The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-29


Its governmental features, because It fs
iunopposed. The Junta Is governing With
out opposition and while the allegianca
ana sailors, has been pledged to the new
republic, tho I,inta constitutes n govern
Ing body de jure. because there Is no
dispute as to It's authority. &$6
AZ a REACTION IS CERTAIN.
Into the situation created under ana
methods there enter several elements
or danger. The flrst and most Important
Of tesc Is delay In giving to the gov
eminent the form Of more certain accept
ability to the people. The people are
acquiescent now because the conditlo9in
romain SO is problematical The convic.
ton ID universal among then, that the
United States will begin actual canal
operations at once. Everybody 10 expect.
Ing money to flow freely within the next
few days. because they have been en-
OF the republic means the immediate pc
ginning Of work OH tho canal. This IS
seen In divers ways. Hotels whose bars
have been closed since the cessation OF
canal work by the F'rench-fourtoen years
ago--are preparing to open them "ltnn
a few weeks Owners Of renting properly
In Panama and Colon. who have accepted
nominal rents from tho natives and non.
descripts, are turning these people out
OF their premises in the expectation tha&
within a. few days there will be such az
infux Of Americans as to send rents
booming. Speculation Of every sort IS
rife, based upon this belief and upon =,
cvory tongue Is tho slogan: The canal is
coming" no Panamaians who saw and
participated In the riot OF French extraV-
aganco and corruption the fact that tine
canal is coming" means flush times, ana
Panama can hardly restrain Itself untli
the moment Of actual operation arrives.
From this condition there is certain
to be Il reaction. The United States VIII
not hegin canal operations for months
for H. the advice Of men like Admiral
Walker, Colonel William Murray Black,
the army sanitary expert, and otner
Anle ricans now here is accepted months
mus. clapse. even after the ratltica ton
Of the treaty by the United States Sem
ate before sanitary conditions can be so
improved as to permit the work OF canal
construction to begin. This means that
d season OF dire disappointment, inviting
to dissatisfaction with the government,
is certain to prevail; and facing this
prospect tho government lacks proper
recognition by the people. AL tnousn1
OF creating a government oy the formal
a6onr,on Of a constitution ana the cleo
ton OF administrative officials waits
,,uon Dr. Manuel Arnador's return from
the States; but the wiser heads believe
serious mistake Is being made IN thus
delaying. The demand that constitu-
tional 7 convention. with representatives
from all the provinces, be calieo IS Pc
coming insistent, the more tar-see!ns
among the Panamaians believing -, Ina enat
II IL essential that the republican govern
meut be given a more substantial toun-
dalton, and something upon which It can
more certainly claim the adherence OF
the people than Is possible through the
mere fact that 1t exists now because II
is without opposition, By flt,5., 81
Sis Gnu RICH AND STATE
&s Another disturbing factor, and one
bound to assert itself sooner or later 10
the conflict over tho relations between
church and State The policy OF the
Conservat ives-who for years governed
the country--was that the State should
s,ipport the church. The Liberals OPP
posed this. and the ntiment among the
leaders OF the new republic IS that, WINE
there should be no IN terference VIII t ~
established religion-the Roman Cathoic
thu church must look to its -comnunl-i
Ecants. and not to the state, for support
Among a people SO poverty stricken as
are the Panamaians the support OF the
h chnrch would mean the imposition OF q
serloGo burden, and, as the padres are q,
sure to encoura ger the People when Inc ~
new policy shall have been q ctual1y ~,
ausurnted, that they are 4bein 6 lmposesa
i,nsm tha religious unrest will assuredly
pft ycke problems With which the govern
ment viii have to deal.
3 Already there are rumors OF dlssatls-3
ia eli on. Jealousies are beginning 10 cIop
o,t among those who stood ehoulder 70
shoulder In the creation Of. the repuDIc'
TINS sentiment, prevalent a few days ago,
that Dr. A.nlador should be the unop-5
nuser) choice Of the people for the sll II:
*nres!dent Of the republic Is beginning 70
modify, and an arrange party, 1o es'si.
BY powerful influences, Is coming mo mo
existence, and when We relnem Der ~. =. ..
dawn here political campaigns are car
r;.d a., IL tho form Of revolutions, there
Is every necessity for; the United states
to insist upon Immediate action toward
thc formation Of a stable government
chosen III the people, and to Whloh a.
the neopla will give their a4leglance.}
The Republic OF Panama being non-ex-
istcnco So far as the people are con-
csrned. and existing only because tno
provisional junta's authority mas not
teen disputed, 1t is required. to corFect
this con tradictory condition ana 70 en-,
ablo the serious problems which WI!
shortly arise through dlsappolntlnens o ae
irnIirio,1s unrest to be properly and et-
:fSctiv ely handled, that a. government pc
1i,ichly established upon tho consent and
free participation Of the people. unul
That II done the Republic OF Panana
nnll' continue as an anomaly, secure only
a. the fact that the interests OF we
tinted. States are such that that govern
gr7,en; Will not permit this one to De de-
stYoyed, either by invasion from without
or pS disturbances within.
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