The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-22

ated, and which it was decided should
De composed of Arrange, who welded
all the influence of the Panama Rail-
road; Arias. who had been a depart
mental senator, federal representative
and general officeholder, and Boyd.
who represented the heavier vested
interests on the isthmus. Dr. Amador
was reserved to be the candidate for
president of the new republic; Constan-
tine Arosemena was selected to be the
expert member of the commission to
the states to negotiate a canal agree
ment; De Obarrio was slated for the
Ministry of War, which he now holds,
and Ricardo Arias was to be the active
fiscal agent of the proposed new gov
eminent.
None of these details were neglected,
the systematic manner in which the
conspirators went about their work
showing that they possess unusual
ability in political scheming and that
they were ably advised. Proceeding in
the same careful way, with view to
leaving no stone unturned to insure
success, the conspirators reached, about
Oct. q, that point at which they real
lied that they would need a declara-
ton of independence. The pot was boil
ing then in earnest. All Panama was
talking of scheme for independence,
rumors of every sort being current,
but nothing definite being known. To
have prepared a declaration of indie
pendence, ready for use the moment
the Colombian Congress should adj
journ, the conspirators took into their
confidence three lawyers of Panama,
all enthusiastic supporters of the ca
nal proposition. These men were E.
A. Morales, who was advised that if
a cNhor1on Shnt1ld THROUGH HI would
be made Minister of Government (do-
mestic affairs) in the provisional cab
met; c. A. Mendoza, who was slated
for the Ministry of Justice, and ].
Henriquez, whose official status has
not yet been defined. Morales, Mendoza
and Henriques undertook the work
of framing in secret the declaration
and to have it ready for immediate
use.
Choosing n Flag.
Another thing was the flag for the
new republic. The conspirators con-
suited over this several times. 1t
was desired to evolve an emblem which
should signify the unif1cation of the
Liberals and Conservatives into
party standing for Panamaian indie
pendence. A number of designs were
submitted. but it was finally decided
to adopt the combination of one red
and one blue square, with two white
squares, one bearing a red star ana
the other blue, red being the color OF
the Liberals and blue of the Conser-
vatives. The design being agreed up
en-, a colored plate showing the pro-
portions of the flag and its color
scheme was prepared and intrusted
to DR.. Amador, who advised his niece,
Senorita Maria Emilia Ossa. daughter
of the Gillian consul general in this
city, that there might soon come a
time when a new flag would be need
ed in Panama and that she should have
the honor of making it.
Then All Was Ready.
There remained, then, only the army
and navy and the police force to be
looked after. Isaac Brandon Bro.
and Henry Ehrmann had charge of the
departmental money, and from them 1t
was learned that there would be no
trouble in getting hold of the $145,O00
on deposit belonging to the department
the moment independence should De de-
clared. Trusted agents were then COM
missioned to Fix" the military and ma
val establishments and the police force.
Gen. Huertas, who was in command
of the Colombian battalion, the garri-
son of the istSmus, was approached,
and was discovered to be willing to
lOln .JnG movement lOI Gel Ldlll ohlPAAAN
ed considerations, chief among which
was bonus of $685. 900 (silver) for him.
self. Gen. Ruban Varon, who COM
manded the Colombian gunboat TWen-
tv-first of November, formerly the Pa
dilla, which sunk the Lauterro in the
battle in which Cow Alban lost his
life, and which, since the revolution,
has had her name changed to the
Third of November was also approach
ed. He, too, was willing to become a
Panamaian patriot in exchange for $685.
900, and the officers and men under
him on the gunboat were equally sus-
ceptible to influence, the chief engi-
neer and chief of artillery each bar
gaining their support for $4,000, and
the others for smaller sums. None of
this money was paid in cash; but prom
Uses were made to pay it after the re-
public was established, and it has since
been paid.
In Gen. Huertas battalion were a
number of officers and men whom he
distrusted, so a story was artfully con-
cocted that a revolutionary party of
seventy men had landed on the coast
of Chiriqui, the western province of
the department, and the officers and
men under Huertas' suspicion were dis
patched to quell the disturbance.
Whether they know of the establish
ment of Panamaian independence or
not at this time is a matter of con-
lecture, as they have not yet returned
from hunting the revolutionists; nof
have they been heard from. Other in
dividuals and agencies were manipu-
lated in manner similar to that en-
ployed in handling Huertas, Varon and
the others referred to, and so thorough
ly was the work done that when the
Colombian Congress adjourned on Oct.
81 without having ratified the treaty,
the powder train for Panamaian rev.
olution had been laid, and the match
had actually been lighted to ignite it.