Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-04

treaty of lS46 the United States guarantees
the rights Of the sovereignty and property
Of Colombia on the isthmus. But attention
is now called to the fact that that treaty
was made with New Granada. nation OF
which Colombia formed only a fraction,
and 1t Is argued that there is nothing to
prevent the United States government from
recognizing further subdivisions of the orig
fEal territory of Granada. That conclusion
may have an important bearing on the
future of the canal project as indicating
that the United States is not absolutely
bound to make treaty with Colombia
alone II it wishes to open a canal.
Conference at the White House.
Sensational advices were received here
last night from the Isthmus of Panama to
the effect that a revolution was in progress
and that independence had been proclaimed.
President Roosevelt at 0 o'clock sent for
Secretary Hay, Acting Secretary of the
Navy Darling, Assistant Secretary of State
LOOMS and Rear Admiral Taylor, chief of
the bureau of navigation, to come to tue
White House, where after conference
lasting nearly two hours, orders were dis
patched to the Dixie and the Atlanta on
the Atlantic side, and to the Boston on
the Pacific coast to proceed with all pos
sible speed to isthmian waters to aid the
Nashville in protecting American interests
and maintaining a free transit across the
isthmus in accordance with the treaty OF
1876. Orders also were sent to Rear Ad-
rniral Glass, commanding the Pacific squad
ron, consisting of the Concord, Marble
head and Wyoming, at Acapulco, to coal
i'm mediately and hold itself in readiness TO
proceed on a moments notice to Panama
When the Baltimore reaches San Domingo
orders will be cabled her to go to the 18Th
mus If the situation demands her presence.
The rejection of the Panama canal treaty
is generally supposed to be the NOV ng
cause of the revolution. but no official in
formation on this subject was obtainabl".
An Official Statement.
After the conference an official statement
was made that the sole purpose Of the dis
patch of the vessels was the protection of
American interests and the maintenance OF
open transit on the isthmus. The most
explicit instructions have been cabled to
the American consuls at Panama and
Colon and to the comm ander of the Dixie,
who will be in charge of the vessels on the
Atlantic side, to direct all their movements
with that end in view.
The further statement was authorized
that the State Department regards tac
situation as serious, but that the arrival "
the Nashville and the immediate dispatch
of the other vessels insures the protection
of American interests.
Advices From the Consul.
The following cablegram was received at
the State Department at 10 o'clock last
night from the United States consul at
Panama:
AN uprising took place at Panama to-
night. Independence was proclaimed. The
Colombian army and navy officials were
made prisoners. A government was to be
organized, consisting of three consuls and
a cabinet. 1t was rumored at Panama that
similar uprising was to take place at
Colon
Later the following official statement was
made regarding the news from Panama:
"A number of confused and conflicting
dispatches have been received from the
isthmus indicated rather serious disturb
ances at both Panama and Colon. The
Navy Department has dspatc several
vessels to these ports with directions to do
everything possible to keep transit open
and maintain order along the line of the
railroad"
The advices from the isthmus were not
entirely unexpected, in view of other adj
vices that had come to the department very
recently. The reception of the news caused
sudden outburSt of activity at the Navy
Department, and at once on President
Roosevelt's return he was made acquainted
with the situation.
Feeling in Panama.
The state of Panama has a population of
about $50 900 persons and it is declared is
really the poorest portion of the republic
of Colombia. There has been some SYM
pathy with Panama and trend toward in |
dependence of those states west of the |
mountains on the Pacific side and border
ing on the Caribbean sea on the Atlantic |
side. These states are also interested in |
the construction of a canal, while the peo-
pie of Panama think the canal is a life and |
death issue. DR.. Herran attributes the |
uprising to the intense desire on the part of |
the people of the isthmus for the con- |
of the canal and on this account |
he feels that the movement is more serious |
than the attempted revolutions heretofore. |
DR.. HERRAN's OPINION