The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-22
THE PANAMA CONSPIRACY
A Detailed Account of 1t and the Conspir
By MERRILL A. LEAGUE
Special Correspondent of the Morning News

its existence to nothing which bears
any resemblance to Panamaian patriot
ism. The new nation is the child of
greed, conceived of .the project for
ship canal connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific The story of the republics
conception and birth reads like a fairy
tale. Panama-that is, the better class
of Panamaians-has for years dreamed
of independence of Colombia and i'm
munity from Colombian oppression; but
they lacked the power of initiative,
preferring to put off until "manana"
the attempt another people would have
made to-day. The canal project forced
the issue, however, and the leaders
among the Panamians met it in man
ner which must, in time, win the adj
miration 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 spilling a drop
of blood. That success was made pos
sible because of the certainty of sup
port by the United States does not
lessen the magnitude of the Pana-
maian achievement.
Early in the current year Nuts Du-
rand was governor of the Department
of Panama. He had been sent to pre-
side over the department from one of
the other departments in the Colombian
federation, and was essentially an anti
Panamaian. 1t happened, therefore,
that when the Hay-Herran treaty had
been ratified at Washington and when
the question of ratification was about
to come before the Colombian Congress
that he, who had the power of ap-
pointment of the representatives from
Panama, saw to it that there should
go to Bogota a 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 inimical to
the paramount interest of the depart
ment, and at that moment the scheme
for Panamaian independence began to
assume shape.
Railroad Hand In 1t.
This was in May last. Common re-
port 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
in the states in company with Frederick
Boyd and Constantine Arosemena, as
a member of the commission appointed
to negotiate canal treaty, crediet for
having launched the independent move
ment. But while DR.. Amador is DEEM
ed the father of Panamaian independ-
ence, it is doubtful if SO much credit
actually belongs to him. Rather is it
logical to assume that the officials or
the Panama Railroad, nearly every
one of whom is an American, are the
more responsible parties. The railroad
corporation, which owns splendid
piece of property and which is doing
a thriving business in transisthmian
traffic, has, for about fourteen years,
been deVoting the whole of its net
earnings to defraying the expenses OF
the work necessary to keep the canal
concession held by the New Panama
Company alive. The stockholders
have realized nothing from their in
vestment in that period, and, as the
United States has agreed to purchase
the property for 100000, everybody
connected with the railroad, as Stock
holders and managers, have been feV-
erishly anxious for actual consumma-
ton of the canal project. Upon that
COnSunlI1laClOI1 depends lLSlr dOAll5 ~
unload their holdings on the United
States government and those who are
really in the secret of Panamaian lnde-
pendence 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 sem
ators from Panama to the special SEES
sion of the Colombian Congress, con-
vened on July 20 last to consider the
Hay-Herran treaty, that the canal
project was in jeopardy. These two
men did not represent the sentiment
OF the isthmus, fact proved py their
open fight against ratification Of the
treaty, as we'll as by the fact that they
have not returned to Panama since
the adjournment of the Congress. Al
the time these two men were named
as Panamaian senators Jose Agustlh
Arrange was a senator of the Colom-
bian Congress, representing Panama
No sooner did Durand announce ms
appointments than Arando announced
that he would not go to Bogota TO De
outnumbered in the delegation by anti
Panamaians. Now, it happened that
Senior Arrange was then, and is now,
the Special agent" of the Panama
Railroad: in other words, the COM
pany's confidential agent and LOBBYIST.
In this capacity Senior Arrange has
twice visited Bogota in the interest of
the sanal project, to keep the conces-
sion and promote ratification with the
United States government. The eVl-
dence seems conclusive that when ne
refused to go to Bogota--a refusal ut
tered in May last-he at the same time
advanced the idea of independence Tor
the department in case the treaty
should fail.
Arrange was not, however, the man 10
openly or even sincerely, foster the
scheme. That duty devolved upon DR..
Amador, who is deemed the wealthiest
man in the department, and, therefore,
who has more to gain from American
occupation and the completion OF the
canal than has any other individual.
That Arrange acted as the agent OF
the Panama Railroad in proposing 70
Amador the idea Of Panamaian inde-
pendence is proved by subsequent de-
Velopments. Amador was readily dis
posed 10 advance the project, even
though 1t may not have originated
with him, and the fact stands that he
TOOK the formal initiative as long ago
az May last. At that time meeting
was held at DR. Amadors residence,
fronting the Cathedral in this city.
mere were present Or. Amador, senior
arrange and Senior Tomas Arias--three
men who may be set down, without
aahfer Of any contradiction, ~ the
oflkinal instisatorF Of the revolution
or the ard " November. A. that meet
hE-and my Informant II one Who was