The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-22
THE ANA! ( n
REVOLUTION.
Details Of How tic Scheme
Was Successfully Worked
Out.
READS LIKE A FAIRY TALE !:
Failure Of Canal Project Forced
Issuc and Set Match to the
Sleeping Mine.
BY MERRILL A.. TEAGuE.

htL|sI# by ..6,t
(From q Staff Correspondent OF the
Times Dlspatch.)
PANAMA. II, p, December 1o.-As
haa already been stated In this cor
t,sspondence, the Republic Of Panama
owes Its existence to nothing which bears
any resemblance to Pnnanniai patriot
ism. The newssnatlon is the child Of
greed. conceived of the project for snip
canal connecting the Atlantic and Pa
clfic. Tbs stor, Of the republics con-
ception and birth readsil,1se fairy tale.
Panama-that ls, the better class OF
pnnamulans-has for years dreamed Of
independence Of Colombia and Immunity
from I Colombian oppression; but they
lacked the power Of initiatives proferr1ng
to put off .until 4"manana"4 the attempt
another people would have, made to-day.
The canal project forced tho issue, bow
ever and the leaders among the Pana-.
malansa met II In manner which must,
In time. win the admiration Of the world,
for as political trick they did that
which Is without an equal, overturning
a government and setting up their own
Independence, without firing a shot or
splitting drop Of blood, That success
was made possible because Of the cer-
tainty Of support by the United States
does not lessen the magnitude OF the
pnnamaian achievement.
H Early In the current year Nuts Dur
and was governor Of the Department OF
Panama. Flo had been sent to preside
over tho department from one OF the
otter departments In the Colombian fed
Grafton, and was essentially nj nnti-
Panamalan. 1t happened therefore. that
when the Hay-Herran treaty had been
ratified at Washington and when the
question of ratifica ton was about to
come t,efore the Colombian Congress.
that he, who had the power Of appoint
ment Of the representatives from Pan
nma. saw to It that there should go to
lBoEotn delegation which would not
oppose any scheme Colombia might
evolve. Panama. enthusiastic for the
canal, recognized at once that Durand
had named men who were inimlcal to the
paramount interest Of the department.
and at that moment the scheme for
panamaiau independence began to as
sumo shape.
A RAILROADS HAND IN IT.
This was In May last. Common report
and formal statements made by those
who were in the movement at the time OF
It's inception gave to DR.. Manuel Amador
Guerrero. who is now II, 5stlre 9Stntes IN
company with Frederick Boyd and Con-
stantine Arosemena. as member Of the
commission appointed to negotiate q
canal treaty. credit for having launched
the independent movement. But while
Dr.. Amador is deemed the father of Pan.
amaun independence, It Is doubtful If so
much credit actually belongs to him.
Rather Is It log'ctl to assume that the
officials Of tile Panama Railroad, nearly
every one Of whom is an American, are.
the more RESPONSIBLE parties The rail- y
read corporation which owns a splendid
Piece Of property and which Is doing
thriving business in trans-tsthn,lan traf-,
tic. has. for about fourteen years, been
devotng the whole of Its nat earnings
to defraylng the expenses of the work
necessary to keep the canal concession
held by the New Panama Company alive
Tho stockholders have realized nothing
from their investment In that period.
ara. az the United States" has agreed to
purchase the, property for SOD 0N0. every
body connected with the railroad, as
stockholders and managers have been
feverishly anxious for actual consumma-
ton of the canal nroject. Upon that con-
summation depends their ability to un-
load their holdings on the United States
government and those who are really
IN the s,acret Of Panamaian Independence
give to the Influence welded by this
road the actual credit for what has
been accomplished.
Every Liberal in Panama knew when
Durand appointed Soto and Teran
senators from Panama to thu special ses-
sion OF the Colombian Congress. convened
on JULY 20 last to consider the Hay
Hcrran treaty, that the canal project
was in jeopardy. These two men did not
represent the sentiment on the Isthmus,
fact proved by their open fight against
ratification OF tho treaty as well as by
the fact that they have not returned to
Panama since the adjournment OF the
Congress-. At the time these two men
were named as Panamalan senators.
Jose Agustin Arrange was senator Of
tho Colombian Congress, representIng
Panama. No sooner did Durnnd m.
nounce his appointments than Arrange
announced that he would not 70 to Bo-
gotta, to be outnumbered In the delcga-
ton by ant Paramaans. Now. It hap
pened that s,,nor Arrange was then, and
Is now, the special agent" Of the Pan
ANA Railroad; In other words. the COM
panys confidential agent and lobbyist
In this capacity Senior Arrange has twice
visited Boguta in the interest Of the
canal project, to keep the concession and
promote ratification with the United
States government The evidence seems
conclusive that when no refused to go
To Bogota-a refusal uttered In May
last--hc at the Same time advanced the
idea OF rnd,nenHence for the department
In caan the treaty should fail.
Arrange was not. however. the man to
scheme. That duty developed upon Dr.
Amndor. who is deemed the wealthiest
man in the department. and. therefore.
who has more to gain from American
occupation and the comDlet'on of the
canal than has any other Individual. That
Arrange acted as the agent OF the Pana,
ma Railroad In proposing to Amador the
idea of Pannmalan independence Is proved
| by subsequent developments. Amador
| was readily disposed to advance the nro-
| ject. event though 1t may not have 0r,gi-
mated with him, and the fact stands that
| he took the formal Initiative az Ions ago
| as MAY last, At that time meeting
was hellat Dr.. Am doris residence 'front.'
| Ing the Cathedral In this city There
were present Or, Amador, Senior AranR0
| and Senior Tomas Arias-three men VINO
may be set down. without danger Of any
| contradiction, as the original nstifIu-
tors Of the revolution Of the Sd Of No
vcmbcr. AT that meeting-and my lnfnr-
| man, is one who was In the scheme from,
| the beginning, and whose statements have
been fully corroborated-lt WAS decided
| by Amador, Arrange and Arlns that II the