New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-17
Colonel a "Superman,'
Says Colombian Asking
Payment for Panama
WANTS JUSTICE AND
FRIENDSHIP OF u. S.
Believes Americas Should
Stand Together in Atti-
tude on European War

General Rafael Reyes, former Presi-
dent of Colombia, who reached Ne"
York Thursday, will leave soon ior
Washington, there to work for the
treaty whereby the United States would
be obliged to pay Colombia s25,OoO'ooo
for the partition of Panama.
az am sure that the treaty VIII be
approved" he said yesterday.
The former President comes here
with the sanction OF his government
Yankee" Reyes they call him IN MS
native land, where he has won repu-
tation for statesmanship. Besides &C.
cupying the Presidential chair, he mas
also served as Minister to France, anc
is held in esteem as Colombia's leading
private citizen.
General Reyes differs from many OF
lis countrymen in cherishing sincere
admiration for Theodore Roosevelt. lie
said that he considered him super
man. He explained that the Colonel
had not been highly regarded by Co,
lombians since he, as President, allowed
Panama to secede from her mother
country.
"Tn South America" said General
Reyes, "Mr Taft, Mr.. Root and Mr..
Wilson are held in higher regard"
Colombian an Explorer
Apart from his political ability. the
general has other points in common
with Roosevelt. He is an enthusiastic
traveller and has taken part IN sew
eral exploration expeditions.
On one Of these he attempted TO
reach the headwaters of the Amazon
with his brothers, Henry and Nestor.
He returned alone. Nestor was cap
tured and devoured by cannibals and
Henry died from fever.
Although a man OF recognized mill
tary ability, it was General Reyes who,
while President, put an end to militar-
ism as the dominant factor in the poll
tics of his country and created civil
government, in which form the country
has long enjoyed an absence OF fnsur-
rectiOns.
at is a great mistake" said General
Reyes, "to believe that Colombians are
al tagonistic to the United States or to
Americans. If any such sentiment
exists in my country, IL is confined to
the unknowing element. 1t does not
exist among the people of understand
ing.
~ have visited Chile, Uruguay, Bra
zil Argentina and the Pacific repub-
lies, where ! lectured on the subject OF
A good understanding between North
America and South America and for
the approval Of the treaty between Co
lombia and the United States on the
Panama question. | observed that the
feeling of all the South American coun-
tries is the same as that OF Colombia
and that the approval Of this treaty
would be regarded as a proof OF JUS
tice. friendship and trust given by the
United States to that continent.
Good Business for United States
"On my way TO this country on the
steamship Almirante Lincoln's Birth
day was celebrated by the passengers,
who included more than 100 Ameri-
cans. | was asked to speak and ] said
that the approval OF the Panama
treaty would be stroke Of good bust
ness for the United States, because in
a short time this country would receive
tenfold the money that would be paid
TO Colombia.
'lOlOmDld lULcHuo W uot Nht HiVHoy
we expect to receive in public improve
ments, including new railroads. We
want to be friends with the United
States, not for the money, but that we
may be placed on an equal footing. |
believe that it is important for both
Americas in the present war to go
hand in hand in order to receive the
men and the wealth that will flow from
- .1h
side is the victor"
General Reyes said that Colombia
was largely pro-Ally, but that the gem
eral hope in Central America was that
the United States would not be drawn
into the conflict. Such participation,
he said, would prove disastrous to sec
tions which are dependent now on the
United States for commodities.