Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1910

Chargé Hibben to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]

American Legation,
Bogota, May 13, 1909.

No. 262.]

Sir: I have the honor to refer to this legation’s Nos. 259 and 261,¹ of April 28 and May 5, respectively, in regard to the political situation of this country, and to my cipher telegrams of the 10th and 12th instant, respectively, reporting the action of the Government of Gen. Reyes in withdrawing the United States-Panama-Colombia treaties from consideration by the special Congress called for July 20, for which the elections are to be held the 30th of this month. With reference particularly to my first telegram, I have the honor to report that the situation of the present administration is of the gravest. I inclose herewith copy of the manifesto of the President of the Republic, to which reference was made in the telegram in question, accompanied by a translation thereof. The initial inconsistency between the statements made in this document and those made me yesterday by Dr. Urrutia is characteristic of the course which Gen. Reyes has seen fit to adopt—a course of vacillation, which has led him to this final act of sacrificing the treaties in the hope of maintaining his position as personal head of the Government and virtual autocrat of his country.

It is necessary for a clear understanding of the present situation to return to the moment of the departure of Mr. Dawson. From that time scarcely a day has passed without the establishment of some new newspaper—organs, for the most part, of the opponents of the Government. Shortly after Mr. Dawson left a paper called “El Debate,” the organ of the students who made their way into the legation on the 9th of March, and a strong Liberal journal, supporting Dr. Nicolas Eaguerra for President to supplant Gen. Reyes, began a cowardly attack upon Mr. Dawson, posting up throughout the city a placard purporting to be a certificate of a number of these students implying that Mr. Dawson had made a false statement in denying their report of his words to the students on the 9th of March. The journal was today suppressed as a result of a protest of the clean of the diplomatic corps. The attack on Mr. Dawson was an attack, through him, upon the treaties and upon the Government. The treaties have been, indeed, used as a political weapon against the Government. From day to day articles have appeared bitterly assailing the United States, and even going so far as to advocate the severance of diplomatic relations.

I had no intimation of the purpose of the Government to withdraw the treaties and knew of the action only by having seen the manifesto posted at the street corners on the evening of the 10th instant. I had just talked with the minister of foreign affairs half an hour before, but he had told me nothing. The following day I waited word from him until 5 o’clock in the evening. When he finally sent word that he had something to communicate to me I was engaged with the Ecudorean and Italian ministers, and considering it expedient then to wait until I could see the results of the manifesto on the antiadministration press in the morning, I availed myself of this excuse to reply that I would call at 9 the succeeding day. The opposition papers, however, contained little comment.

Dr. Urrutia wished to show me the telegram which was sent to the Colombian legation at Washington after I left the ministry, with instructions to assure the department of this Government’s continued support of the treaties. The minister had no reason to offer for not having informed this legation of the administration’s contemplated action earlier. He stated, however, that the President had become convinced that the treaties could not pass the Congress in July, and had decided, in order to avoid having them rejected, to postpone their consideration until the meeting of the regular Congress in February, 1910. He had only the vaguest reason to give for this belief. I asked him if he had any cause to believe that the treaties would more readily pass the Congress of 1910 than the present one, and he replied that he hoped so, but that it could not be certain. He added that the President feared civil war if the Gveornment continued to support the treaties, and that he had been assured by Mr. Dawson that our Government did not desire to bring such a disaster upon the country. When I pointed out, however, that if it were as certain as he seemed to believe that the treaties could not pass the present Congress there would scarcely be occasion for civil war, he withdrew the term and substituted grave disorders at the elections. I then asked him what he wished me to give my Government as the reason for this official action in thus withdrawing the treaties from consideration, and took down his words in Spanish, as follows:

[Translation.]

I believe that if the Government were to submit the treaties to the July Congress there might be a general commotion. The treaties are being used as an electoral weapon against the Government. The latter hopes for a change in the situation before the regular session of the Congress in February.

This was a final form, much altered before it was reached. Of it I sent a translation in my cable of yesterday.

Dr. Urrutia went from this interview to the President. Yesterday afternoon I know, privately, that the President made every preparation to leave the country, Holguin remaining in the exercise of the executive functions. He, however, again changed his mind and decided to remain. Dr. Urrutia, who alone, I believe, has been of consistent good faith in his attempt to secure the ratification of the treaties, has tendered his resignation, which at this hour has not been accepted, but I believe will be, he being made to appear as the scapegoat of the withdrawal of the treaties in the eyes of our Government. I inclose herewith, accompanied by translation, a cutting from La Plume Libre¹ of yesterday’s date, attacking Dr. Urrutia personally for his efforts in behalf of the treaties.

I transmit at the same time, without translation, for lack of opportunity to make it, an article¹ by one of the students, who have always been so bitter against the treaties, which expresses much of the sentiment of those opponents of Reyes, into whose hands the treaties will fall should the Government be defeated at the coming elections, which now seems likely. The tone of the article shows how little hope there would be of ratification by the more radical liberals. I inclose a translation of a placard posted up yesterday throughout the city, and emanating from one of the liberal electoral organizations, advocating the representation in the approaching Congress of the “Department of Panama”¹ by one of the men who has worked faithfully for the reincorporation of Panama with Colombia.

I have, etc.,

Paxton Hibben.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

treaties.

The Government postpones the discussion of the treaties with the United States and with Panama until 1910.

manifest.

The day drawing near on which the Colombian people will exercise their right of suffrage in accordance with the constitution and laws of the Republic, I consider it opportune and appropriate to address my compatriots, as much to express my desire that this right be exercised in a way truly correct and republican, as to inform them of the purposes of the Government and of the actual situation of the country.

There have been received notices by telegraph from all the departments according to which the citizens have registered peacefully and with interest in the exercise of the ballot in the elections of the 30th of May, and have fulfilled the directions of the Government by inspiring confidence that these elections will take place in complete peace, that the popular vote will be respected, and by avoiding all commotion and disturbances which might limit or harm this right.

These measures and the confidence which the public has and should have in the Government’s keeping of its promise to make the ballot respected, have produced a general situation of complete calm and the certainty the same will reign on the day of the election.

The country is presenting an example of prudence, of patriotism, and of civilization, which inspires faith in its future and the conservation of peace. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the coming election will be the first to be held in this country in complete order, without imposition or chicanery, to elect representatives of the people and not representatives of political parties. For the sake of my self-respect and the respect I owe my compatriots and, above all, my country, it is my vehement desire that personal government be avoided.

In the address of the 1st of January and in the presidential messages directed to the national assembly during its last session, I set forth the appropriateness and urgent necessity of calling a congress of popular election as soon as possible, which will meet the 20th of this July, thus fulfilling the purpose clearly stated to the governors in telegraphic circular of January 5 last, known throughout the country.

The Government has received, and is grateful for, the patriotic manifestations, made by distinguished citizens of the capitals and of important cities of the Departments, recognizing the honesty of its initiative in calling Congress and applauding this measure.

The urgency of the meeting of the legislative chambers proceeds principally from the necessity of attending to important economic and fiscal matters, both national and departmental, in view of the fact that these latter corporations must reorganize their administration, as provided in law 7, of 1909, on administrative decentralization.

In respect of the treaties celebrated with the United States and with Panama, a considerable part of national opinion, strengthened by a certain number of reasons, has formulated arguments against some of the principal stipulations of the negotiation in question.

The Government, after long consideration and taking into account the opinion of experienced and capable persons, approved these treaties, considering them suited to the permanent interests of the country, given the existing condition of events; but as, in treating of the matter, the grave antecedent circumstances can not be forgotten, the Government considered, duly, as the designado in charge of the executive power put it in the message which he addressed to the national assembly the 13th of March last, that its resolution ought not to be hastened, but that it should watt the time necessary for the whole nation to study them and to form the judgment which, in its lofty opinion, they merit.

In this order of ideas it did not hesitate to propose to the honorable assembly that it put off its examination until the next session of Congress.

This proposition was approved by that lofty body with visible evidences of applause.

This belief, far from lessening, has grown on the Government over which I have the honor to preside to a point where it is conceived that more time should be given the nation to study these treaties with all the maturity that its importance requires, and that it should be in its regular sessions of 1910 that Congress should occupy itself with them.

The importance of the matters in which the legislative power shall be occupied imposes the necessity that the election of its members should fall upon citizens free of prejudices and party interests, who will occupy themselves with those of the country in general, as well as with those in particular of the regions whence they have been elected, since the departmental and municipal needs to be properly organized.

Annual sessions of Congress, whose duty it is to decree the taxes and the expenditures and to pass the laws necessary for the good progress of the administration, will give surer solidness to a Government really representative and of popular choice.

Peace is solidly assured and the program of the present national administration, of which the President should be the chief and not a political party program, which endangered the life of the present head of the Government, is to-day upheld and sustained by the whole nation, and we should hope that for the nation’s good it may continue in the future.

R. Reyes.

Bogota, May 10, 1909.

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