The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-31

Panama Raiifoad but it Is a secret which nobody in Panama attempts to conceal that as the head of the Junta in directing the government of the new republic Don Agustin works now in as close harmony with the railroad corporation as he did in those days when he was serving openly and In return for a regular salary. The natural deduction is that the railroad cor- poration is at present the administrator or this new government, and such is tho tact although the railroad company man. ages to keep itself we'll in the back ground, its direction of affairs being &C., | complished through Arrange, who contin- ues Tn closest touch with the railroad of- l ftcials. What part he w.il play when the structure of republican government shall have been formally reared does not now appear. He Is an enthusiastic advocate of the election of pr. Amador to the presi- dency, discourasing all use of his own name for that office; but his part In the drama has been so important that it is conceded that when the curtain of full accomplishment shall have been finally rung down on this bioodless revolution Arrange will have been berthed most com fortably. The only gossip as to the exact location in which he is likely to find him. self has 1t that Bunau-varilla will, after the ratification of the canal treaty by the United States Senate. be transferred to Paris as minister plenipotentiary and en- voy extraordinary to France, while 5enor Jose Agustin Arrange will enter the dip- lomatic corps at Washington as Panama's 8 l representative.
 Others Who Took e Hand.
 | Following Amador and Arango comes q long list of men, none of whom gives an impression of any great amount of strength. Thomas Arias is by no means brilliant man. although he was one of the original trio of secesslonists and sits now as a member of the governing Junta. He Is we'll connected in Panama, Is a man of considerable wealth; but 1t seems evil dent that he owes his particlpancy in the conspiracy which eliminated one month ago to the fact that he has, In dignifed way, been a professional office-holder un- der the Colombian government. He has served in many and different official posi- tions, and his knowledge of the govern ment scheme and the proper way of doing things excefs that of any other man on the isthmus This knowledge was needed by those who proposed to make Panama an independent republic: hence the reason for the prominence acquired by Arias. As leader he would never be considered for moment; he Is much too voluble and too ready to divuIge secrets to be a safe coun- selor; but in the early days it was recog- nized that he knew the regular and or derly methods of directing government, and because it was desired to avoid mis- takes that might lead to controversy and embarrassment he was Invited to join in tho conspiracy and has proved an invaI- uable aide to the real leaders.
 1rredrica Boyd. a member of the Junta, for whom Emanuel Espinoza has teen substituted; C. A Mendoza. Minister of Justice; F. V. de la Esprie.la. Minister of Foreign Relations; N. A. de Obarria. Min ister of War and Marine; Julio J. Fabre- ga, Minister of Public Instruction, and M E. Amador. a son of Dr. Amador and Minister of Finance, are not men of strength. Amador possesses for his of- fice, which corresponds to that of the Secretary of Treasury in our government. the qualification of having been treasurer of the Department of Panama under the Colombian regime. and being. therefore, familiar with the finances of the new re- public. The others are successful busi- ness and professional men; but not one of the lot has ever had experience in the handling of the reins of government. F. A. Morales. Minister of Domestic Affairs. Is a man of brilliant intellect, chosen evi- dently because he was believed to be mentally equipped for the task of orga- l nizing the new republic for governmental purposes; but the others seem 10 have been chosen in a haphazard fashion, more because men were needed for the partic- ular places they are now filling than be- cause the one chosen were deemed fitted, | by education. training or experience. for posts like those to which they have been called.
 Little Better Than a Makeshift. l The bringing together of these men as the active and responsible managers of g government presents in itself a complex | ity as strange as any discoverable in this land of complex human mixtures and strange characters. Under 1t the govern nheIit as 1t is today stands as a hodge podge, little better than a makeshift
 Never was this better demonstrated thar
 on the day when the treaty for the cana
 was ratified. The men behind thIs gov
 ernment-Americans unidentified with tht
 Panama Raiiroad-never better evidenced
 their apprehensions as to the future They know that those holding official DO
 sitions are not the sort of men in whom
 reliance can be placed for accurate direc'
 ton, and so eager have they been to es-
 tabllsh contractural relations with the
 United States by means of the cana l IA s.-T-