore. perfectly true
that prevented any attempt by CO.
lombiH to land troops on tho isthmus.
Panama was an Independent republic
dc facto thon. just as sho Is now"
What would the United States have
done If during the war OF secession
any foreign power would have thought
convenient to prevent the northern
states from carrying on bloody war
in the effort to overthrow tho revo-
lutiOnists?
Such loss caused Colombia serious,
moral injuries as We'll aS Il great mate
rial loss. But inasmuch as Colombia
ala not for moment pretend to act
both rs the judge and Interested party
In her claims against the government
OF The United States, she did then pro
pose and has continued to propose up
to the present date, that the following
simple point OF law be submitted to the
arbitration court at Tho Hague
namely:
BY the treaty of 1916 between the
United states and Colombia, the United
states bound Itself (articlc $50 to guar
antee to New Granada Uater Colombia)
the right of sovereignty and property,
which New Granada had and possessed
over the territory Of the Isthmus OF
Panama
Would Decide Issuea.
III the difcrcnce as to tho construc-
ton OF the treaty should he submitted
to Tho Hague court, tho latter would
decide as TO who was right. and who
was wrong and what indemnity should
ne paid by The party who construed IL
wrongly.
Colombia's request that her differ
enccs with the United States he sub
mittcd to arbitration. leaving aside any
question OF national honor, has not
hcon withdrawn. 1t was merely with
heid when the present American adj
inlhistration suggested the possibility
to settle the matter directly, and the
eHorts or both parties brought about
tho present treaty, which puts an end
to question which has made n deep
Impression in the world and which
has been tho cause OF great mis-
giving and dlstrust throughout Latin
America.