Minister Barrett to the Acting Secretary of State.
Bogotá, July 13, 1906.
Sir: I have the honor to report a most important and definite action just taken by a prominent group in the National Commercial Congress, which is now holding its sessions in Bogotá, in favor of arranging all pending questions between Colombia on the one hand and the United States and Panama on the other along the lines of negotiations begun by President Reyes and myself.
Yesterday, in a full session of this congress, which is representative of the entire Republic, the following delegates, representing the Pacific and Atlantic coast departments of Narino, Cauca, Antioquia, Bolivar, Atlantico, and Magdalena, Messrs. C. Pineres, Oscar A. Noguera, Luciano Herrera, Ricardo Restrepo C, Leonardo Tascon, and J. Gnecco Laborde, submitted the following proposition, which was adopted unanimously by the conference:
We, the undersigned, commissioners of commerce, agriculture, and industry from the departments of Narino, Cauca, Antioquia, Bolivar, Atlantico, and Magdalena, which are the departments that have their litorals, some on the Pacific and some on the Atlantic, hereby make known to the Government the necessity of promptly settling in a manner honorable and convenient to Colombia all questions pending with the United States and with Panama, and we ask that this resolution, which has been approved by the minister of foreign affairs, will be therefore considered by the conference.
To-day this remarkable action is the subject of general conversation, and is considered as one of the strongest steps that has yet been taken toward framing public sentiment in favor of new treaties. The minister of foreign affairs and myself regard it of such importance that I am cabling you the purport of this action. In the debate over its consideration most kindly references were made to the policies of this legation and to its efforts to promote friendly relations between Colombia and the United States and Panama.
I have, etc.,