The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-19

pocket and remarked:
 Now. senores, I must have this mon- ey. and am compelled. much to my re- gret. to ask you to assist me In raising 1t. I have here subscription list, which recites that the amounts you will nut down opposite your names are given vol untaftly. To show that have no desire to act unfairly. have headed this list with my own subscription for. $500Oo, and trust that you will not let me outdo you in rendering the government gener- ous support. Incidentally, may say that you are all under arrest. The house Is surrounded by soldiers; none of you can escape.
 And smiling ssiavely and lowing grace fully. the Governor moved toward the exit, saying as he withdrew:
 With your permission I will retire for one hour. At the end of that time I shall return, and during my absence I trust that you will arrange this volun- tary subscription among yourselves with a spirit of such generosity that my im- perative demands can all be satisfied with out annoyance
 An Army Made by Force.
 The sequel to the story Is involved in no mystery The company of Conserva- lives was helpless. They ragged and fum- ed; but Aiban was not man to be trified with, and when at the end of tie hour he returned the voluntary subscrip- tion'' had been consummated The only parallel for this system of raising money to defray the expenses of the revolution Is found in the schemes resorted to TOT procuring soldiers to fight with tie gov ernment forces. These soldiers were .nev- CT known by any other name than "volun- 'teers," but they were tno most remarka- bic "volunteers'' the world has ever known. All schemes of conscription were discounted by Alban's methods for increasing the strength of his army. His recruiting parties would go into the bush, away from the Liberal forces, and with out compassion draft the services of every able-bodied male above 10 years of age with whom they came In contact.
 These men, whether negroes or Coiom- bians. whether, Liberals or Conservatives. whethey they knew what the revolution was about or not, would be taken into custody by the recruiting parties, which were always trusted and well-paid sup porters of the government. No excuses availed to secure their release. They were either shackeled, or had their hands bound behind their backs, and then shackied with ropes about their ankles, and were driven like cattle into the gov ernment camps. These men were the ''volunteers,' of the Colombian army on the isthmus, and 1t Is automatic here that no man ever volunteered from the isthmus for service in the army under Aiban except. he apeared in camp with his arms tied behind his back and a rope about his ankles. There are in existence to this day notes written by recruiting officers to camp commanders which run like this: .s
 q am sending you squad of fresh volunteers. Please return the ropes at once, as I may be able to send you another squad of volunteers tomorrow or the day after"
 Such outrages as these voluntary sub scriptions'' and the procuring of "volun- teers" for the army were not isolated. They were common occurrences of the times. The men of wealth who were drained of their resources by the sub scription scheme renionstrated, but were helpless Those who were drafted into the army by the roped volunteer" pro- cess were fin the same plight. asked one of those who stands upon the records as having volunteered during the revolu- tion why he did not desert. His an swer told the whole story of the isthmus; Where would I have deserted tor" Here he was and here he had to reman, and when he was drafted into the army as a volunteer" there was nothing for him to do except accept the inevitable, for Panama, save for a few miles either side of the railroad. is an impenetrable wilder ness. and the deserter from the army has no haven of refuge.
 Besides these two processes for nlllne the treasury and strengthening the army