William Jennings Bryan to Woodrow Wilson

William Jennings Bryan to Woodrow Wilson

Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925

WWP17945

1913 August 19

Wilson Papers, Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, District of Columbia

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence

My dear Mr. President

Mr. Thomson reaches Bogotá tomorrow or next day and the Colombian people are quite anxious to take up the matter of their dispute with the United States. As you will remember, they asked that it be submitted to arbitration and by your direction I replied that we preferred not to consider the question of arbitration at present and asked whether they were not willing to take up the matter by direct negotiation with a view to adjusting all disputes. We have not received an answer to that note yet but are expecting one daily. The Colombian Minister and Mr. Hannis Taylor, their counsel, think there is no doubt about their willingness to negotiate directly. The Minister to—day expressed the opinion that they would rather have a proposition come from us than for one to come from them. He thought, too, that they would rather give a quit claim deed to the United States than to have any thing to do with Panama, not intending, however, to limit our right to deal with Panama according as we please. They have two or three times expressed the wish that we might take the land between them and the Canal Zone so as to relieve them from the necessity of being neighbors to Panama. This, however, would doubtless be objected to by Panama, besides involving us in the care of a strip of land some two or three hundred miles long and averaging fifty to seventy-five miles in width. They would also like to change the boundary line between Panama and Colombia, but I am not able to speak definitely as to the exact change they desire to make.
I write to submit two questions:First. If they are willing to proceed to direct negotiations, have you any objection to our making a proposition to them? I see no objection to it, and in view of the fact that the last administration made a proposition, we would have a precedent for it, unless you think that the rejection of the former proposition would make it incumbent upon them to make the next proposition themselves. I hardly think it would be worth while to stand out on a matter of form in a case where it is so desirable for us to get together and where they feel that they are the injured party.2nd If you think there is no objection to our making them a proposition, have you in mind a sum that you think would be fair? Mr. Taft offered themten million dollars and then Mr. Du Bois, our representative there, on his own responsibility, asked whether they would be willing to takefifteen,twenty, and at last,twenty-five millions. They refused and preferred to wait for the new administration. I think you have not indicated the limit to which you would go and I have no scientific basis upon which to calculate a sum, but I have had in mindtwenty-five millions as a sum that we might be justified in paying. I think the Colombian people have aboutfifty millions in mind. If you think that we could considertwenty-five millions as the outside figure, I think it would be well for us to commence with an offer offifteen millions, ortwenty at most, leaving a chance for a compromise, as they are quite sure to ask for more thantwenty-five millions.
It occurs to me that it might be an advantage if in their counter proposition they set forth a necessity for the money for internal improvements, like the deepening or harbors, the building of railroads, and the development of the country. While theoretically we could not have an interest in the use of the money, still as a practical matter we are interested in the development of Colombia and would profit indirectly by a system of internal improvememnts which would bring more of their land under cultivation. I think they have in mind a railroad running from Bogotá to the Pacific coast which would very much shorten the distance from the water to the Capital and also the distance to the large territory lying east of the capital,—a territory which they desire to colonize.
As soon as you have had time to revolve this subject in your mind, I would like to have instructions as to the course of procedure.

With assurances of respect, etc., I am, my dear Mr. President,

Very sincerely yours,
WJ Bryan


The President,
The White House.

Letter

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924