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

( does not represent the people OF Panama
speaking now OF the entire department.
and such Is actually tho case. 1t may reps
resent them In the sense that the sent1-
ment of all the people concurs in what
Z has been done; but It Is an 1ndispu ia ole
fact that outside of the City Of Panama
tho people or the new republic had no
voice whatever In tho esta bllshment "
the republic. A
WE'RE NOT IN THE SECRET.
e In previous letters have sketched the
story OF seccssionlst movement 1t be-.
gan with three men. and was executed
under the supervision Of those tlree and
four others, the seven working undor tho
advice land counsel ot four Americans.
Before tho coup detat others We're. r'r-
force, taken into the secret; but so closoly
were the plans guarded that those WIG
were really In the secret and knew de-
$finitely the details might be count
ed on the fingers OF the two hands,
This brings US to the revolution itself
and INTRODUCES the strangest Of al the
K contradictions dlsuoverable In connection
with the birth vi this national infant
The uprising took place on the third day
Of November, being initiated by the ar
rest Of Generals Tove.r and Amaya and
Governor Obaldia, which occurrences took
place in the City of Panama. That city
knew. or course, what had occurred the
moment tho arrests were effected: but
Colon was kept in ignorance OF the Sc
cess ion until the following day. 1t was
on the 4th of the month and the pubic
Meeting was held in the Cathedral plaza,
Panama, the independence o 1.-THE republic
proclaimed, and the declaratio OF inde-
nendence-or manifestation, as they call
1t hcre-was signed. @.a
Bearing in mind tie fact that seven
men. aided by the soldiers and others
whose support for the movement had peen
purchased with dollars, were alone re-
sponsible for the sudden revolution III the
political status OF Panama, one may
wander away down stretch OF not Nm
interesting Inquiries. Were the people OF
The other provinces consulted as to what
II was proposed by the secessionists 40
do7 They we're not. Were the people,
Speaking In general terms. OF the pro-
vinoes OF Colon and Panama let !ntD the
secret They were not Thoy Knew. ny
general rumor, that revolution was on
fhe taris; but they had not been consulted
nor their advice asked as to the wisdom
or unwisdom OF what was conten1pl plated.
Was a provisional congress, composed OF
delegates from the several provinces, held
for the purpose OF debating the project
and framing a bill OF separation Notn1ns
OF the kind was ever thought o.. HOW on,
than. was the affair carried through ~
this simple ami UNIQUE manners
:. DONE BIZ A MUNICIPAL COUNCIL,
Tho little hand Of secesslonists let tho
members OF the City Council OF Panama
into their secret late in October. When u
became evident that blow would hay :,
, 10 bo struck very soon or forever Wlth-
8hald. These city cour cilmen--eleVen N
,r,n,ber--were willing to further the pro-
,isct 40 that when the public meeting
was held In the Cathedral Plaza, Panama,
on November 4th, they were all N atten-
dance. They, too, wsra the first TO. slgn
tha declaration Of independence, and tm-
mediately after that Formally they ad-
1ourned across the street to the munlclpal
building and went into session behind
closed doors, Their first act then was
to pass the declaration, which had al
ready been engrossed In a book Of record,
and to append their names TO the on.
crossed copy, This dons, the oity council
appointed thu three members Of the pro-
vsional governing junta. authorlzlng
them to take charge Of the affairs Of the
new renublio The junta ASSEMBLED at
once and named the members Of the pro-
yislonal cabinet and the new repub!!c
Molbsndes had taken charge Of affairs at
Colon as provisional governor, appointed
BY the turta; but outside OF the cities Of
Panama, aud Colon, and along the line
Of the Panama RAILROAD, the people of
the now republic were In entire ignorance
OF the fact that they We're no longer SUBJ
jects OF Colombia.
Il II seemg almost inoredible that the
municipal council az a city Of ieWsr than
IS 90 people should take unto themselves
the right to create 4 republic out OF g
territory equal III area to the State Of
indiana, but that was what was acr
tually done In, this case, Instead OF q
provincial congress. the city, COUNCIL Of
Eyery Legislative Formally incident to
the creation Of this republic was per-!
formed by these CITY couneilnlen, no por-i