cult to reach by the bad means of communication; but to-day, with the completion of the Girardot Railroad, the cart road of the north, having a length of more than 50 leagues, and which will be duly inaugurated on the 20th of July next as an automobile transportation enterprise, according to the contract already signed; the construction of the Las Papas road; the betterment, already under way, of all railways; within a few years this difficulty will have disappeared. We are informed that in the session of the council of ministers, already referred to, all pending questions were settled, and it was resolved that in the future there shall be but one, in place of two, night sessions weekly. We understand that in a number of these sessions-as, for instance, in those of the 24th and 31st of Decemberthe council worked until the following day. We extend our most hearty felicitations to the council of ministers, which, properly speaking, is the Government of the country, who, applying themselves strictly to the constitution and to the laws, have, by their constant and fecund labors, already formed a school for all public employees in all the branches of the administration. These are the fruits of the national concordance, of order, of peace, and of justice. Let us continue our labors. Minister Squiers to Secretary Root. [Telegram.] AMERICAN LEGATION, Panama (undated). (Received January 30, 10.22 p. m.) Recent treaty between Colombia and Panama ratified by National Assembly this afternoon without amendment or discussion. Minister of Panama to Secretary Root. [Telegram.] SQUIERS. HAVANA (undated). (Received January 31, 1909, 4.50 p. m.) Secretary Arango cables me that both treaties have been ratified by Panama. AROSEMENA. Acting Secretary of State to Minister Dawson. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 9, 1909. Department officially advised that Panaman National Assembly has ratified without amendment treaties between United States and Panama and Panama and Colombia. Use your best endeavors to urge Colombia to take similar action regarding her treaties with the United States and with Panama. BACON. No. 232.] The American Chargé to Mr. Root. AMERICAN LEGATION, Bogota, February 12, 1909. SIR: In reference to the department's cipher telegram of the 9th instant advising the legation that the Government of Panama had ratified the treaties between that country, the United States, and Colombia, I have the honor to inclose herewith a cutting from El Nuevo Tiempo, of this morning, together with translation thereof, announcing the convocation of the National Assembly for the 22d instant to consider the acceptance of the treaties in question. As will be seen from this article, as well as from those transmitted in this legation's Nos. 223 and 227,1 of January 13 and 18, respectively, the treaties are received with favor by both the official and semiofficial organs of the Government, and no doubt is expressed as to their ultimate acceptance by the National Assembly. I have just seen the minister for foreign affairs, who questioned me closely in regard to the acceptance of the treaties by the Senate of the United States, and he assured me that it was the hope and belief of Gen. Reyes that there would not be the slightest difficulty in regard to the ratification. of the treaties here. I have the honor to be, sir, PAXTON HIBBEN, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. [Inclosure 2 in No. 232.-Translation.] [El Nuevo Tiempo, February 12, 1909.] Treaties of Colombia with Panama and the United States. Favorable stipulations toward Colombia-Convocation of the National Assembly-To reunite February 22-To discuss the treaties and the budget of revenues and expenses. As our readers are already aware, from the reproduction made yesterday of an article from the Panaman periodical, La Estrella, of some of the bases of the treaties which our minister in Washington signed with the representatives of Panama and of the United States In addition to the stipulations mentioned by La Estrella, we understand, on good authority, that in the treaties in question there appear the following conditions, which are more favorable to Colombia than those contained in the Herrán-Hay treaty: The isthmian railroad will carry members of the Colombian Army, army provisions, mails, etc., under the same conditions as stipulated by Panama with the United States; The salt from the national salt mines on the Atlantic will be transported free, with no other encumbrance than the wastes of loading and unloading. This concession is of great importance, as on account of the same the ocean salt of our country will be used in place 1 Not included; not important. of foreign salt. In this manner the hundreds of thousands of pesos, gold, going out of the country to pay for foreign salt consumed in the departments of the Pacific will be stopped; Colombia is conceded the right to enter the Canal Zone with such of her products, as provisions, fatted cattle, etc., for consumption, under the same conditions as the products of the United States. This concession promises for our agricultural industries and the welfare of cur shores on both oceans-especially for the farmers of the Atlantic coast-a benefit worth thousands of pesos, gold, annually in the exportation of fatted cattle only, which exportation, as we all know, has ended with great detriment, owing to the fact that the markets of Cuba and of the Isthmus imposed a duty of 15 pesos, gold, on each head of fatted cattle; Further, the treaty concedes to us the free passage of the canalfree of all taxes for the navy of our country, whether in case of interior or exterior wars; Upon guaranty of the United States, Panama will pay to Colombia $2,500,000, corresponding to its participation in the foreign debt; and The boundaries will be the same as those determined by the law of the 9th of June, 1855. All these concessions are of such importance and magnitude that we have to recognize that the American Government has made an effort to give us satisfaction for the injustices committed against Colombia, and of which the diplomatic mission-of which the actual President of Colombia was chief-claimed, in the well-known note of grievance which to-day is placed in the right before the eyes of the civilized world. In our yesterday's edition we gave space to a letter addressed to the Herald by the well-known American professor, Hamilton Rice, in which he recognized the unjust manner in which Colombia was treated, and with grand altruistic spirit advised his country that they give satisfaction enforcing the principles of equity, a satisfaction which must correspond to the greatness of the American people. The council of ministers, in its session of yesterday, convoked the National Assembly to extraordinary sessions, which will reunite on the 22d instant to consider, in addition to the budget of revenues and expenses of the present year, the treaties in question. We understand that they have already been approved by the Assembly of Panama, and judging by cable advices, they will also be approved by the American Senate, which at present is discussing them. Our minister in Washington was not mistaken when he reported to our minister for foreign affairs the generosity of these treaties, a fact which has been recognized by the sort of plebiscite which has begun in this country regarding this important question. By telegrams, which we have published in this periodical from several parts of the Republic, it will be seen that public opinion is unanimous in approbation. Minister Dawson to Secretary of State. [Telegram.] AMERICAN LEGATION, BOGOTA (undated) (Received Feb. 14. 1909.) Arrived. National Assembly summoned for February 22; prospects ratification favorable. Minister Dawson to Secretary of State. DAWSON. [Telegram.] AMERICAN LEGATION, BOGOTA (Received Feb. 17, 1909). After an informal conference with 21 members of the National Assembly already present, out of 48, yesterday, the President of Colombia and the Colombian minister for foreign affairs quite confident of the unanimous ratification so soon as the assembly meets. The treaties are satisfactory in every detail. Inform the minister of Colombia. DAWSON. No. 235.] Minister Dawson to Secretary of State. AMERICAN LEGATION, Bogota, February 17, 1909. SIR: As I had the honor of reporting to the department by my telegram of the 13th instant, I arrived in Bogota on that day, carrying the treaties between Colombia and the United States and Panama. They were at once delivered, but owing to the slight illness of the minister for foreign affairs and the intervention of Sunday I was not able to resume my official relations with this Government until the 15th. I inclose herewith a note to that effect addressed to the minister for foreign affairs and a copy and translation of his reply received to-day. From Cartagena, Gamarra, and Ambalema I telegraphed President Reyes or the minister for foreign affairs. At Cartegena, Barranquilla, Gamarra, Honda, Mariquita, Ambalema, and Girardot, as well as on the steamboats and at Bogota, I conversed with a large number of Colombians of different shades of political opinion, and was able to detect no criticism of the terms of the treaties or indication of an intention to oppose their ratification by the National Assembly. Among some enemies of President Reyes it is said that he ought to call a new election for a congress composed of two houses, and submit the treaties to it, but there seems to be no likelihood of any concerted action in this direction. Prior to my arrival at Cartagena, President Reyes considered the advisability of such action, and 42112-S. Doc. 474, 63-2—13 consulted many prominent citizens about it. While I was on the river he announced that since public opinion was overwhelmingly in favor of the treaties and their prompt ratification, he had determined to summon the National Assembly for the 22d instant. (See Mr. Hibben's Nos. 232 and 233 of the 12th and 13th instant.) Yesterday (February 16) I had a long interview with President Reyes. He had read the text of the treaties and made no criticism of any of their details, referring with much satisfaction to their very exact correspondence with his instructions given in 1905 and 1906 through Dr. Climaco Calderon, then minister for foreign affairs. He had no doubt that the National Assembly would ratify them by an overwhelming or even a unanimous vote, and this by the end of next week. He and the minister for foreign affairs had an informal conference with 21 of the 48 members of which the assembly is composed. (See my telegram of to-day.) Their votes were assured. Members were arriving rapidly, and he would see about 20 more in a day or two. Telegrams were pouring in daily from all parts of Colombia expressing satisfaction with the treaties. President Reyes manifested great anxiety about ratification by the United States Senate. He showed me a telegram, dated February 14, from Minister Cortés, in which the latter stated that it was probable the Senate would amend the treaty between Panama and the United States. Reyes fears that this may delay the Senate's ratification of the Colombian-United States treaty, and suspects that the Government of Panama will intrigue to this end. He had already answered Cortés's telegram saying something to this effect. I told him that the latest instructions from my Government (see your telegram of February 9) indicated that the department was strongly of the opinion that Colombia's interests would be furthered by her immediately ratifying, and that I had no news of any disposition on the part of the Senate to amend the Colombian treaty or delay its ratification. I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant, T. C. DAWSON. [Inclosure 1 in No. 235.] FEBRUARY 15, 1909. F. O. No. 42.] Mr. MINISTER. I have the honor to announce to your excellency that, having returned after my congé, I have again assumed the discharge of my duties at this post. I take advantage of this occasion to express my thanks for your excellency's kindness to Mr. Paxton Hibben, who has been chargé d'affaires since September 20 last, during my absence, and to express the hope that the admirable relations existing between your excellency's Government and my own and this legation will continue. I improve this opportunity to renew to your excellency the assurances of my highest consideration. To His Excellency Dr. FRANCISCO JOSÉ URRUTIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs. |