The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-25
THE PANAMA G0NSP|RATOR.
Bunau.yariIIa Originated and Plan
ned Every Detail Of Revolution.
Swiftest, Bo!dest and Most Sue
cessfuI Game Ever Played by
a Diplomat.
Republic Created for a Purpose in a Few
Weeks.

Special to The State.
Washington, Nov. On. Philippe
Bunau-Varilla. minister plenipoten-
tiary and envoy extraordinary of the
republic of Panama to the United
States, is the most talked of man in
Washington today. That his fame'is
not to be ephemeral is assured by the
treaty signed On November 18 by
Secretary Hay and himself which goes
down to history as the Hay-Bunau-
Varilla treaty. This treaty was signed
within Is days from the birth of the
republic.
That idea that Bunau- -Varilla is a
schemer or creek is very far from
the truth. In addition to being an
engineer of international reputation
he is diplomat who can hold his own
with men born into the diplomatic
service. More than this NJ. Bunau-
VariNa is most interesting man per-
sonally.
His ambition since the days when
he first selected engineering as his
,fofession has been the building of
ene Panama canal. It is true he is
interested in it from financial stand
point, but I know it to be also true
that he would have willingly sur
rendered his every share in the Panama
Canal company if assured in 80 doing
that it meant the completion of the
great work.
Although I have known NJ. Bunau-
Varilla only a little over two weeks
my acquaintance with him in that
time has convinced me that he has
played the boldest. pluckiest and most
successful game ever attempted by a
diplomat.
Six weeks ago Bunau-Varilla was
convinced that the Hay-Herran treaty
was dead beyond recall and that with
it died all hope Of securing satisfac-
tory canal concessions from Colombia.
He was in New York and then
and there he planned the scheme.
There must be revolution. Panama
must secede and declare her independ-
ence. Simultaneously with the estab-
lishment of the republic Of Panama
negotiations with the Washington
government must begin for the ratifi-
cation of a canal treaty. He would
be the Panamanian minister to the
United States and his name should be
linked with that of Secretary Hay as
the negotiators and signers Of the
canal treaty which was not to die but
under which the great isthmian canal
vas to be carried to completion.
So with lightning speed ran the
thought of Bunan-Varilla. Straight
way he began the execution Of his
scheme. He had spent many years in
Panama as an engineer of the old
Panama Canal company. He knew
the people and as he sat there working
out the details he selected the men
who should lead the revolution. He
had no time to go the isthmus himself
again.
The cables served his purpose. He
started them to working. Three
weeks later the revolution was GER
tainty. The thing was planned to the
most minute detail. In the meantime
Bunau-Varilla had actually drawn up
his own credentials in New York as
minister plenipotentiary and mailed
them to Panama with directions that
they be cabled back signed by the
junta the day after the new govern
ment had been established.
One week beforethe date set for the
revolution it's leaders cabled Bunau-
Varilla asking that the revolution be
postponed week. Bunau-Varilla
cabled back: "No. Revolution must
come off on schedule time" And 80
it did.
Bunau-Varilla came to Washington
two weeks ago today. six days later he
was presented at the White House and
duly recognized as the minister from
Panama. Six days later he signed his
canal treaty and today the treaty is on
its way to Panama where it will be
ratified within two days of its arrival.
This sounds like fiction but the
whole Panama game, as played here in
the past two weeks, has at times been
too swift for the spectators to deter
mine whether it was history or fiction
that uao hasnor made