711.21/515: Telegram
The Minister in Colombia (Philip) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 7, 9.23 a.m.]
164. The Department’s October 30, 5 p.m. was anticipated by my 160, October 29, noon, and my 161, October 31, 7 p.m.41 The press here is using every opportunity to incite suspicion of and resentment against the United States in connection with the proposed agreement relative to subsoil rights and it is becoming increasingly obvious to me that this feeling is permeating the thinking to such an extent as to render it doubtful whether the Government would be able to negotiate such a pact under the existing circumstances. El Tiempo yesterday exhorted all parties to use their influence with their representatives to insure the definite renunciation of the proposition embodied in the Legation’s memorandum of the 21st [20th?] ultimo which it terms a document of slavery. The current expressions of opinion are to the effect that the attitude of the United States as regards petroleum lands is remote from and derogative to the national independence and laws. The fact that the approval of the treaty of 1914 is made conditional upon the outcome of this attitude is deeply resented in all quarters I think. The outlook at present is discouraging and, apart from the justice of the case, I can see no advantages to be derived from the position we have taken which could not have been procured with better results through a settlement of the treaty as originally proposed. American business men are complaining to me that their operations are greatly prejudiced by the situation which is such that the Government actually expresses itself unable to make important business contracts with [Page 762] Americans at this juncture on account of the anti-American feeling caused by our attitude in the treaty and petroleum matters.
The project of the petroleum law has now been sent to the Senate by the Chamber. The American representative of an American company holding extensive lands told me yesterday that he believes the law as now framed exempts those lands the titles to which antedate October 28th 1874 from the forfeiture of subsoil deposits not developed within twenty years, mentioned in my October 29, noon.42 However, this is not positive in my opinion.