to all like imports from other countries, and, in return for said preferential rates of duty granted to the Republic of Cuba by the United States, it is agreed that the concession herein granted on the part of the said Republic of Cuba to the products of the United States shall likewise be, and shall continue, during the term of this convention, preferential in respect to all like imports from other countries: Provided, That while this convention is in force, no sugar imported from the Republic of Cuba, and being the product of the soil or industry of the Republic of Cuba, shall be admitted into the United States at a reduction of duty greater than twenty per centum of the rates of duty thereon as provided by the tariff act of the United States approved July 24, 1897, and no sugar, the product of any other foreign country, shall be admitted by treaty or convention into the United States, while this convention is in force, at a lower rate of duty than that provided by the tariff act of the United States approved July 24, 1897. ARTICLE IX. In order to maintain the mutual advantages granted in the present convention by the United States to the Republic of Cuba and by the Republic of Cuba to the United States, it is understood and agreed that any tax or charge that may be imposed by the national or local authorities of either of the two countries upon the articles of merchandise embraced in the provisions of this convention, subsequent to importation and prior to their entering into consumption in the respective countries, shall be imposed and collected without discrimination upon like articles whensoever imported. ARTICLE X. It is hereby understood and agreed that in case of changes in the tariff of either country which deprive the other of the advantage which is represented by the percentages herein agreed upon, on the actual rates of the tariffs now in force, the country so deprived of this protection reserves the right to terminate its obligations under this convention after six months' notice to the other of its intention to arrest the operations thereof. And it is further understood and agreed that if, at any time during the term of this convention, after the expiration of the first year, the protection herein granted to the products and manufactures of the United States on the basis of the actual rates of the tariff of the Republic of Cuba now in force, should appear to the government of the said Republic to be excessive in view of a new tariff law that may be adopted by it after this convention becomes operative, then the said Republic of Cuba may reopen negotiations with a view to securing such modifications as may appear proper to both contracting parties. ARTICLE XI. The present convention shall be ratified by the appropriate authorities of the respective countries, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, as soon as may be before the thirty-first day of January, 1903, and the convention shall go into effect on the tenth day after the exchange of ratifications, and shall continue in force for the term of five (5) years from the date of going into effect, and from year to year thereafter until the expiration of one year from the day when either of the contracting parties shall give notice to the other of its intention to terminate the same. This convention shall not take effect until the same shall have been approved by the Congress. In witness whereof we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed the same in duplicate, in English and Spanish, and have affixed our respective seals, at Havana, Cuba, this eleventh day of December, in the year one thousand nine hundred and two. TASKER H. BLISS. [SEAL.] WHITE HOUSE, Washington, November 16, 1903. To the House of Representatives: In response to a resolution of the House of Representatives of November 9, 1903, requesting the President "to communicate to the House if not, in his judgment, incompatible with the interests of the public service, all correspondence and other official documents relating to the recent revolution on the Isthmus of Panama," I transmit herewith copies of the papers called for. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. The PRESIDENT: DEPARTMENT OF STATE, The Secretary of State, to whom was referred a copy of the resolution of the House of Representatives of November 9, 1903, requesting copies of all correspondence and other official documents relating to the recent revolution on the Isthmus of Panama, has the honor to lay before the President copies of the correspondence from and to the Department of State on the subject. Respectfully submitted. JOHN HAY. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL AT PANAMA. A press bulletin having announced an outbreak on the Isthmus, the following cablegram was sent both to the consulate-general at Panama and the consulate at Colon: DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Sent 3:40 p. m.) LOOMIS, Acting. Uprising on Isthmus reported. Keep Department promptly and fully informed. Mr. Ehrman to Mr. Hay. PANAMA, November 3, 1903. No uprising yet. Reported will be in the night. Situation is critical. EHRMAN. Mr. Ehrman to Mr. Hay. PANAMA, November 3, 1903.. Uprising occurred to-night, 6; no bloodshed. Army and Navy officials taken prisoners. Government will be organized to-night, consisting three consuls, also cabinet. Soldiers changed. Supposed some movement will be effected in Colon. Order prevails so far. Situation serious. Four hundred soldiers landed Colon to-day Barranquilla. EHRMAN. Mr. Loomis to Mr. Ehrman. [TELEGRAM.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Sent 11:18 p. m.) Message sent to Nashville to Colon may not have been delivered. Accordingly see that following message is sent to Nashville immediately. NASHVILLE, Colon: In the interests of peace make every effort to prevent Government troops at Colon from proceeding to Panama. The transit of the Isthmus must be kept open and order maintained. Acknowledge. (Signed) DARLING, Acting. Secure special train, if necessary. Act promptly. LOOMIS, Acting. Mr. Loomis to Mr. Ehrman. [TELEGRAM.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 4, 1903. (Sent 12:02 p. m.) Communicate with commander of gunboat Bogota and state plainly that this Government being responsible for maintaining peace and keeping transit open across Isthmus desires him to refrain from wantonly shelling the city. We shall have a naval force at Panama in two days, and are now ordering men from the Nashville to Panama in the interests of peace. LOOMIS, Acting. Mr. Ehrman to Mr. Hay. [TELEGRAM.] PANAMA, November 4, 1903. Mass meeting held. Independence publicly declared. Three consuls approved organize government, composed Federico Boyd, José Augustin Arango, Tomas Arias. Bogota in sight. EHRMAN. Mr. Ehrman to Mr. Hay. [TELEGRAM.] PANAMA, November 4, 1903. (Received 9:50 a. m.) Cables Nashville received. Nashville notified. Troops will not be moved. Last night gunboat Bogota fired several shells on city; one Chinaman killed. Bogota threatens bombard city to-day. EHRMAN. Mr. Ehrman to Mr. Hay. [TELEGRAM.] PANAMA, November 5, 1903. Received an official circular letter from the committee of the provisional government saying that on 4th political move occurred, and the Department of Panama withdraws from the Republic of the -United States of Colombia and formed the Republic of Panama. Requested to acknowledge the receipt of circular letter. Colombian troops re-embarked per Royal Mail for Cartagena. Bogota supposed at Buenaventura. Quiet prevails. Mr. Ehrman to Mr. Hay. EHRMAN. PANAMA, November 6, 1903. The situation is peaceful. Isthmian movement has obtained so far success. Colon and interior provinces have enthusiastically joined independence. Not any Colombian soldiers known on isthmian soil at present. Padilla equipped to pursue Bogota. Bunau Varilla has been appointed officially confidential agent of the Republic of Panama at Washington. EHRMAN. Mr. Hay to Mr. Ehrman. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, (Sent 12.51 p. m.) The people of Panama have, by an apparently unanimous movement, dissolved their political connection with the Republic of Colombia and resumed their independence. When you are satisfied that a de facto government, republican in form, and without substantial opposition from its own people, has been established in the State of Panama, you will enter into relations with it as the responsible government of the territory and look to it for all due action to protect the persons and property of citizens of the United States and to keep open the isthmian transit in accordance with the obligations of existing treaties governing the relation of the United States to that territory. |