The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-11-20
CNew York Post.)

-1-rrh 1853 -
case where the tail must IN
bly wag the dog. For Panama I'M
es Itself upon the map of Colombia
kdite II the saucy manner of 4 Scotch
terrier's cauda ~appendage. Nor is this
the only curious effect which strikes the
eye For here are d railroad existent
and a canal in future. which join the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans whereupon
o.e must travel southeast in order to
90 westward.
Although Panama IS. from an histor-
zeal standpoint. the Oldest portion of the
western hemisphere, il IS n of its least
known parts. even Arctic Alaska has
many times the commercial activity.
Although Panama Is but nine degrees
north Of the equator and is fertile be-
yOnd the powers Of description, its pop
uIat!Ou does not Increase, nor does il
wax IN riches. Every. tropical fruit
grows Wild. Yet but few kinds are to be
bought DOB the markets. Its only exports
are some bananas and an i~ucOnsidera-
Die amount Of mahogany. and while
4 strgc part Of th- population lives upon
rice IS 4 staple with thousands OF acreS
of ideal rice lands in their midst.
practically all Of the rice consumed is
imported. Panama has but one asset
which is negotiable. and that Is the con-
cession tOr q canal
Like every sO-cdIIed republic In South
America. THE United States of Colombia
has passed through many v~IcIssitudes.
Il Was separated from Spain by that
great political surgeon. Bolivar, for
whom one of its important departments
is named Il must be understood that
although Colombia is called a republic.
ii does and has little to fulfil our def
milton Of that term. There is a central
government located at BOgota, in the
Andes Mountains, which lies not far
from the rise OF Il main feeder of the
Orl-Cc" river. ana about 200 miles in a
direct line from the Pacific ocean. The
central government is best described as
p~aternaL except that few parents pay
50 little attention to the welfare of their
dependents. The chief object OF gov
Is profit, and the principle TO
the victOTs belong the spoils" is here
carried 70 the extremity of its pOssibili-
ties. From the frequency of revolutions
IN this interesting community one
might expect Al constant display of
bloody heads. We, this expectation, like
50 much else i'm these attitudes. is mis-
leading. To all iuteuJS and purposes.
Il revolution near the equator CORE
spends L. an election in colder climates,
and q rifle becomes a Vote. From this
i IS evident that politics is Il serious
matter, engaging the attention of the
first citizens, ana Is not left to the
chairman of a county committee. Every
vote tells. and there are no blank bal
lots. Yet il j. not always necessary TO
have "a revolution in order to change
AN administration. as, for example, the
method by which the present President
MarroqUiu was "~inaUgurated." This
was by the simple process of inviting
mis- predecessor TO send in mis- r~eSigna-
ton. which. under the peculiar ::Ir-
cUmStauces IF the moment he was per-
suaded to do. and Senior MarrOquin'S
PROF. nation I'd the rest.
DEPARTMENTS OF COLOMBIA.
Colombia consists of departments
which correspond in 4 general way to
our state divisions. although the resem-
bIs -ce ceases at the geographical def
nicon. because the departments have
no autonomous existence, constitution,
laws. or rights, other han those granted
10y the central government This is true
except in the case of the department
Of Panama. which has had a measure
Of Independence, and is in receipt of a
large yearly stipend from the Panama
Railroad Company. The governors of
the departments are not elective, but
sare appointed by the president. who also
appoints the generals in command OF
the troops Since the governor and the
general in u given neighbOrhOod are
likely to be insanely Jealous of Zach
other, they naturally exercise a sort of
restraint. and thus dissipate the natur-
Al tendency towards revolution.
The social aspect of Colombia is some
thing which we can barely believe and
cannot understand at all. Devoutly Ro-
man Catholic. the population is essen
TALLY immoral: not immoral, but free
and easy in its sexual relations TO an
extent that els scarcely comparable
with the seventh commandment. In the
cities. marriage is sufficiently common
not TO be 4 matter of comment. but IN
thu villages il is a scarcely considered
sacrament. Baptism is performed as a
matter of course by some visiting cler-
ic. who appears 10 have no other in
terest than 10 seal the child to the
Church. The personal habits of the peo-
pie are curiOusIy contradictory. Quite
gleauIy in their persons and bathing
frequently. their surroundings are often
Vile. and would be impossible if il were
not for the aIl-pervading buzzard.
NEGRO CHARACTERISTICS PRE-
DOMINATE
IS There are few Indians, the indigenous
8people of the land. to be seen along the
Panama Railroad. and these few are
both of mixed breed and degenerate
qualities. In the cities there are occa-
Sional families who are generally ad-
mitted TO be of pure Spanish blood. but
there is a touch of African evident in
almost every native Panamanian, n
the negro characteristics predominant
through the rural population. AS in
all countries where the and Is fertile