The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-16
Panamans Amused at News of
 Approaching Army
COLOMBIA IS BLUFFING
1t is Believed That the Harrassed Government Is Trying to Alp. pease People by Pretend
 ing to Send Troops.

Panama, November 15.-President Mar roquin's statement. as conveyed in a ca blegram to General Plaza, president of Ecuador, that Generals Reyes. Caballeros, Ospin and Bolguin are now marching on the isthmns to suppress the isthmian traitors" has set the entire population of the isthmus laughing
 Protected by the impenetrability of the land, and the many leagues of coast line separating the isthmus from Colombia. and confident that the United States n- tends to prevent the landing of Colombian soldiers from the sea, the isthmians feel that their security is absolute.
 The loss of the isthmian territory is, of course, a tragedy for Colombia. The gov ernment at Bogota is probably ignorant of the attitude taken by the government of the United States during the last two weeks. In a frenzy "to save it's face" to appease an angry and disappointed popu- lace, and to satisfy the public demand for some appearance of activity and an attempt to save the honor and the terri torial integrity of Colombia, the govern ment IS no doubt promising and threat ening to send forces to the coast, or take other aggressive steps The realization by the Colombian government of the i'm possibility of sending troops to the isth- mus would not necessarily deter 1t from taking these steps, which, as already stated, are intended merely to satisfy the people.
 Reason for the Scheme.
 Well informed people on the isthmus hp1iaUa hat tbo tOl0 a,,t is going through all these forms of or- ganizing expeditions, not merely for the foregoing reasons, but owing to the ne- cessity of forestalling or of weakening the threatened Revolutionary outbreak In Bpgota. The . owing feeling against PfesidelIt MarroGtin is believed to be due to the fact that he did not show suffi- eient determination to effect the ratifica- tion of the canal treaty, which would have saved the isthmus to Colombia, and because he appointed General Obaldia governor of the department of Panama after Obaldla had declared that he would remain Colombian if the treaty were ratified, but that otherwise he would only be a Panaman.
 General Obaldia was born in Chirqui, in the state of Panama.
 Miners and others familiar with the coast on both sides of the isthmus de- tldIt lildl dHA attempt to HldTcD all eX- peditionary army from any part of Co., 1ombia to the isthmus would be futile.
 Both coasts consist of heavy jungles and swamps and rivers. and are without towns or means for the provisioning of an army. The members of the junta have not the slightest fear that any such expedition will be attempted, and they receive the reports of such expedi- tions with equanimity.
 Ample Protection in Treaty.
 What is described here in Panama as the United States broad interpretation of the clause of the treaty of 1S46, re- garding the protection of traffic across the isthmus. is deemed ample for the protection and transportation of troops by sea.
 The Pacific Steam Navigation com pany, British concern. plying between Panama and Buena Ventura, has a clause in it's contract with the Colombian government, which says that 1t must under normal conditions" transport gov- ernment troops. It can, however, be said authoritatively that the company will not transport Colombian troops to the isthmus under the present condi- tions, and that it has not been asked by the Colombian government to do so. Other vessels which bring troops from any Colombian port for any point in the Republic of Panama will be prevented by the naval authorities from disembark- ing them in case they insist on so doing, after warning has been given.
 Revenues Sufficient.
 The revenues of the new republic, if economically administered, promise to meet all expenses. These revenues con- sist of the 10 per cent ad valorem duty on imports. slaughterhouse taxes and liquor licenses, and similar sources of income as well as the fair yearly sums derived from those holding a monopoly on the to- bacco business. from the gambling priv ileges at Panama and Colon, and from the lottery. These sources of revenue do not include S5000 (gold) formerly paid by the Panama Railroad company, a Uni ted States concern, to the Bogota gov- ernment, which retained S4500 giving to the state of Panama only $500. The Co., lombian government, however, during recent fiscal distress arranged with the railroad company for an advance of the weekly payments for a period covering several years; therefore, the new re- public cannot count upon this source of revenue. The government of the new republic, realizing the necessity of keep ing it's arn1y in a concentrated condition | IS pdgluS iAS ptAiN'A9 anu SpiuitiS Wlln IHe utmost promptness.
 General Obaldia appeared on the streets of Panama yesterday for the first time since November 13, when the independence of the isthmus was proclaimed He was cordially greeted by friends and acauaint- anees. It Is generally asserted that the Isthmians will eventually insist upon the separation of church and state, as sep- aration was one of the measures de- manded by the liberal party in the last revolution and the population of the isthmus IS largely liberal. The question of the admission of Chinese Is being seriously discussed by the pres. and in other quarters, the consensus of opinion appearing to be opposed to such adr,is. sion. The junta has invited designs fer n Do ma coat of arme