Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-21
PACT.
Is ACCEPTED BY
u. S. SENATORS

Continued from Page - "s:
His change along with that Of other
Republican senators from opposition
TO the original treaty TO advocacy OF
the amended pact, was one Of the
points of attack by the progressive
Republican group.
To Improve Inter. American Relations.
that the treaty would improve the re-
lat'ons OF the United States with
Latin American republics, would sat-
lSty demands cqUitahly made by Co
lombia. and would aid the United
States in the world quest Tor oil. In,
connection with the last argument.
Senator Lodge in the first address Of
the debate, read a letter from Secre-
tary of the Interior Fall, FORMER sen
ator of New Mexico. urging ratj1ca-
lion as essential to the successful
competition of tho United States with
Great Britain in obtaining Colombian
oil concessions.
Democratic senator's for the most
part. rcfraincd from discussion.
In closing debate Today. Senators
Norris, Nebraska: Wadsworth. New
and Eorah. Idaho, Republicans, and
Dial. South Carolina, Democrat. spoke
Imposition to ratification. while SEN
ator Lodge. Startling: eRepublica H..
South hakota. and Smith, Democrat,
south Carolina, urged acceptance Of
tho pact.
History OF Negotiations
Washington, April 2o.~-rhe Colon
hian treaty grow out Of the charge
that the United States had wronEed
Colombia in The partaiion Of Panama.
1t was ono thing in a sequence of
many. connected with the building of
thr Panama canal. and what was
characterized by its proponents the
taking Of the Isthn,us by Theodore
k~ooEeNclt while Congress debated"
Briefly StatGd. those" ,whotureed rat
fications Of the treaty charged that
when anama revolted from Colon,-
blan rule. American naval forces pre-
vented Colombia from recovering her
lost territory.
Those who opposed ratification of
the treaty charged that Colombia had
long hcen engaged in trying 10 hold
up the United States for a large sun,
OF money for a canal route: that Pana-
ma. once an independent stale. re-
VOTED from Colombian rule for Just
cause and that tho presence of Amer
lean naval forces had nothing to do
with the failure Of Colombia to force
Panama back into her statc.~
In short. it WAS charged that the
United States winkc,l or cunnived a,
the, Panama revolution to get tho
canal zon This charge. was denied
with equal visor. The treaty as al
first negotiated expressed the regret"
Of the United States. Later tho treaty
was rcdrawn to merely pay s3a.0o0,-
900 to Colombia. 1t was argued by
the treaty opponents that tho pa ynlent
Of $2a, 600. 900 WAS in itself an ad-
mission that the United States had
wrongcd Colombia.
Many Facts coutrovertcd
In tho ,wransle which has lasted
over many years few facts seem to
be uncontroverted. 1t does Seem. un-
disputed. however. that President
Roosevelt. acting under authority Of
a law fAthered by the late Senator
Spooner, ut Wisconsin, negotiated a
treaty with Colombia by which the
rights of the old French canal cor,
pany to build the canal, with q cash
nual payment of $3.50. 900. The treaty
was ratified by tho United States SEN
ate. but the Colombian Senate refused
to accept it. The motives which were
said to have %aCtuated the Colombian
senate in it's refusal furnished the
ground, work for some Of the charges
against Co1orbi by the opponents OF
the present treaty. 80
.DeLesseps. the French canal build
er, had spent millions Of dollar, and
thousands Of lives in unsuccessful" CT
forts TO build the canal and the pro-
ject was the worlds dream for at
least two centuries.
On November 3rd. 1903, Panama
revolted and set itae!f up as an indie
perdent state. A small American nA"al
force, less than fifty men. h record
says, vas landed to p"ot"c. Americans.
Ten days later the United States roc
state. guaranteed her independence.
and later made tho treaty by which
the canal&zone was coded tosthe Unit
ed States$and tho canal was..bf'ft s: e
Nature of Colombian Claim -,
Colombia claimed that according
to the terms,of the American treaty OF
1876 with New Granada, to which Co
lombia succeeded, the United States
was bound to maintain the sovereign
|ty Of Colombia over Panama and to
preserve neutrality in the Fanamanian
revolt.
About these points the dispute has
"a ged for more than sixteen years.
Back of it all was the implication that
tne CnlLeQ StaHeS Ceins ulAuts 10
close up the canal bargain with Co
|lomhia, arranged the Panama cvo-
luton in some way and put the deal
through with Panama. The treaty
opponents contended that The ratifca-
rtion of the present treaty would sus-
tain those contentious which they dc
MED and place a stain on the memory
OF President Roosevelt,
The strange shifts that often occur
in political tides find an illustration
in the history of the treaty. 1t was
negotiated at the instance Of William
Jennings Bryan. q Democratic secre-
tary Of state, submitted by a Demo-
cratic president. woodrow Wilson,
blocked In ratification by IA Republic
can minority, recommended for rati-
ication by ! Republican president.
Warren CT. Harding. and urged by
leaders of the senate preponderantiy
Republican. Tho treaty ~ finally
draun. hrwever, differs from that
signed a: Bogota on April s,.i914. and
pla rcd before the senate by President
Wilson. OH June 10. 1914. the prin.
lcipa1 change being the elimination of
Ia paragraph whereby the United
y .HEE. t#t 4FE.- -s.,-- #.E-H" .#aEf5st. ..es.