File No. 5025/3.
Chargé Heimké to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Bogota, April 9,
1907.
No. 173.]Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, in
duplicate, a pamphlet containing the message of the President of the
Republic of Colombia addressed to the National Constituent and
Legislative Assembly (which met in this city on the 1st instant),
besides the reports made to that body by the ministers of the
cabinet.
I have translated and transmit herewith, in duplicate, the aforementioned
message, and (also in duplicate) that portion of the report made to the
assembly by the minister for foreign affairs (p. 33 of the pamphlet)
wherein he refers to the existing relations between Colombia and the
United States.
Summarizing the other portions of the report of the minister for foreign
affairs, in speaking of the Holy See, he says, principally, that the
papal delegation at this capital has left nothing undone to cultivate
and maintain harmonious relations between the Government and the church;
that through opportune foresight the Holy See had obtained the best
possible organization of the dioceses and vicarages, toward which the
Government had lent its proper cooperation, and that much is due to the
apostolic delegate here for his efforts toward the creation of good
feeling among the masses and for his labors in the interests of peace
and concord.
Concerning Ecuador, the minister refers to a pending treaty of
friendship, commerce, and navigation between that country and Colombia,
signed at Quito on the 10th of August, 1905, in substitution for the
treaty of 1856 between those countries, which is regarded as practically
obsolete, and that the principal feature of the new treaty is the
reciprocal free trade between Ecuador and Colombia. Another one spoken
of in connection with Ecuador is the Andrade-Betan-court treaty
concerning Colombia’s boundary question, which was submitted to the
Emperor of Germany for arbitration and is lacking only the formality of
its return, while a third treaty, or telegraph convention, signed in the
city on the 5th of May, 1906, the exchange of which is awaited, relates
to reciprocal rates, or tolls, etc., in connection with the transmission
of telegrams between points in Ecuador and Venezuela through Colombian
territory and vice versa, and between Ecuador and Colombia.
[Page 283]
With reference to Brazil, the minister speaks of Colombia’s boundary
question and of the free navigation of the rivers, which matters, he
adds, he will in due time bring to the attention of the assembly for its
study and approval.
Relative to Great Britain the minister informs the assembly that, in
order to facilitate trade relations between the two countries, a
convention was signed with Great Britain on the 22d of December, 1906,
concerning property rights, which pact insures the citizens and subjects
of either contracting party the same rights and gives them the same
legal recourse enjoyed by them within the territory of the other now, or
that may hereafter be, sanctioned by their respective laws with
reference to trade-marks, commercial names, labels, designs, or
industrial models, patents on inventions, etc.
Speaking of Italy, reference only is made to the reception of the
minister resident from that country to Colombia, which took place on the
20th of January, 1906, and through whom cordial relations were
reestablished between the two nations, and that the invitation from
Italy that Colombia be represented at the Commercial Congress at Milan
had been accepted.
With Peru, the minister reports, a modus vivendi was celebrated by
Colombia at Lima on the 6th of July, 1906, by which the statu quo in the
territory in litigation between those countries is to be maintained
until the definite settlement of the controversy. The matter of the
boundary question between Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador is now before the
King of Spain for arbitration, and the minister adds that if the
sentence should award to Peru territory claimed by Colombia as belonging
to her, the decision as to the rightful ownership thereof will be
submitted to His Holiness.
The minister, in speaking of the Third Pan-American Conference, says,
particularly with reference to the question of arbitration, the
Colombian delegates offered the following resolution in a meeting of
that body:
Considering that the American Republics have always inclined
toward the principle of arbitration as a means of maintaining
international peace, and that they have been invited to the next
conference at The Hague, the third conference, in convention at
Rio de Janeiro, resolves: To confirm its adhesion to the
principle of arbitration; and that in order to give force to
this elevated purpose, recommends to the nations represented
thereat, that they intrust their delegates to the second
conference at The Hague to endeavor to procure the adoption of a
general agreement of arbitration so effective and definite that,
with the deserving approbation of the civilized world, it be
accepted and put in force by every nation.
The Government of Colombia was invited by the Russian embassy at
Washington to indicate its adherence to the “agreement governing the
laws and customs of warfare on land and sea, and of the principles of
the Convention of Geneva of the 22d of August, 1864,” as well as to name
representatives to the next conference at The Hague, which invitations
have been accepted, and Colombia named Gen. Jorge Holguin as its
delegate to that conference.
The consular service is referred to by the minister as having been
improved in the matter of its personnel, in order to maintain abroad a
proper corps which will give its scrupulous attention to the development
and advancement of Colombia’s incipient industries, etc.; that recently
clerkships have been established at several consulates, which are given
preferably to persons (Colombians) who have concluded
[Page 284]
their studies in medicine, who are
required, with the approval of the department of public instruction, to
remain abroad for a period of two years and study some branch connected
with their profession, upon which they will lecture after their return
to the country in whatever institution the Government may designate, a
measure which, the minister adds, will be a stimulus to students of
medicine; and in conclusion the assembly is informed that for the
betterment of the mechanical part of the consular service, the
Government has named an inspector, whose duty it will be to make
frequent visits to consulates
In conclusion, upon the subject of foreign claims, the minister says:
The Government being careful to preserve the credit of the
Republic, it has not been in any manner heedless in regard to
the substantiation of foreign claims or in the payment of the
respective bonds. Of the 343 foreign claims presented to this
department and substantiated by it for expropriations in the
last civil war, 259 have been decided, 84 only remaining to be
adjusted. The total amount demanded of the Republic in these 343
claims was $4,744,711 gold, of which $2,075,980 have been
allowed. The claims remaining to be adjusted represent a value
relatively small.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
Message of his excellency the President of the
Republic of Colombia, addressed to the National Constituent and
Legislative Assembly, which met in extraordinary session at
Bogota, Colombia, on April 1, 1901.
Honorable Deputies: In my last message of
the 30th of December, 1905, I had the honor to inform you briefly of
all the affairs regarding the public administration up to that date.
To-day the cabinet ministers will do so at the same time with me,
although not in the form of separate and extensive reports, since
you were called together only a few days ago and as your
extraordinary sessions will be of short duration, the Government
having thought it more convenient not to fatigue you with extensive
details and has preferred to condense their reports in the form and
manner that you will see farther on, the ministers of the cabinet
reserving the privilege of publishing separately their individual
reports in a form more extensive in detail.
Besides the present report the general secretary of the presidency
will send you the following official publications, in pamphlet form,
which have been issued with reference to the public administration
from the time of your last sessions up to the present date. Among
these publications I point out the following: Legislative decrees,
Organization of the service of the national treasury, Annals of the
council of ministers, etc. In said publications and in the present
report you will find all the data that you may require to completely
inform you of all the acts of the Government.
I have the satisfaction of informing you that unalterable public
peace has been maintained throughout the country, which is an
evident proof that the Government judged aright the conspiracy of
the 19th of December, 1905, when it characterized it thus:
“The Government considers that the conspiracy, deprived of a
political character, is more properly a sign of transition. Without
an ideal, without an appreciable basis, this movement marks the
death of anarchy, with which the nation has been in combat during
its first century of its existence. The good sense of the people,
who have almost always shown themselves indifferent to attacks of
this nature, was demonstrated at this time by a condemnation of the
attack, so as to show that they have understood the responsibility
that those persons upon whom it has fallen to represent the country
and to work for its prosperity during these precious hours of its
existence have toward their country.”
[Page 285]
As is known, after that conspiracy and as its natural consequence,
the attack of the 10th of February, 1906, was made, which I judged
at that time and which I judge to-day is the last of anarchy and
disorder in which this country has lived during long years.
The country and the Government have absolute confidence in your
patriotism, in your sound judgment, and in your capability, so that
in the few days of these extraordinary sessions you may guarantee
still more the stability of peace and set a good example, as well in
our own country as abroad, that among our legislative and
constituent bodies there will be no heated debates nor any political
discussions such as were peculiar to some of our former congresses,
because all your energies will be devoted to aid in the
reconstruction of our country, which is so much in need of rest and
tranquillity.
Our international relations have been cultivated and maintained on a
footing of cordiality and correction, toward which effective help
has been given by the honorable diplomatic body at this capital and
by our representatives abroad, where it is considered that Colombia
has finally overcome the era of civil wars, through which every
country in the world has passed, and that she has now entered upon
peace and progress.
The Episcopate and the Catholic clergy have continued to lend their
efficient and profoundly beneficent aid toward the maintenance of
public tranquillity, a work toward which the very worthy
representative of the Holy See before the Colombian Government has
also contributed in great part.
The acute economic crisis which has weighed down the nation since the
termination of the late civil war as a result of the excessive
emission of paper money is still sharp, and the Government, in order
to relieve the situation, has applied the greater part of the public
revenue, so as to recover firmly the credit of the country abroad
and by this means to attract foreign capital for the construction of
railways and for other industries; and in the interior of the
country the Government has given its attention to the improvement of
lines of communication, converting mule tracks into cart roads,
repairing these and opening new ones. In this manner the public
taxes have been given a reproductive and fruitful employment, which
has controlled, in part, the bad economic situation and will finally
control it entirely.
We have kept the level of our estimates, and every day the
organization of our finances and the regular administration of our
public taxes is improving to the point where we can say that these
are properly managed.
The harvests were abundant last year and promise to be so this year,
which will keep the mass of the population from suffering from a
lack of provisions.
Since your last sessions the assembly has increased the number of its
members by 21 deputies, corresponding to the six new departments
which have been formed and to the federal district. In this assembly
all the different political groups of the country are worthily
represented by the most distinguished men of Colombia.
I have spoken incidentally of the political composition of the
national assembly, but only to give evidence of its representative
elements; however, your labors will not be of a political character,
as the nation has no problems of that kind pending; and as the
actual institutions are accepted by all the political parties, the
political labors of these parties will remain for the future, as
they already are, in the fruitful field of the administration, in
which all can work for the good of the country; and this will be the
principal object of the political groups; they will either change
into coincident forces for doing good or they will have to
disappear, for the nation can no longer tolerate within its strong
organism any disrupting and opposing forces to its progress and
well-being under the name of political entities. It is pleasing to
me to recognize in you all the patriotic and open spirit required to
accept with loyalty and frankness the postulate concerning the
mission of political parties, which is to-day dominant in all
Colombians of good will.
The ministers of the cabinet will submit for your high consideration
the matters which the Government deems convenient you should act
upon during these extraordinary sessions.
Let us thank God for the great and manifest benefits that have been
bestowed upon the nation, and let us make ourselves worthy to
deserve them in the future.
R. Reyes.
Bogota, April 1,
1907.
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
Translation of that portion of the report of the
minister for foreign affairs addressed to the National
Constituent and Legislative Assembly, which met in extraordinary
session on April 1, 1901, wherein he refers to the relations
between Colombia and the United States.
Honorable Deputies of the National
Constituent and Legislative Assembly:
It is highly gratifying to me to be able to inform the honorable
national assembly that our relations with all nations friendly with
Colombia grow more cordial every day, which is largely due as well
to the intelligent and meritorious labors of the accredited
honorable diplomatic corps at Bogota as to our representatives
abroad.
united states.
In order to confer with our minister in Washington, Dr. Diego Mendoza
Perez, concerning the important questions which this chancellery has
pending with that of the United States, and to repeat verbally the
instructions which had been given to him at the time of his
nomination, I confirmed by cable, when I took charge of the
department, the orders which had already been transmitted to him to
repair to this capital. Then, in a manner unusual in the history of
our diplomacy and in disobedience of the orders received, Dr.
Mendoza Perez revolted and provoked the disagreeable incidents that
are known to the whole country and which were a reflection upon the
Government and public opinion, so justly outraged.
Afterwards, our plenipotentiary at Rio de Janeiro having advised us
that Secretary of State Root desired to touch at the port of
Cartagena and make Colombia a visit as a termination of his journey
to South America, the Government prepared to receive that
distinguished man of state in a manner befitting to him and to the
traditions of hospitality and courtesy which have honored the
Republic. The undersigned received from his excellency the President
the honored charge of proceeding to Cartagena, as he did, to await
the arrival of the illustrious guest. Mr. Root arrived at that city
on the 24th of September of last year and was the object of proper
attentions. In greeting Mr. Root in the name of the Republic and
that of his excellency the President, I said to him, among other
things: “We receive you as a herald of peace, of justice, and of
concord.” Mr. Root, in reply to my discourse, declared “the sincere
desire that all questions pending between the Republic of Colombia
and the United States may be settled peacefully, in conformity with
the spirit of friendship, of mutual esteem, and in accordance with
honor for both countries.”
This frank and friendly declaration, besides other manifestations of
the distinguished Secretary of State in honor of Colombia and her
illustrious chief, inclined the Government all the more toward the
continuation of the negotiations initiated in Washington by Minister
Mendoza Perez. In order to bring them to a happy goal, Dr. Enrique
Cortes was designated to replace Dr. Mendoza Perez, a citizen who by
reason of his eminence, his skill, and his long residence in
European centers appeared to be the most proper person to continue
this mission.
Mr. Cortés proceeded to Washington and began his labors in accordance
with the instructions given him by this chancellery. In order to
arrive at the best results in so delicate a question, the Government
decided to name as counselors of legation the distinguished Messrs.
José Maria Pasos, Gabriel O’Byrne, and Antonio R. Blanco.
The negotiations have been prosecuted in a satisfactory manner, and
the Government entertains the hope of soon being able to announce to
the Republic the celebration of an agreement in conformity with her
honor and to her interests. It would be a matter of especial
gratification to me if that agreement could be terminated before the
end of your labors, so that you might consider it.
I should mention that the distinguished diplomat, Hon. John Barrett,
a loyal friend of Colombia, and who took upon himself a journey
through our department with fruitful results to the country, has
contributed in a large measure, with intelligence and tact, toward
the good feeling existing between Colombia and the United
States.
* * * * * * *
Honorable Messrs. Deputies.
